2012 Audi Q7 TDI review

The Q7 is the performance SUV from Audi – the large, versatile automobile for sporty individualists. With its efficient engines and the standard eight-speed tiptronic transmission, it sets standards in its category.

2012 Audi Q7 TDI photo

Body and interior
The design of the Audi Q7 exudes performance and presence. The engine hood, the front fenders and the wrap-around rear hatch are aluminum. Add-on parts come standard in a contrasting color, or optionally in the body color with chrome trim. In Germany, the Audi Q7 models roll off the assembly line with the high-gloss package; other styling packages are available as options.

2012 Audi Q7 TDI photo -

Thanks to its 3.00 meter (9.84 ft) wheelbase, the 5.09 meter (16.70 ft) long Q7 has interior room to spare. 27 different seating configurations are possible. The large SUV is available as a five-, six- or seven-seater, with a choice of either individual comfort seats or a variable bench seat in the second row and an optional third row.

The seat backs in the second row can be folded, increasing the cargo capacity from a volume of 775 liters (27.37 cubic ft) to 2,035 liters (71.87 cubic ft).

2012 Audi Q7 TDI S Line photo -

Three different types of seats are available for the driver and the front-seat passenger, topped by climate-controlled comfort seats that can be heated and ventilated. With its elegant lines and many upscale details, the interior conveys the typical Audi feel-good factor. The fit and finish knows no compromise.

2012 Audi Q7 TDI S Line photo

Drive
The Audi Q7 engine lineup features six engines with six or eight cylinders. The two three-liter gasoline engines – supercharged V6 units with different power ratings – and the V6 TDI units are characterized by groundbreaking efficiency. The V8 diesel offers an impressive 800 Nm (590.05 lb-ft) of torque. A recuperation system is standard; the 3.0 TDI also features a start-stop system and sophisticated thermal management.

2012 Audi Q7 TDI S Line photo

The most efficient engine in the Q7 is the V6 diesel with 150 kW (204 hp), which consumes an average of just 7.2 liters of diesel per 100 km (32.67 US mpg). Audi offers a particularly low-emission clean diesel model in the guise of the Audi 3.0 TDI with 180 kW (245 hp). Complex technology is used here to minimize NOx emissions.

2012 Audi Q7 TDI S Line photo

Engine lineup:

3.0 TFSI quattro with 200 kW (272 hp)
3.0 TFSI quattro with 245 kW (333 hp)
3.0 TDI quattro with 150 kW (204 hp)
3.0 TDI quattro with 180 kW (245 hp)
3.0 TDI clean diesel quattro with 180 kW (245 hp)
4.2 TDI quattro with 250 kW (340 hp)

All of the engines deliver their power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive via a state-of-the-art eight-speed tiptronic transmission. With its wide spread and long-ratio upper gears, this also makes an important contribution to efficiency.

2012 Audi Q7 TDI S Line photo

Chassis
The Audi Q7 has a sophisticated chassis. Aluminum double wishbones mounted on subframes guide the wheels. The optional adaptive air suspension (standard in the Q7 4.2 TDI) with electronic damper control varies the ground clearance depending on the situation. The driver can choose from five characteristics using the MMI operating system.

Wheels range from 18 to 21 inches in diameter. Large, internally ventilated disc brakes provide the stopping power. Huge discs in lightweight carbon fiber-ceramic are optionally available for models with the two most powerful engines. The ESP stabilization program includes an offroad mode. A hill descent assist engages when going downhill offroad.

2012 Audi Q7 TDI photo

Equipment
Among the standard features in the Audi Q7 are two-zone deluxe automatic air conditioning, a high-beam assistant and the MMI radio operating system. A power rear hatch (standard with the top engines) and a rail-based load securing set for baggage are available for sports, recreation and vacation travel.

Audi offers an entire system of infotainment modules. The top-of-the-line version, MMI navigation plus, integrates a hard disk drive for navigation, music, and telephone data; a color monitor with 3D graphics; a DVD player; and voice control.

2012 Audi Q7 TDI photo

A UMTS module works together with the Bluetooth online car phone to establish a connection to the Internet and deliver the latest specially selected news, travel and weather information plus Google POI information to the vehicle. Drivers can plan their routes on their home computers, upload them to a special section of the Internet site www.audi.com and download them from there on starting the trip.

A push of a button is all it takes to display the map with attractive visuals, backed with aerial and satellite images from Google Earth, which are also delivered on demand to the vehicle via UMTS. Another system feature, the WLAN hotspot, enables passengers to connect mobile devices.

Another attractive function is Audi online traffic information, which provides up-to-the-minute traffic information and works faster than existing TMC and TMC pro solutions.

To go online, the driver only has to insert a data-capable SIM card into the card reader. A cell phone featuring the SIM Access Profile can also be used. No additional fees or separate contracts are required. Given the high data volumes, however, Audi does recommend an appropriate flat rate.

A special highlight is the 1,000 watt Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System with 14 speakers. Modern assistance systems round out the list of options.

2012 Audi Q7 TDI photo

The Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro
The Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro is the most powerful diesel SUV in the world. Its V12 draws 368 kW (500 hp) of power from 1,750 cc displacement and delivers 1,000 Nm (737.56 lb-ft) of torque to the six-speed tiptronic between 1,750 and 3,250 rpm. Requiring just 5.5 seconds for zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) and with a governed top speed of 250 km/h (155.34 mph), the Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro has the performance of a powerful sports car, yet consumes on average just 11.3 liters of fuel per 100 km (20.82 US mpg).

The luxurious standard equipment of the top model includes 20-inch wheels, a ceramic brake system, the adaptive air suspension, a Bose sound system and sport seats.