iZoom - 2007 Audi Q7 preview

Audi’s new Q7 SUV - the good, the bad and the ugly

by Tracy Rubenstein
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The good news – Audi prepares to make its first foray into the American SUV market with a well-rounded “performance” SUV.
The bad news – The impressive diesel version won’t be available in the U.S. initially.
The ugly – Well, there is no ugly with the Q7 – with its good looks and included features, the Q7 will make the Audi brand attractive to a wide variety of buyers.

In May, Audi dealerships will open sales for its much-anticipated Q7. This represents the German automaker’s first foray into the SUV class, and already some are criticizing Audi for coming to the SUV party so late. This might be true if the U.S. economy were tanking, but from the looks of it, the party is still in full swing. Barring any economic catastrophe, sales projections for luxury cars in 2006 are strong and—while SUV market projections are flat—the need for a versatile, mid-sized SUV remains unabated.

Design-wise, the Audi Q7 has an attractive exterior, although some may be turned off by the beefy grill and nose. Personally, we were glad to see that Audi pushed the styling envelope and went beyond their typically restrained and what some may call “sedate” approach.

At first glance, the Q7 doesn’t really appear to be large, although inside it is exceedingly roomy with lots of headroom, plenty of legroom and clever areas for stowing. Prospective buyers will be able to choose a 5-, 6- or 7-seat version. In the 7-seat version, the maximum load volume (without removing the seats, but with the second and third rows folded flat) is an impressive 88 cu. ft. And even when all seats rows are utilized, there still remains a luggage capacity of 10.8 cu. ft. behind the third row. Say “hello” to your new road trip car!

According to Audi, the Q7 allows up to 28 different loading configurations. We weren’t inclined to count, but it does appear to be extremely versatile. With the third row folded flat, the rear storage compartment features a fingernail-friendly rail system that was arguably one of the best we’d seen, plus a waterproof, under-mount storage compartment that would be perfect for mud-strewn hiking boots.

It also helps the roominess factor that the Q7 offers an optional large-area sun roof, making the interior light and bright. Known as the “open sky” system, it measures 5.6 ft. long and is comprised of three glass panels – the front can be opened and the rear can be tilted for ventilation. Two roller blinds protect the interior on sunny days.

At the introduction of the Q7, much was said about the vehicle’s 10 dedicated cupholders, and rightfully so. Finally, a German auto maker that “gets it.” Heinz Hollerweger, general manager of vehicle development for Audi, explained how they purposefully gathered the most popular sizes of American beverage containers for testing, and happily the result is that the Q7 accommodates everything from a Big Gulp to water bottles. There’s even a molded insert in the center console cupholder that fits a Red Bull-sized can! Now, if they could only design a place for my purse, which, by the way, the only mid-sized luxury SUV that does this is the Lexus RX. Do I dare say that this might explain why the RX is attractive to so many women?

The Q7 also has lots of performance features that will make it attractive to men as well. Other significant features that are noteworthy for the American market and not just women in general are the rearview camera and parking assistance system, adaptive cruise control, passing alert system (a.k.a. “side assist”), touch-button hatch that can be lowered 2 inches for easier loading and a trailer tow bar with capacity of 5,500 lbs (6,500 lbs. optional). For those that are interested in off-road capability, the Q7 features adaptive suspension settings and electronic stability control (ESP) system with a hill-descent function.

We were also pleasantly surprised by the Multi Media Interface (MMI), which was described by Audi folks as being “intuitive” in nature. Our experience with computerized control panels is that all automakers describe them as “intuitive,” but none really are. So, we had our doubts. Happily, we were thrilled to discover that Audi’s MMI (based on the A8) really is intuitive and easy-to-use! We were able to adjust without consulting the manual the suspension settings, sound system controls, variable distance on the adaptive cruise control and other features.

The Audi Q7 starts at an attractive $49,900, although it’s hard to say where one will end up price-wise after adding in all the must-have options. Audi execs need not worry though, as price really doesn’t matter to the true “luxury” buyer. But something did strike us as incongruous—given the price tag and other high-end details—is that the Q7 doesn’t feature softer seats or a more elegant steering wheel. The seats in the Audi Q7 have been completely redesigned; however the result of this effort did nothing to quell my ongoing complaint about the hardness of Audi seats. This is specific to the leather seats—we didn’t have a chance to try the standard—which are described in Q7 literature as providing “excellent comfort on long journeys.” Let’s hope your longest journey is shorter than your buns can stand!

Seats and steering wheels aside, the Q7 has lots going for it. Initially it will be available with a 4.2-liter V8 engine delivering 350 hp with 6-speed Tiptronic transmission and Quattro permanent all-wheel drive. A 3.6-liter V6 engine will follow in the second half of 2006. Audi officials were unable to confirm their plans for the US introduction of the diesel version, but their hesitation is clearly understandable with the National Clean Diesel Campaign underway. Nonetheless, we had a chance to compare the diesel and gas versions side-by-side and found the diesel very recommendable and worth waiting for. It could go on sale before the Q7 hybrid that is planned for 2008.