2007 AUDI Q7 4.2L

by Brian Scotto

It’s not nice to stereotype, but straight up, Italians will forever be building exotic whips painted the color sex, while the Germans put function first. You can’t knock ‘em for that—you damn sneaker fashionistas—they build some serious road machinery. The Q7 is no exception, and its looks are slightly above average. Yes, it keeps the stately Audi mug, and the promised high-performance S-Line will have any X5 or Cayenne owner thinking they made the wrong choice, but it’s no Ferrari… (Oh, Ferrari please don’t build a SUV!!!). Not that it lacks in looks, but it’s functionality makes up for any shortcomings haters may find.

Saddle up and you will discover a familiar interior. Well, if you drive a newer Audi that is. The Multi Media Interface is as user-friendly as ever, with not only HVAC, stereo, and navigation controls, but also vehicle diagnostics and set-up, including different suspension modes. That’s right, take the Q7 bombing off-road and the vehicle will rise to the occasion, by lifting up and enabling a special rough surface traction control which allows the rear-biased all-wheel drive system to slip just enough to have fun. For some serious rock climbing, you can use the hill descent function to control steeps without sliding or speeding out of control. But at the end of the day, most of you will never travel beyond the tarmac, and the Germans know this—which is no surprise, ‘cause they know everything.

Mash the mach-schnell pedal, and the RS4-borrowed 4.2l V8 roars,
catapulting this rather large SUV to 60mph in 7 seconds. Yes, fast SUVs are scary fun, but don’t forget, it hails from the Fatherland, so safety is built in. Go to change lanes and the optional Audi side assist will alert you of vehicles hiding in your blind spot. Throw it in reverse and an optional parking assist will appear on the screen and guide you into any tight spot. Or if you are rolling in traffic, toss on the speed-adaptive cruise control and let the radar-based system keep you stuck to the guy ahead, even if he slows to a stop… Oh, danke schöen, Deutschland

Specs

/// rating 6 Damage $50,620
/// Power 350hp, 325 lb.-ft.
/// 0 – 60mph 7 seconds
/// Top Speed 149mph (limited)
/// Gas Cash 14 city/19 hwy
/// Miles Driven 55

Interior Even if you have no idea what Cricket leather and Alcantara are, you will be awed by the quality of your surroundings when seated in this sporty-but-luxo interior. The rear seats slide, the third row folds away, and if you look up the optional panoramic sunroof will let all see the stars.

Exterior It’s not Audi’s version of the Cayenne or Touareg, it’s longer (insert size-matters joke)! The roofline is smooth, attempting to be more coupe than truck. Pupil burning bi-xenons light what’s ahead, and a rumored S-Line model that will come kitted on 21-inchers.

Floss Factor With more gizmos and gadgets than a Radio Shack you are sure to impress the tech savvy, while the rest can just stare out the glass roof.

Flaw Factor How do you use a Spacesaver spare? And TDi anyone?

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