You Audi be in a crossover SUV
Audi has long trumpeted its Quattro all-wheel-drive system's excellence on the track and highway. But now, Audi is adopting it for use off-road, in the new Q7 crossover SUV.
Audi has long trumpeted its Quattro all-wheel-drive system's excellence on the track and highway. But now, Audi is adopting it for use off-road, in the new Q7 crossover SUV.
Although late to the luxury SUV party, the Q7 builds on the brand's heritage, while offering a slightly different package from its corporate cousins, the Porsche Cayenne and the Volkswagen Touareg.
The Q7's large grille, bulging hood and strong side sculpting lend it a distinctive style. Audi builds on its stylish exterior, with sophisticated interior choices that run the gamut from aluminum to three styles of wood trim. Modeled after Audi's passenger cars, the Q7's accommodations are suitably upscale.
A 118-inch wheelbase provides room for three rows of seats, so the Q7 can carry up to seven passengers, something its Volkswagen and Porsche cousins can't boast. Rear seat comfort is excellent, thanks to middle-row seats that slide up to 3.9 inches forward or backward. Back in steerage, third-row accommodations allow for passengers up to 63 inches tall, although only the brave will want to try.
Maybe it's better to carry cargo. After all, the Q7 can be configured 28 ways, offering up to 72.5 cubic feet of hauling space.
Audis have always been about a great driving experience, and the Q7 delivers that.
Powering this SUV is a 280-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 or a 350-horsepower 4.2-liter V8 mated to a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. With the V8, the Q7 has enough oomph to run to 60 mph in about 7 seconds and a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. The V6-equipped test vehicle was more than sufficient, with plenty of power at low speeds, where American drivers appreciate it. There's still plenty of reserve left once reaching the interstate. Still, even Audi can't mask the Q7's prodigious weight.
The test vehicle clocked in at 5,015 pounds and came in at a little more than 45 grand, reasonable for a luxury SUV with outstanding agility and finesse. Good thing there's enough power, which is delivered via the latest version of Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Forty percent of the engine's torque is delivered to the front wheels, 60 percent to the rear. *