Luxury vehicles are sometimes a lesson in diminishing returns. Any car, be it an econobox or a Bugatti Veyron, can get you from A to B. Luxury cars are supposed to do it with an amount of flair, style, performance and sophistication that matches their price. The Audi Q7 has the panache factor, with a 4.2-liter V8 engine, lavish interior loaded with features, and styling with a definite punch, and it certainly has the luxury price: Our loaded test car came out to around $68,500. That’s where the diminishing returns come in. We recently drove an Acura MDX with a sticker price that was about $48,500, and during our time in the Q7 we couldn’t figure out why this Audi was supposed to be $20,000 better than the Acura.
Externally, the Q7 comes across as the King Kong edition of the A6 Avant, but inside it is pure luxury limo. The cabin design mixes A6 and A8 elements with Audi’s usual fine materials and faultless craftsmanship. The instrument panel and switchgear are upper-class Audi, and the MMI system is also a carryover. The key difference between this and other European SUVs is the business-class packaging in row two and the bigger-than-average cargo deck. By adjusting the asymmetrically split bench, it is easy to accommodate even the longest set of legs. The third row, however, is restricted to those who stand less than five feet, three inches tall. The wide, deep, and flat cargo area holds 144.1 cubic feet of luggage with the rear seats folded flat, 27.4 cubic feet in five-person configuration, and 10.9 cubic feet with all three rows erect.

Initially, the Q7 will be available only with the new 4.2-liter FSI V-8, which delivers345 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. The newish 276-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 from the Volkswagen Passat won’t be available until fall. We drove the V-8, which likely will be the bigger seller in America.

Even a casual glance at a Q7 will show that the vehicle has proportions very different from a traditional truck-based utility vehicle. Its high sides and long, low roofline embody Audi styling themes that go back to the first-generation TT sports car, while its interior combines the industry-standard design that characterizes Audi with the comfort, space, and versatility associated with an SUV.

All Q7 models have quattro all-wheel drive — that’s where the “Q” in the name comes from — and it fits in the company lineup between the mid-size A6 and premium-luxury A8 sedans, hence the “7″. Currently, all Q7s are fitted with Audi’s 4.2-liter V8, which, with direct fuel injection makes 350 horsepower, delivered through a six-speed automatic transmission. A 3.6-liter V6 will be offered later.

While the Q7 may be Audi’s first-ever sport-utility, its strength and refinement suggest that Audi has been in this game for years, if not decades. As such, the Q7 represents a fresh and beautifully rendered newcomer to the luxury SUV segment. Like other Audis, the Q7 is a paragon of driving elegance and interior refinement.

Built upon the same solid architecture shared by the Volkswagen’s impressive Touareg and Porsche’s high-performance Cayenne, the Q7 is even nicer to drive than its two corporate cousins, thanks to a more compliant ride and Audi’s decades of experience with all-wheel-drive systems, which Audi calls Quattro, or quattro. The Q7 is also the longest of the three, and thus is the only one to offer three-row seating. Audi also has equipped the Q7 with many luxury and convenience features not found on the Touareg and Cayenne, including a few not found on any other luxury SUV.

The Q7 full-size SUV looks a lot like a tall, bulked-up wagon; it’s about six inches longer and 10 inches taller than an Audi A6 wagon. Standard alloy wheels measure 18 inches in diameter, but 19-, 20- and even 21-inch wheels are optional.

Automakers have met with questionable success when applying the front end styling theme of a passenger car to an SUV (think Porsche Cayenne). Fortunately, the Q7 doesn’t fall into this category. Its front echoes the look of Audi’s cars, but it doesn’t come off as ungainly; the horizontal gray bar in the trapezoidal grille lessens the impact of the design a bit and should make it less polarizing.

Audi wishes to make one thing perfectly clear: The Q7 is an SUV. Not a CUV, not a mini-ute. Market research shows that the Q7′s target audience wants an SUV, so Audi built an SUV. Though svelte lines hide the Q7′s bulk, it’s actually just 2 inches shorter and 1 inch narrower than a 2007 Cadillac Escalade, though at 5 feet 8.4 inches high the Audi will make it into parking garages that the 6’2″ Escalade won’t.
One of my complaints about Audis is that most of them look alike. That’s not a problem with the Q7. Size and shape aren’t the only things that differentiate the Q7 from Audi’s cars. There are changes in the details — the sculpting of the front and rear ends, the artful integration of body seams and creases into the Q7′s design — that give it a unique character. It’s a trend I hope Audi will continue as their cars come up for redesign.

With the launch of the 2007 Audi Q7, Audi proves that it’s either a maverick or completely clueless when it comes to current automotive trends. A big gas-guzzling 4×4 SUV in 1996, yes, but in 2006? Crossovers are the current hot trend. Of course, this is not to say that Audi can’t build a big 4×4 SUV. From our experience with the Q7, Audi can build a very fine SUV, which is not at all surprising given Audi’s legendary quattro all-wheel-drive system. And those Audi fans who have been waiting years for an SUV, no matter how few they may be, finally get what they want.

In our test period with the 2007 Audi Q7, we went through alternating fits of love and frustration with the car. We could complain about the acceleration hesitation from the big 4.2-liter V-8, then wax poetic about the luxurious interior. Immediately after cursing the navigation system, we would praise the car’s highway manners. The Q7 is a seriously mixed bag, with many good points offset by many minor and major faults.

2007 Audi Q7 Models:
2007 Audi Q7 3.6 quattro 
2007 Audi Q7 3.6 quattro Premium 
2007 Audi Q7 4.2 quattro 
2007 Audi Q7 4.2 quattro Premium