Audi Q7 offers performance and panache in a big SUV package

Audi Q7 offers performance and panache in a big SUV package

Wheels

2008 Audi Q7 SUV
By: Neil Moore

I hate to gloat, but it’s hard to resist when a major snowstorm hits and you’re sitting pretty in a monster, tech-laden SUV. While those other suckers in front-drive sedans with their tread-challenged all-season tires slip and slide all over the road, I sit on my lofty perch, smugly enjoying the benefits of all-wheel-drive and a whack of other traction control technologies.

But every silver lining has a cloud, and the rest of the time – when the roads are clear – we SUV drivers have fewer reasons to rejoice. We put up with truck-like handling and ride, have to shoehorn these mammoths into tiny parking spaces, and worse yet, fill our colossal fuel tanks – sometimes with premium – every few days.

Well, the Audi Q7 doesn’t resolve the fuel crisis, but in just about every other way, gives you the best of driving a luxury sedan, along with amazing traction, loads of passenger and cargo room, and a commanding view of the road.

Let’s start from the outside. The Q7 premium SUV, now in its second model year, is anything but trucky. At 6.5 feet wide and nearly 17 feet long, the vehicle is big, but it’s also elegant – even daring. Its gaping black grille with wide, backswept headlamps, short front overhangs and bulging wheel flares create a bold first impression.

From the top of the grille, the hood emphasizes a V-shape, while the front bumper, high side panels and pronounced shoulders adds to the Q7’s athletic appearance. Also contributing is the vehicle’s side profile, where the roofline sweeps back gracefully from the A-pillar and then drops gently, to finish in a coupe-like curve at the rear where it’s topped by a sporty lip spoiler.

The standard power wraparound tailgate offers huge access to the load area, and when closed, blends seamlessly into the side contours. Large diameter dual exhausts (3.15-inch diameter on 3.6L V6 and 4 inches with the 4.2L V8) complete the look.

The 2008 Audi Q7 comes in two models – the 3.6 Premium and the 4.2 Premium – named according to engine size, and each offering a comprehensive list of standard and optional equipment.

As tested, the 3.6 Premium sported a beefy set of optional 20-inch five-spoke alloys (18-inchers are standard) that nicely filled the wheel openings, contributing to the Q7’s imposing look. With ground clearance of just over eight inches the stance is lofty. Even more so – at 9.4 inches – if you opt for the 4.2 Premium with optional air suspension. Getting in, however, presents little difficulty, and once inside, the feeling is one of being firmly planted.

Except for ride height, there’s little inside the Q7 to suggest you’re in anything other than a luxury sedan. Up front, the standard 12-way power adjustable leather seats cradle your derriere and provide soothing heat to help you loosen up on a cold winter morning.

The way this interior has been fitted with high-quality leather, wood, aluminum and plastics speaks to Audi’s legendary craftsmanship. The sheer number of instruments and controls, however, appears daunting at first.

Here’s where a few minutes with the user’s manual, or in my case with Audi PR’s Tom McPherson, is invaluable. Go through the functions once and everything begins to make sense.

Take, for instance, the standard equipment Multi Media Interface (MMI) located in the centre console. It consists of a large rotary knob, flanked by four buttons with three below. These control just about every aspect of the car – sound system, phone, navigation, and many other functions from lighting to locking. All this is viewable on a colour monitor that sits atop the console. The settings are many, depending on what options you’ve installed, but the method is the same for all.

There’s another multi-mode display between the speedo and tach that gives you such information as temperature, fuel economy, range and radio station. Here, the steering wheel-mounted audio controls allow you to scroll through the stations, or you can do this with the MMI.

The Q7 3.6 Premium’s standard equipment also include an in-dash six-CD changer, satellite radio prep, auto-dimming interior mirror with compass and rain sensing wipers. The latter  has a couple of neat features, such as four-position rain sensitivity, and a higher resting position on cold days so the wipers don’t freeze to the windshield.

The base price of the Q7 3.6 Premium was $59,800 in 2007, but has been dropped by $2,000 to reflect the higher Canadian dollar. My tester also included the following: Convenience Package $3,300; Technology Package $3,600; Panoramic Sunroof $2,300; Audio Package $2,100; 20-inch alloys $2,000; third-row seating $1,200 and towing package $750. That brings the price up to $73,050 without the destination charge. It sounds steep – and it is – but you get a lot of leading-edge tech for the price.

The Convenience Package includes bi-xenon lights, power auto dimming and folding mirrors with defog, two-position memory for driver's seat and outside mirror and rear view camera with acoustic parking assistance. In my mind, these parking systems should be standard fare in trucks and SUVs. Although visibility in the Q7 is better than some I’ve driven, there’s a fair drop from the rear window, making it hard to see small children. With Audi’s system, the camera image is enhanced by an overlapping graphic display to help guide you when reversing. It also beeps increasingly as you approach an obstacle.

The Tech Package feature I liked most was Audi’s Side Assist. In a nutshell, sensors monitor the sides and rear of the Q7, letting you know when there’s another vehicle nearby (approx. 5 metres) or approaching. The exterior mirrors on either side have embedded LEDs that glow when there’s somebody in this zone or about to enter. If you ignore the warning and still signal a lane change, these lights will flash.

This package also includes Advanced Key (keyless start and entry), adaptive lighting (helping you see around corners), voice control, HomeLink garage door opener and Bluetooth phone prep.

The optional 5.6 foot long panoramic sunroof gives the Q7 a bright and airy feel. It’s standard on the 4.2 Premium and is comprised of three glass elements. The front section can tilt and open (about 19 inches) and the rear section just tilts. There are also two semi-transparent roller blinds – electric in front and manual in rear – to help keep the interior from overheating.

The standard eight-speaker sound system is excellent, but opt for the Audio Package and you get a 14-speaker Bose surround sound system with subwoofer and noise compensation,  as well as Sirius satellite radio and a music interface for your iPod.

Depending on whether or not you have kids, the optional third row seating offers good value. These seats can be easily accessed by tipping the second-row seat and sliding it forward. The back, however, has limited head room due to the Q7’s rear-sloping roofline and is best reserved for anybody under five-foot-four. Both rows of seats, however, fold flat for a uniform cargo floor and easy loading of large items.

As mentioned up front, the Q7 is available with two engine choices: a direct-injection DOHC 3.6-litre V6 that  delivers an impressive 280 hp and 265 lb/ft of torque, and a direct-injection DOHC 4.2-litre V8 that puts out a whopping 350 hp and 325 lb/ft of torque.

I didn’t have the opportunity to test the V8 version, but was more than satisfied with the pull of the V6, with its generous torque available from 2,500 to 5,000 rpm. That’s enough to launch the 3.6 Premium from rest to 100 clicks in just 8.2 seconds.

Both engines are coupled to Audi’s smooth and efficient six-speed tiptronic transmission, which is managed by a dynamic shift program. The DSP adapts to an individual’s driving style and road conditions, and offers precise, smooth shifting. You can also choose a ‘sports’ program by shifting into the S position for delayed gear changes and more aggressive acceleration.

Audi’s quattro technology, after 25 years, is one of the best in the world. On the Q7, it features a self-locking centre differential to ensure optimum power distribution to all four wheels. Torque split is typically 42:58 front/rear, but can shift up to 65 per cent of the power to the front or 85 per cent to the rear, depending on road conditions.

Audi’s electronic stabilization program (ESP) adds to quattro’s effectiveness with a number of components: ABS with electronic brake force distribution, Electronic Differential Lock and the traction control (ASR) system.

Very simply, ESP identifies your intended direction and response and then applies the brakes on individual wheels, to help keep the car moving in the direction you want to go. I was on the road during a major snowstorm and was amazed at the system’s effectiveness. Give it a little too much gas on a corner, and it intervenes to keep you tracking rather than sliding sideways . Still, if you insist on taking slippery corners at high speed and expect it to correct, think again. Even a system this good can’t defy the laws of physics, nor Darwinism at work.

In better driving conditions, I found the Q7 to be an agile and nimble performer. Not only is it quick off the mark, steering is light (but with good road feel) and it didn’t have the ponderous feel of some large SUVs and minivans.

There’s a price to be paid at the gas pump, which is no surprise as most big SUVs are a bit thirsty. The Q7 3.6 Premium is rated at 15 L/100 km city and 10.8 L/100 km highway. My combined city/highway figure, according to the trip computer, was 14.3, and when you’re gassing up with premium fuel, not to mention filling a 100-litre tank, it can get a bit expensive.

But the Q7 is not like most full-size SUVs in a sense that it offers breakaway styling in a segment that is characterized by look-alike truckiness. All that and high levels of refinement in both ride and amenities make it a standout for all the right reasons.

Audi Q7 at a glance:

• BODY STYLE: full-size SUV
• DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, four-wheel-drive
• ENGINE (as tested): direct-injection DOHC 3.6-litre V6 (280 hp and 265 lb/ft of torque)
• FUEL ECONOMY: 15 L/100 km city and 10.8 L/100 km highway
• PRICE: $57,800, as tested $73,050
• WEBSITE: www.audi.ca

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