Consumer Road Test: The 2011 Audi Q7 TDI

No doubt the question that most 2011 Audi Q7 shoppers have is whether to diesel or not to diesel. You can order your 7-passenger Q7 with either a 3.0 liter turbocharged gas engine good for 272 horsepower/295 lb. feet of torque in regular trim levels or with 333 horsepower/325 lb. feet of torque in S-Line trim. But what if you want better fuel economy than 16 city/22 highway?

Well, with the 2011 Audi Q7 TDI you will see EPA estimates improve to 17 city/25 highway but in my hands I got a very respectable 22 miles per gallon. Somehow, I doubt that the gas version of the Q7 would get anything close to that. You'd probably be lucky to see 16 miles per gallon based on my previous experience with our full time all-wheel drive 7-passenger luxury SUVs.

So there is a definite real world fuel economy benefit when it comes to owning a 2011 Audi Q7 TDI but what is it like to drive? If your only memory of diesel engine vehicles is of noisy, clattering engines and black smoke pluming out of the tailpipe, you won't see any of that with the Q7. In fact, it is also pretty fast in real world driving conditions thanks to the healthy accelerative thrust afforded by the 3.0 liter turbodiesel that pumps out 225 horsepower and a booty whalloping 406 lb. feet of torque.

Comparing the 2011 Audi Q7 TDI with its archrival the 2011 BMW X5 turbodiesel that I have previously driven, the whallop you feel when the Q7 is on boost isn't as mind blowing as the one you feel when driving the X5. But on the other hand the Q7 TDI doesn't suffer from any untoward turbolag at inopportune moments like the BMW does. In the real world the Audi Q7 feels more tractable and the power delivery is more reliable.

Now, if you want to compare the Q7's third row with the X5's there really is no comparison as the Audi is much more spacious in all three rows. The Q7 compares more favorably to the Acura MDX's third row with possibly a smidgen more legroom. Unfortunately, the narrow in the hips Q7 feels much narrower inside the cabin than the much airier interior of the MDX. Three across in the second row won't be all that comfortable for too long if they are full size adults. But kids should be just fine.

The 2011 Audi Q7 TDI comes standard with the excellent new 8-speed automatic transmission that has made its way across much of this Ingolstadt, Germany based automaker's model lineup. You can shift gears manually but there really isn't a point as the Q7 TDI always manages to be in the right gear to get the most out of the diesel engine. O-60 comes up in a respectable 8.5 seconds and steep hills are dispatched with ease. Tow capacity is 6,600 pounds.

My white Q7 TDI tester had a base price of $50,900 but came in Premium Plus trim which added luxuries like a panoramic sunroof, MMI in-dash 3-D navigation, Bose surround sound premium audio, HD radio, auto dimming side mirrors and a back-up camera with a parking assist system. Adding a $500 Cold Weather Package (heated rear seats, steering wheel) brought the total to $58,275 with the $875 destination fee.

So would I recommend the 2011 Audi Q7 TDI to someone looking for an upscale 7-passenger luxury SUV? Of course I would. It is impeccably built, has a gorgeous interior, is quick, relatively economical and very spacious. But would I spend $20,000 than what it costs for a 2011 Acura MDX? Well, $20,000 buys a lot of gas even if the Acura does only average 16 miles per gallon.