ON THE ROAD: Audi Q7 Crashes SUV Party in Style
By Richard WilliamsonScripps Howard News Service
Two brands that built their reputations on all-wheel-drive are Audi and Subaru. But both were late to the party when it came to introducing sport utility vehicles.
Subaru ("the beauty of all-wheel-drive") finally got into the game in 1998 with the smallish Forester, a "crossover" vehicle that is really an SUV body on the chassis of a car.
Audi, long known for its quattro all-wheel-drive system, waited until 2006, of all years, to make its move into an SUV market retreating amid tumultuous pump prices. I can't imagine what the marketing folks were thinking as every foreign and domestic luxury brand (except Jaguar) rolled out sport utilities over the past decade. Even Porsche beat Audi to market with its Cayenne in 2002.
But that's all water under the bridge. Audi now has an attractive SUV and a heck of a challenge in grabbing market share from German rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW, not to mention Britain's Land Rover and Swedish Volvo.
Derived from parent Volkswagen's well received Touareg SUV, the Audi Q7 offers impressive performance with superior luxury appointments. When it comes to fuel economy, however, the Q7 is stuck in the same ditch as virtually every heavyweight, all-wheel-drive SUV.
Even with the smallest engine available, the 3.6-liter V6, combined highway and city fuel economy averages only 17 miles per gallon. With the most powerful engine available, the 4.2-liter V8, the average mpg falls to 16.
Sport utility vehicles have slipped from 56 percent of all vehicle sales in 2004 to 53 percent in 2006, according to Cambridge Energy Research. At the same time, motorists' average mileage dropped for the first time in 25 years.
While luxury SUVs are less affected by pump prices than non-luxury brands, the segment is losing its luster across the board. Nobody wants to feel like a sucker.
Designed to fit in the market somewhere between the full-size Lexus LX and the smaller RX, the Q7 offers room for five or seven passengers under a stylishly windswept roofline.
Offered in three trim levels, the Q7 begins at $39,900 for the 3.6, rising to $45,900 for the 3.6 Premium and $49,900 for the 4.2 quattro model.
The 3.6-liter engine sends 280 horses through a six-speed Tiptronic transmission that can be operated automatically or manually.
The 3.6 offers standard features such as dual-zone automatic climate control, tilt and telescoping leather wrapped multi-function steering wheel, 12-way power adjustable driver's seat, 10 cup and bottle holders, 18-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, a 5,500 pound towing capacity, Audi's Multi Media Interface and eight-speaker audio system with CD player.
Seven-passenger seating is optional, as is Sirius satellite radio, panorama sunroof, rear side airbags, and a 6,600 pound towing package. The 4.2 quattro version that I drove was priced at $49,900, which included the 350-horsepower, 4.2-liter V8 engine and the full load of standard equipment on the 3.6 Premium, including leather upholstery.
Attractive options included the $850 cold weather package's heated front seats and steering wheel. For $2,400, you could really improve your safety and security through the technology package. That includes a rearview camera that proved incredibly helpful in a well-attended parking garage. The package also includes side sensors that warn you away from obstacles and keyless entry with remote starter and voice control.
Stand alone options on the Q7 4.2 quattro include three-panel Panorama sunroof, 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels, four-zone automatic climate control including rear control panel, upgraded 6,600 pound towing capacity, satellite radio, and DVD navigation.
Keeping up with its German competition, the Q7 4.2 comes with front and side airbags, Sideguard curtain airbags protect occupants in all three rows. The splendid power disc brakes are backed up by Electronic Stability Program with roll-over sensing capability.
As a safety feature, Audi's adaptive cruise control grabs the headlines this year. The radar-assisted system is designed to operate even in slow-moving urban traffic with varying speeds. The system allows the driver to choose the preferred distance from the vehicle ahead in terms of seconds _ between 1 and 2.3. Based on feedback from the radar sensor mounted in the front of the vehicle, the system adjusts the accelerator and brakes according to the actions of the car ahead of the Q7.
The system includes an alarm in the event of a sudden stop and adjusts brake pressure so that when the driver hits the pedal, full stopping power is applied.
With a system like this, it's not hard to imagine the day when cars are electronically hitched into commuter trains on freeways to reduce energy consumption while improving safety.
WHAT'S NEW: Audi's first SUV.
PLUSES: Safety, comfort, performance, versatility.
MINUSES: Price, fuel economy.
BOTTOM LINE: Attractive SUV in an uphill battle.
Richard Williamson writes about automobiles for Scripps Howard News Service.