2013 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI Premium quattro Tiptronic Review By Steve Purdy
By Steve Purdy
TheAutoChannel.com
Michigan Bureau
Now, here’s a concept I can sink my teeth into – a large, luxurious, 7-passenger SUV with torquey diesel engine, all-wheel drive, German design and engineering. Those are the essentials of the Audi Q7 TDI Quattro. For around 70 grand we get tons of technology, eye-catching design, impressive performance and 25 mpg on the highway.
Regular readers will know I’m a fan of diesels, is spite of owning some of the worst of the genre back in the 70s and 80s – an Oldsmobile 88 diesel that lost it’s valve train at 45,000 miles and a VW Rabbit diesel that was so pokey it couldn’t get out of its own way. Both were slow, smoky and noisy, as were all diesels of the day. Modern technology has solved all those problems at less cost than might be expected.
The Q7 comes with either a 3.0-liter V6 turbo gasoline engine or this turbo-diesel. Our TDI “Clean Diesel” tester has urea injection as one of two catalyst systems in the sophisticated exhaust treatment system that also has two particulate filters. Engineers we encountered at the Society of Automotive Engineers show in Detroit insist that the air coming out of the exhaust pipe is cleaner than the air entering the intake. In fact, when working on the car inside a garage they needn’t even vent the exhaust. Now that’s clean!
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The basic Q7 with gasoline engine starts at just under 47 grand. Our TDI starts at just over 51 grand, so the premium for the diesel is around 4 grand, but may include some standard features not included on the lesser model. On our test car we have a $12,500 Prestige Package that includes navigation system, adaptive LED lighting front and rear, power folding mirrors, Bose Premium Sound system, Audi parking system, 20-inch wheels, panoramic sunroof, side window shades, four-zone climate control, power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, and a variety of other features. We also have two separate “S-Line” packages, one includes 21-inch titanium wheels (does that mean we’re paying twice for wheels?) with summer performance tires and the other includes a variety of special trim elements. The bottom line on our sticker shows just over 70 grand. Considering the level of size, content and sophistication of the Q7, this price is not out of line.
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I found the entire driving experience this week to be gratifying and enjoyable notwithstanding the fueling niggle reported above. While it’s a large vehicle, the Q7 does not feel cumbersome or bulky. Rather, the handing, performance and ergonomics are exceptionally lithe, strong and convenient.
Based on the variety of upscale, competent vehicles I’ve reviewed lately I would give the Q7 very high marks in just about all categories. If you’re in that large, luxury SUV market you owe it to yourself to talk a good look at this one.
2013 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI Premium quattro Tiptronic Review
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