2007 Audi Q7

Latecomer Faces Challenges

Slowing truck sales don't bode well for the late-arriving Q7. Larger than most of its competitors, it has solid performance but isn't the most athletic SUV.

Audi's first SUV, the full-size Q7, is a late entry in the luxury SUV market and comes at a time when high gas prices make buying a vehicle of this size harder to justify. It is capable but pricey, with on-road handling that is as agile as can be expected in a vehicle this large, and the ability to tackle rough terrain as well as tow up to 6,600 pounds.

Built on an extended version of the Volkswagen Touareg/Porsche Cayenne platform, the Q7 is a sizable beast at 200 inches in length — 13 inches longer than the Touareg. That allowed Audi to squeeze in a third row that, despite the stretched chassis, should be thought of as strictly for kids.

Audi execs at one press event were quick to point out that the Q7 shares no exterior or interior body panels with the Touareg or Cayenne and should be thought of as completely unique. They say that the Q7 is a new breed of SUV: a performance SUV. It competes with other car-based models like the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz ML-Class and GL-Class, Cadillac SRX and Volvo XC90. It is longer and wider than all of them (except the GL-Class, which is about the same length) and, as a result, can be a chore to hustle through turns.

A test-drive near Scottsdale, Ariz., showed the Q7 to be as luxurious and comfortable as anything in this crowded class, though not as athletic as the BMW X5, which leads the pack for sporty dynamics.

Like its rivals, the Audi looks to give traditional sedan buyers a leg up with a roomy, versatile interior and all-wheel drive without sacrificing luxury or performance. And while Audi’s own A6 Avant wagon has comparable cargo space, better gas mileage and nimbler handling, the Q7 fires back with seating for six or seven, more ground clearance and superior towing capacity.

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A V8-equipped model — called the Q7 4.2 — went on sale this month and starts at $49,900. That price includes standard features like leather seats, a power tailgate, electronic stability control, side-curtain airbags, a six-disc in-dash CD changer and Audi’s Multi Media Interface (MMI), which is easier to use than BMW’s similar iDrive system. However, many high-tech features cost extra and are expensive; these include adaptive cruise control, a rearview camera, blind-spot warning system and navigation system.

Check off a few nice selections — such as the $2,600 adaptive air suspension and $1,850 panorama sunroof — and the Q7 can soar to $60,000 and beyond. An upscale model that starts at $59,900 — called the Q7 4.2 Premium — bundles many popular options, including the sunroof and rearview camera, but you'll still have to pay extra for features such as adaptive cruise control, rear side airbags, heated seats and air suspension.

Under the hood is Audi’s familiar 4.2-liter V8, with direct fuel injection and 350 eager hp. A 280-hp 3.6-liter V6 version is scheduled to go on sale this fall. Audi expects that the V6 model will make up 80 percent of total U.S. Q7 sales.