Arts & Culture
Audi Q7 Jets Across Holiday Gatherings
My family is spread across Texas and Indiana, so when it comes to the holidays, there`s actual jetting involved, but also long drives in cars that rival private jets. While driving the Audi Q7, we had family gatherings a duo of hours away in three different directions. I did all of the driving, but you won`t hear me complaining. Nor, did I hear a peep out of the cheap seats.
The Q7`s wrapper is typical Audi, meaning it is slick, deftly creased, and understated. I wouldn`t call it naturally beautiful, but it is muscular, planting a broad stance over 20-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels. A long bod tapers to the rear in a classic shooting brake profile. It`s only when you get close that you realize this cavernous hunk is large enough to contain three rows of seats. From its bold grille flanked by LED signature lighting to wrap-around LED taillamps, it looks ready to own the left lane.
Private winged conveyances have an edge in speed, but not luxury, over the Q7. I was flawlessly blessed sitting on my heated and cooled throne, gripping the thick power-adjusted steering wheel, and listening to the Bang & Olufsen Advanced 3D Sound System that played tunes of all seasons to their shining best. Four-zone automatic climate control and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof add convenience. While the Q7 technically has a third row seat that power folds into the floor, only children with elfin gams should ever consider railing there.
Our Q7 has neither adaptive cruise control nor active crash avoidance systems, but it is still a technical tour de force. I`m a big fan of the heads-up display and reconfigurable instrument panel that lets you see a broad screen expanse of what`s ahead of you in navigation mode. It`s more a computer screen than instrument cluster.
In theory, Audi`s MMI touch system lets you conjure information by finger-tickling letters, but it takes way too much attention from the task of driving. After a steep learning curve, it does summons audio, navigation, and vehicle functions relatively lightly. An intuitive touchscreen flanked by volume and tuning knobs is preferable. Tap into the 4G LTE Wi-Fi to get over it.
Targeting The Horizon
Aimed at the Interstate, the Q7 gathers itself quickly and puts a bead on the horizon. Inbetween the athletic fenders is a Trio.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine that produces three hundred thirty three horsepower and three hundred twenty five lb.-ft. of torque. All of that power is routed to the Quattro all-wheel-drive system through an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission with spanking paddle shifters. Audi claims it`s capable of clicking off 0-60 mph in Five.7 seconds on the way to a one hundred thirty mph top speed. Fuel economy, when less than fully throttled, is decent for a fleet-footed three-row crossover at Nineteen/25-MPG city/hwy.
For a vehicle that weighs almost Five,000 lbs., the Q7 a nimble speed wagon. The Audi drive select system, which employs an air suspension and four-wheel steering, is adjustable for Convenience (soft, less aggressive), Auto (it`ll figure out what you want), Offroad (raises the vehicle), Dynamic (Audi`s version of Sport), and Individual (customize throttle, chassis, and shift points to suit your tastes). I left it in Dynamic most of the time, liking a comfy highway rail and a preparedness to slice up prompt on-ramps. It calmly rumbled over rough city pavement.
If you`re going to stream up the family and jet from one gathering to another, separated by hours on the highway, the Audi Q7 is a good choice. It`s cosily rapid when you want it to be and spaciously advanced always. I`d just stow the third row seats and skip frigging directives into the MMI system to keep things ordinary.
A base price of $49,000, or $74,825 as tested, puts the Q7 against the Volvo XC90, Cadillac Escalade, BMW X5, Dodge Durango Citadel, and Mercedes-Benz GLE.