Ch-Ch-Changes: 2010 Audi Q7

It’s that time again: The auto show season is winding down and all the brand-new models have been unveiled, but car companies still have to update existing nameplates. Audi is offering minor tweaks to its Q7 SUV, including a mildly revised front and rear end. The most noticeable change, of course, is the LED running lights encircling the entire headlight design. The rear also gets full LED brake lights.

The interior remains basically the same, with new leather front seats and Audi’s third-generation infotainment system with MMI (multi-media interface). The voice-activation feature for the navigation system is quite interesting. Users just need to say commands, such as “I need gas” or “I’m hungry,” for the computer to find the right points of interest in the vicinity.

Engine choices include the existing 3.6-liter V-6 and 4.2-liter V-8, along with a new TDI option for those looking for a diesel alternative. Audi says its 2010 Q7 TDI will get 25 mpg with a 600-mile range.  

The 2010 Q7 goes on sale this fall. A few more images are below. 

2009 Audi Q7 Diesel to Get 17/25 mpg

Audi said today that its diesel-powered Q7 3.0 TDI will get 17/25 mpg city/highway. That’s 25% better than the non-diesel Q7 V-6. Audi spokesman Chris Bokich called the figures official estimates; earlier reports had only pegged the highway figure, and final EPA certification is still pending. If the numbers hold up, they’ll put the Q7 TDI squarely between three-row diesel competitors like the Mercedes-Benz GL320 Bluetec (17/23 mpg) and BMW X5 xDrive35d (19/26 mpg). Mercedes’ smaller ML320 Bluetec (18/24 mpg), meanwhile, is about even with the Audi. All four have standard all-wheel drive.

There’s no pricing info yet — the TDI goes on sale in April — but we imagine it will rank in the Q7 lineup somewhere between the regular V-6 ($43,500) and V-8 ($59,220). The X5 diesel costs $51,200; Mercedes’ M-Class and GL-Class diesels run $48,600 and $58,200, respectively. We wouldn’t be surprised to see the Q7 qualify for tax credits, too. Under the IRS’ Advanced Lean Burn Technology Vehicles program, the X5 diesel qualifies for an $1,800 tax credit. The ML320 and GL320 Bluetecs qualify for $900 and $1,800 credits, respectively.

2008 Audi Q7 Named Top Safety Pick

The Audi Q7 earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This is the group’s highest rating, meaning the Q7 received top scores in front, side and rear crash tests.

IIHS considers the Q7 a large SUV and routinely does not rate vehicles in that class. However, IIHS conducted the tests at the request of Audi, who we guess wanted to see if it measured up to what IIHS considers midsize SUVs — cars like the Acura MDX, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Volvo XC90 and Lincoln MKX, all of which are also Top Safety Picks.

Audi R8, Q7 Tougher Than Iron Man

It’s almost summer, and you know what that means: It’s time for at least one superhero movie. This year things kick off with “Iron Man,” starring Robert Downey Jr. as the iron-clad crusader. Audi spent some dough to get two of its vehicles prominent placement during the movie, including in its finale.

As the YouTube videos below show, the FX guys for “Iron Man” weren’t a match for German engineering. We have a few thoughts, though, on the reality versus the hype below. And, of course, on the cool videos.

Audi's Bang & Olufsen Sound Now Available in Q7

For the sound junkies around Cars.com’s office, it doesn’t get much better than the auditory experience created by Bang & Olufsen’s 14-speaker, 1,000-watt sound system in Audi’s A8 and S8. You may ask yourself: $6,300? For a stereo? Who? Why?

Trust us. Now, Audi is offering the system in its Q7 SUV as well. Audi says Q7s equipped with the stereo are arriving at dealerships right now. Not all Q7 trims get the stereo; it will be available in the Q7 3.6 Premium and 4.2 Premium models for an extra $6,300.

The A8 and S8 sedans were the original carriers of the sound system, where it pumped out 1,000 watts. A 505-watt version was later included in the A5 and S5, and a 465-watt version can be had in the R8 supercar. The Q7 will use the full-powered 1,000-watt stereo, which is tailored specifically for the Q7’s interior volume, shapes and materials.

Among the system’s trick features are the front tweeters that pop up out of the dashboard. The first sound heard inside the car when they deploy isn’t from the speakers themselves, but usually an “oooooh” or “ahhhhhh” from passengers.

Related

Audi's Bang & Olufsen Sound System Reviewed (KickingTires)

Suburban Dad: 2007 Audi Q7

Did you ever have a neighbor you waved and smiled at for years, thinking, “What a great guy,” till one day you spent a long time talking to him and realized, “Wow, he’s really annoying.”

So it was for me with the Q7. I first drove it back in May, and came away impressed with the ride quality and seating, among other things. It wasn’t until I got my wife and kids into it that it showed its true colors.

Audi Bringing Diesel Q7, New A4 to U.S.

Audi announced today it will indeed bring its new clean-diesel power plants to the U.S. in 2008. This is one of those rare times when U.S. consumers will not only get a shot at diesel engines, but they’ll get them at roughly the same time as European buyers. The first vehicle slated for the 3.0-liter V-6 TDI ultra-low emission system will be the Q7 SUV, which will arrive sometime in 2008. The redesigned A4 will have the same power plant when it arrives in the U.S. at an unspecified date, most likely late in 2008. We’re also hoping the next A4 Avant gets the TDI treatment.

The diesel engine puts out 240 hp and 406 pounds-feet of torque. That torque figure is the important one; a Mustang GT, for example, has 320 pounds-feet of torque. Like recent entries from Mercedes, the Audi TDI will pass the toughest emission requirements in the world, meaning California’s.

Related
2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: 2009 Audi A4 (KickingTires)
Audi Diesels: No V-12, but V-6 Could Show Up Elsewhere (KickingTires)

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]