Audi Q7 - Happy Driver, Happy Family

I don't want to admit it, but the phrase "Happy Mom, Happy Family" is, in fact, true. I don't want to admit that my mood swings (which can shift with the wind) affect my family. As our kids get older, I get smarter -- or less stubborn -- and I can now admit that most of the familial happiness revolves around me. I also never wanted to admit that I'm a control freak, but I am. I'll let my husband be in charge of the car radio when he drives, but God save him if he reaches for the dial when I'm driving. Maybe my car's vanity plates should read "Scorpio" instead of "CarMama." 

It was with all this in mind that we set out to buy a new car (my Lexus was totaled by the insurance company). I had some criteria for a new vehicle: 4WD, 2008 or newer, and 3 rows were preferred. I drove all the vehicles I could find that fit my criteria and were under $40,000. My favorite was the Audi Q7. I knew from the moment I closed that heavy driver's door that I had found the car for me. It was heavy, had a throaty growl, and drove with a response that I love, but hadn't found recently. But could we find one for close to $35,000? And could we afford any repair costs when the time came? Did we really want to be back in the luxury category where simple fixes cost a bundle? And pay for so much gas? Premium gas? Yes. Yes I did. And apparently, the family is happier when Mom gets what she wants.

Highlights:

• Great Quattro AWD system
• Drives like a smaller high performance car
• Seating for 7 (4 adults, 3 kids)
• LATCH system on four seats
• Cool styling
• Luxurious Interior with memory seats
• Concert Audio System 
• Button on key fob and driver's door to open tail gate
• Super cool headlights & taillights
• 2nd Row splits 40/20/40; 3rd Row splits 50/50
• Safety features for the safety features
  

After non-stop talk and loosing sleep, my husband and I agreed that if the Q7 is the right car and is fun to drive, then we can look for a Certified Pre-Owned 2007 or 2008 with low miles and we can buy an extended warranty when the original expires. Luckily for us, we found a great staff and inventory at Audi Concord in Northern California. A Lava Gray 2007 Q7 now sits in our garage and I smile every time I climb in. I compromised on model year to get the best price and a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle. I now firmly believe in "Happy Driver, Happy Family" -- which means either Mom or Dad. I can also say with authority that a comfy car makes a happy family. We sat in our Q7 for 8 hours one Saturday trying to get to Lake Tahoe. All four of us had our space, ample leg room, and seat warmers -- and even the puppy in his crate in the way back didn't complain (maybe he was looking out the sunroof).

The Q7 has everything we want, including the throaty growl that causes heads to turn when I pull away from a stop sign. The Quattro drive is important to us -- we need a vehicle that is good in mountain snow.  There are a ton of All Wheel Drive vehicles out there, but my experience tells me that the best mountain snow vehicles are Audi's with Quattro, Subaru's, or a truck-based 4-Wheel Drive system that requires you to manually shift into 4WD. We already own a Subaru Outback, and didn't want the truck-based 4WD because of poor mileage and size, so that left the Audi. 

Audi hasn't changed much on the inside of the Q7 since it's introduction in 2007, and has only slightly changed the exterior. The biggest change is with the headlights and taillights, and I do wish I had the cooler new LED lights, but my bank account does have limits. The third row isn't big, but it works for skinny-legged kids who love the thrill of sitting in the "way back." The second row of my Q7 has heated seats and temperature controls. Both back rows have LATCH equipped seats so you can latch in four car seats -- you'll have to supply your own ear plugs.

MMI Controls

The MMI Interface system is the hardest thing to learn in the Q7. It isn't as intuitive as the MyFord Touch system with Sync or the Lexus system, but it does have some cool features like an altimeter in the Navigation system. We're most concerned about what happens to the car when the MMI has a bad day -- it's Command Central for everything. However, we also know the Germans are notorious for thinking of everything and the owner's manual is loaded with back-up plans and "Achtung!" warnings.

Sunroof Open

The panoramic sunroof is fun, but does add a challenge with the dog "fence" that we put up to keep Buster in the way back. I'll keep looking for something that will contain him back there and work with the glass roof. My other issue with the sunroof is how it allows for more wind noise and ski-rack whistling. The kids do like it, but it isn't something I would put on my priority list if I were building a Q7 from scratch. Maybe in the summer I'll feel differently when we can actually open it and get some fresh air.

Sunroof Shade Closed

This March in Northern California we used our windshield wipers more than any other feature in our cars, and I didn't realize how much I would like rain-sensing wipers. They are really cool and helpful. I'm the type of person who hates wipers wiping a dry windshield. Gives me the heebie-geebies like fingernails on a chalkboard. (If I'm ever a passenger in your car and the wipers are on too high or after the rain stops, I'm likely to reach over and turn them off without asking. I guess it's that control freak thing I'm finally owning up to. I'll also tell you when to shift if we're driving in a manual. Which is actually helpful if you're also eating a burger while driving and don't have an extra hand to shift. Or at least that's what I tell myself after I yell, "Clutch!" from the passenger seat.) 

Access to 3rd Row

Access to the third row isn't hard for the kids, but requires flexibility if you're an adult. And avoid it if you stand taller than 5'3" -- you might get in, but may not get out. The seat release is on the seat back, so our son can move the 2nd row seat forward when he wants to exit the 3rd row.  The four tall headrests for the two back rows do fold up and down easily to enhance visibility and seat folding.

I do like the carpeting on the floors and floor mats -- a short berber that quickly wipes dirt off our shoes and ski boots. The regular carpeting in the cargo area is already full of puppy fuzz, but vacuums up easily. There is an extra storage tray under the cargo area, above the spare tire, which is perfect for the ice scraper and extra shoes. The cargo space behind the 3rd row will hold a folded stroller, or 6 bags of groceries, or 4 suitcases. To accommodate a golf bag, one of the 3rd row seats will need to be folded. Once both 3rd row seats are folded, then you've got loads of space for luggage, dogs, projects, and plants. The spare tire is deflated during storage, but comes with a pump and a conveniently-located outlet in the cargo area. Having a deflated spare saves on weight and space and can inflate while you jack up the vehicle.

There are ample cup holders and 12-volt outlets for charging phones and Nintendo DS's. The third row does get A/C and heat and the sunroof over that row opens as a vent which is helpful when you climb into a hot car. The driver can also lock the second and third rows out of all the controls (doors, windows, heat, A/C, seat heaters and sunroof venting) with the touch of two buttons on the driver door. Very handy when it's rainy and you don't want some punk opening the sunroof mid-drive. 


Running boards are an option and I recommend them. The Q7 is higher than you think -- or I'm shorter than I realize -- and the running boards will help the kids get in and out. The clearance is about 8 inches, so not that much, but the seats are high off the floor. The Q7 doors are very heavy and open wide, so be aware of what's next to you when parking.

As for gas consumption, it hasn't been that bad. With gas over $4 per gallon, even the hybrid owners are feeling anxious at the gas station. We're averaging 20 MPG on the highway, and 16 in town. Yes, the owner's manual does call for high octane fuel which just hurts. And yes, I realize this is what one should expect when buying a high-performance luxury vehicle. I tested mixing 87 & 91 octanes, but the Q7 performs better at all speeds with straight 91 in the tank. The 2011 Q7 has a new supercharged 3.0L V6 engine that promises better mileage (16 MPG city/22 highway). If you really want better mileage in the Q7, look at the TDI versions (17 city/25 highway). I saw a post on a Q7 forum today that said someone was averaging 30 MPG on the highway in their Q7 TDI.

One of my favorite things about this Q7 is the lack of plastic -- including the two sleek glass water bottles we got from Audi as a gift: German, recyclable, and no-nonsense. Maybe I'll change my Q7's vanity plates to read "Achtung!"

We are very pleased with our new-to-us Q7. A little compromise here, a little negotiating there, and daily prayers that gas prices stay below $5.50/gallon, and that crazy drivers stay away from my beautiful new Audi. 


Photos courtesy of Audi USA & Erika Fish.



(c) Copyright 2010-2016. Erika JN Fish. Car Mama. All Rights Reserved.