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-   -   Nowhere to go from an Audi Q7? No car under 2-crore feels like an upgrade! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/luxury-imports-niche/289271-nowhere-go-audi-q7-no-car-under-2-crore-feels-like-upgrade-2.html)

If the split is 65-35 with you in the rear, then I'd probably steer clear of the Porsches right away. Your Audi doesn't seem that old and clearly seems to be working well enough for you. Why not hold onto it, while waiting for something new or interesting to pop-up. The Indian market is maturing quite quickly and most global icons are showing up here with most, if not all, of their offerings. Mercedes is showcasing a lot of models in the Mobility Expo next year, you may wanna check that out. Defender, while may seem good on paper has seen a recent nosedive in terms of QC. You will spend quite a bit more, maintaining it, than other cars.

Why don't you try out the newly launched Q8? I know it misses out on the air suspension, but the discounts would be drool-worthy already!

For what it's worth and for the purpose of this thread, I'm in the Range Rover camp.

I was at the Range Rover dealership earlier today and thought I'd revalidate my previous reply and augment with pix.

The Defender, RRS and Full fat RR all have more or less the same legroom in the rear. Where they differ is the height of the seat squab which then impacts comfort.

The Defender indeed has a good height and the feet can tuck under the front seat helping with comfort. When seated, I'll say it again, it does not feel luxurious at all. Quite utilitarian and it is by design.




As I've said before, the rear seat squab in the RRS is a bit lower owing to it's tapering roofline compared to RR and Defender. Having said that, it is better in the current gen as compared to the previous gen (L494).



The best seats are in the full size RR. The Autobiography version I saw came with Executive comfort seats which augmented the plushness even further.





PS: Somebody once said, never test drive a Range Rover. Everything else will feel inferior.

My Recommendation: Range Rover Sport

After an extensive test-drive experience with several premium SUVs, I ultimately decided on the RRS.
Here’s my take on the contenders:

BMW X5 (40i, 30d)
While the X5 is a competent vehicle, it fell short in a couple of key areas for me. The backseat experience was underwhelming, and the 30d diesel engine didn’t deliver the level of power I was looking for.

Mercedes-Benz GLE 450
The GLE ticked almost all the right boxes—it’s powerful, luxurious, and refined. However, it lacked that elusive “oomph” factor I wanted in a car at this level.

Land Rover Defender P300
The Defender offered rugged appeal and capability, but the 2.0L petrol engine felt underpowered. Additionally, its utilitarian interiors didn’t provide the luxury expected at this price point.

Range Rover Sport (P400, D350)
This model struck the perfect balance for me. It combines luxury and power seamlessly, with unmatched road presence and a commanding driving experience.

Ultimately, I decided on the Range Rover Sport 3.0 Diesel, as it perfectly fulfills my requirements for a Luxury Grand Tourer. Its potent diesel engine, opulent interiors, and exceptional long-distance comfort made it the ideal choice for both performance and luxury on extended journeys.

Congratulations!
Which spec did you go for? HSE? Autobiography?

My thoughts/comments here are only based on my one-off moments with a few brands in this segment and my short-term stint with Mercedes long back.

From the Q7 (which costs approx. 1.25cr today and was costing approx. 90L in 2018), a budget of 2cr may not be an upgrade at all for one simple reason the cost of cars has gone up significantly. 2018 must be considered a golden goose time so much so that the 3.2L Endy in 2018 was cheaper than the current 2.0L Tucson.

Ideally, for your budget of 2cr, with the current options in the market, whatever you consider will only give you a marginal increment and not an upgrade experience. You are not alone - anyone who is looking to upgrade from a pre-BS6 Octavia, Superb, CRV, Endy, BMW, Audi, Merc, or even a Hexa is in the same situation. A Cayenne today doesn't feel like an upgrade for you because the high cost of the Porsche is for its exclusivity, unlike an Audi/BMW/Merc.

So, only 3 solutions for this
1. Compromise a bit and choose the best from what is available.
2. Increase the budget.
3. Hold on for some more time and wait for some more options.

I also don't buy the idea of "Audi is a Volkswagen in a suit" for India - probably yes for the entry-level Audi, but not for the Q7 level. Because VW doesn't sell their high-end cars in India.

Thank you! :)
I went with the HSE trim, and the delivery is scheduled for June 2025.

If comfort is your priority and vehicle would mostly be chauffeur driven, then look no further than the Toyota Vellfire. Although it's a 7 seater, it should do the job well. However, you need a bit of driving pleasure as well then, BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE are also great options. Test drive all the vehicles and then decide.

I think you should wait for the Land Cruiser Prado, which is planned to be launched later half of this year in India via CBU route. I think it would come in the 1.5cr bracket, and even though it's expensive it's an amazing product.

As we discuss, 2025 Land Rover Defender V8 launched at Rs 1.39 crore with loaded features and tech. It is not a rounded vehicle, but offers great dynamics and offroad capabilities and more importantly well within your budget.

I understand that your requirement is more of a driver driven and occasional self driven, Defender ticks most of the boxes and you cannot get wrong with this :)

My pick would be the new 7 series followed by the RR Sport or the X7(without captain seats is an option)

For rear seat comfort, I have always found sedans to be more comfortable and the new 7 with it's superb seat extension is just amazing. The door handle screens UI can be confusing but you will soon get used to it in a few days.

All the above options will be fun to drive too

Hi, Is the captain's seat in the X7 not comfortable relative to a bench?

I prefer the captain seats but he mentioned in his first post that he did not like the captain seats, hence I suggested that there is an option for a bench too.

I am 6.2 and medium built. If you prefer a 5 seater SUV in Europeans, nothing beats the comfort of Defender. I sat as a rear passenger in Defender 110 on a recent 600 mile road trip in a day here in US. Five adults travelled in the car and rear seat comfort and ride quality is top notch with air suspension. I sat in middle row as well and I didn't feel any discomfort being tall.

My opinion on Defender is solely based on the OP's comment that he feels the middle seat is not accommodating in most of his shortlisted cars.

Hi all,

Wanted to update the thread with our purchase.

Thanks to all members for their insights. Definitely made us think.

For context, a known person had a 6 month old GLS 450d (facelift) available for sale. The deal was just too good to pass up so we went ahead with the GLS.

Here are my preliminary thoughts after getting delivery yesterday.

Style

The GLS definitely looks imposing. It's like a massive slab. Compared to the Q7, I feel it's slightly less timeless and more boxy. Ours is the grey colour.

Interior

The interior is definitely a step above the Q7 in terms of tech and perceived luxury. There's a lot of gizmos and I haven't gotten a chance to explore everything yet. Honestly it's a little overwhelming at first but I'm sure that's just a matter of time.

Space in the back is decent but the middle seat might as well not exist. I still think the Q7 has a bigger sense of space in the 2nd row.

For context with my driver in the front seat (he's 5'7"), I feel a little cramped at the back. The seat overall is definitely more comfortable with better under thigh support but not as much space to stretch out under the front seat.

At the front, it's it's basically a GLE. Haven't gotten used to the MBUX system. The old system on the Q7 was much simpler, however the Merc has way more features now. Not a fan of the touch screen or touch pad, I prefer a rotary knob like the older Audi's and BMW's.

In terms of the driving position, you sit high up. You need this because the bulge of the bonnet is massive. You almost can't see outside at low speeds.

Driving Experience

The car feels powerful. Being a diesel there's a lot of torque available for quick overtakes. Haven't had the chance to take it on the highway or through some twisties. The steering is a smaller diameter and consequently heavier to move around than the butter smooth one on the Q7. Also, I'm not a big fan of the capacitive buttons on the steering wheel and the integration of all the lights and wiper functions into the left stalk. But I guess one gets used to it.

Ride quality is good. There is some head-toss at the back and body movement over bad roll but over-all I am satisfied with it. I would put it perhaps 5% better than the Q7. In terms of dynamics, I think the Q7 was better. The GLS doesn't even have a sport mode, so comfort is what you have to push it in.

Please do let me know if anyone has any other questions about the GLS. I will try to answer. Thanks to all the members for their insights.