Audi's New Q7 SUV Selling Better in Europe

Here’s a rare example of Americans looking down their noses at the Europeans. This doesn’t happen often, but Audi’s first foray into the SUV market — the new Q7 that Mike Hanley recently reviewed — is selling better in Europe than it is in the usually more SUV friendly United States. Audi had originally thought a full half of Q7s that rolled off the assembly line in Germany would be sold on American soil. Instead, only 30% of Q7s are being housed in U.S. garages.

There are a number of factors that could be contributing to the reversal of SUV fortune. American buyers are getting tired of SUVs in general and another entry based on the VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne isn’t exactly hot stuff. The Q7 didn’t come to market offering a more affordable V-6 engine so shoppers first glimpse of a sticker price saw something just under $50,000 for the V-8 instead of just under $40,000 for the V-6. Audi says the problem is brand awareness. That doesn’t fly for us since the rest of Audi’s lineup like the A4 and A6 is at a record-setting pace.

Otherwise, we’re not sure why folks are staying away from the Q7 while many other new luxury SUVs like the Range Rover Sport and Cadillac Escalade are selling well. We’ll see if the new BMW X5 suffers a similar down trend or if it is just a case isolated to Audi.

[Q7 sells better in Europe than US, AutoWeek]

Comments

Most SUV buyers like to pretend they're looking for something utilitarian. The rest are usually looking for something ghetto-fabulous. The Audi brand, by its nature, can't fulfill either of these criteria.

The grill is ugly and it looks too much like tall wagon (think raised up R class Merc Benz). There's really nothing special about this SUV that impresses or stands out.

Perhaps it's because Americans know Audi's reliability is non-existent. I'm surprised no one has gone postal at one of the dealerships as they can lie like no one else. I had the wonderful experience of leasing a TT. Once I told the dealerships GM that I was going to make myself available every Saturday to 'educate' his prospects about my ownership experience (4 months out of the first 11 were spent in the service bay) he agreed to eat the remainder of the lease.
Payback was walking directly across the street and buying a Lexus ES. It's been 7 months and I still can't get used to the Lexus dealer having called me twice to check-in saying that their job was to 'ensure my happiness with the car'. Now I get why more and more people are buying Japanese.

Lexus is european but it is owned by Toyota.

"Lexus is european but it is owned by Toyota."

More proof that our public school system is failing.