Audi Q7 History
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The Audi Q7 is a five- or seven-passenger sport-utility vehicle that shares some of its mechanicals with other Audi models, but is distinguished as a true utility vehicle thanks to high ground clearance and its available quattro all-wheel-drive system.
Shown first as a concept vehicle, the Q7 was Audi's first SUV when it joined the U.S. lineup in the 2007 model year--although Audi had offered a higher-riding "allroad" version of the A6 Avant wagon in prior years. The Q7 was designed to appeal to sport-ute shoppers expressly. And it was engineered to be distinct from the other vehicles that it's most closely related to--the Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg, both of which are five-seat SUVs. The Q7 still competes most closely with those vehicles, though buyers no doubt will also want to take a look at the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and BMW X5--perhaps even the seven-passenger Lincoln MKT and Acura MDX.
Initially, the Q7 came with only a single powertrain: a 4.2-liter V-8 with 350 horsepower, all-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission. Still, it proved a major upgrade over the usual SUV handling--and most of all, the usual SUV styling, with its sleek side view. In the 2008 model year, Audi addresses the fuel-economy shortcomings of the V-8 somewhat with a new 280-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 option--and then again in 2009 when it introduced a turbodiesel V-6 version of the Q7 capable of 18/25 mpg. All versions continue for the current model year, with the sweet-shifting automatic transmission delivering power to all four wheels and with an adjustable air suspension tuning the ride quality to near-ideal, in most models. Audi says the Q7 can also tow up to 6,600 pounds in the most rugged diesel versions.
The Audi Q7 is among the safest SUVs on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the Q7 its highest ratings for front and side impact protection. It also awards the Q7 four stars for rollover resistance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates the Q7 as "good" in front, side and rear impacts, but no longer calls
it a "Top Safety Pick"--due to the addition of roof-crush standards to its Top designation. (The Q7, like many vehicles in the 2010 model year, simply hasn't had its roof-crush durability tested.)
Audi has tested the waters with more powertrains for the Q7, but to date none of the experimental versions--a planned Q7 Hybrid displayed at the 2005 Frankfurt auto show, and bigger V-8 and V-12 diesel versions--have been confirmed for sale in the U.S.
