2007 Audi Q7 4.2 Premium Sport-Utility Vehicle
Reviewed by Susan Frissell
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SPECS
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Audi has now joined the ranks of those offering a luxury Sport-utility vehicle; who hasn't? The all-new Audi Q7 is a nice vehicle, albeit large, and will have appeal to Audi drivers. At last, a vehicle they can move up into without having to leave the fray.
This has been a month of driving sevens: Mazda's CX-7, Suzuki's XL-7, and now Audi's new Q7.
Audi's 4.2-liter, 350-horsepower FSI V8 engine is teamed with a 6-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic and Dynamic Shift Program which makes for a very efficient engine and smooth shifting. We didn't spend many moments in Tiptronic manual mode, but did try it out. This isn't a car we'd find it necessary to drive in manual mode, even with V8 power.
Options on our test Q7 included Adaptive Air Suspension ($2,600), 20-inch 5 Twin Spoke Cast Alloy Wheels High Performance Summer Tires ($800), Multi-Function Steering Wheel ($690) and Audi Side Assist ($500). As one might guess with a vehicle at this level there isn't much that isn't standard equipment.
Fit and finish are good and tight and the Q7 was void of any annoying rattles. German automobiles are solid and heavy and give one a feeling of maximum safety. Safety equipment is plenty on the new Q7and includes dual-stage front airbags with occupant sensing for the passenger, driver and front passenger side airbags (SIDEGUARD) inflatable curtain airbags, front and rear 3-point safety belts with automatic pre-tensioning, active and passive rollover protection and of course lower anchors and tethers for child seats.
An anti-theft alarm system is standard as are electrically adjustable heated outside rear view mirrors. Daytime running lights are standard faire, as are advanced key and voice recognition system.
The Audi Q7 Premium we drove was equipped with a powerful 14-speaker Bose audio system, 6-disc in-dash CD changer, DVD Navigation System with MMI Advanced system with 7-inch color screen and Satellite radio. We enjoyed listening to Satellite radio and to the full sound of the CD's produced by the Bose.
Wood inlays on the center console and doors take one back to the days of the domestics but are now again in fashion. It does spiff up the interior and relay a feeling of opulence. A power tailgate lifts open to the third row seating area that folds flat for cargo. The second row of seating has two individual seats and a center multifunction box, fore/aft and several angle adjustments. We'd prefer a second row bench but the individual seats offer maximum foot room when traveling.
Electronic cruise, automatic four-zone climate control system, ABS and ESP with roll-over sensing Hill Descent Assist are all standard equipment. Servotronic vehicle speed-sensitive steering adds to the ease of maneuvering and handling of the Q7 on twisty roads and highway driving. Of course anti-lock brakes are standard and accompany Audi's Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system.
The Q7 is a large 4-wheel-drive sport-utility vehicle and a lot of car. Driving it around town isn't as pleasurable as driving it long highway miles. However, we suspect Audi owners/lovers will appreciate the addition of this new category to the lineup, rounding out the choices for those who prefer driving an Audi; a particular customer indeed.
If it weren't for the annoying third row head restraints, we would have driven the new Q7 without any complaints. We couldn't quite figure out how to lower them either and suspect it might be done with the push of a button. So all we saw behind us were large upright head restraints blocking the view of just about anything trailing us.