The 2011 Audi Q7 is available in three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus, and S line. The base Premium trim hosts a plethora of standard features that make it an affordable purchase in its class. The Premium Plus trim level as the name suggests, adds some added features and creature comforts to the Premium trim while the S line is the top of the line trim level with the best of interior and infotainment features that Audi has on offer. Leather heated front seats, 50/50 third-row seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, and rear park assist are some standard features on the Q7.

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The Premium Plus trim is the most recommended and preferred trim by a majority of critics and customers. Thanks to the plethora of features and creature comforts that come with it, that add value to the Q7.

The 2011 Audi Q7 comes with a capable 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine which has two different tunings. It produces 272 horsepower and 295 lb-ft. of torque, if equipped on the Premium and Plus trims but power figures increase by 61 hp and 30 lb-ft of torque if present inside the Prestige S line trim. The power delivery is linear and the engine packs enough punch to ensure that you have the necessary power right when you need it. The Q7 can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 7.8 seconds in first tuning but with second time decreased by 0.9 seconds.

The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that is quick with the shifts and offers seamless shifts with the liberty to shift through the gears when you feel like it. All trim levels come with a ‘Quattro’ badge, which means that all variants of the Q7 come with an AWD drivetrain which amplifies the excitement to drive it compared to many other SUVs in the segment. With the towing package, Q7 can tow upto 6,600 lbs.

The Porsche Cayenne and the BMW X5 offer to be the sportier alternatives to the Q7, but the Q7 seems to offer a better ride quality concerning comfort which appeals to a lot of customers. The Mercedes-Benz ML 350 on the other hand shows similar characteristics to the Audi Q7 when it comes to riding quality and comfort. Additionally, there is no marginal difference between the Q7 and ML350 4MATIC in terms of acceleration.

The Audi Q7 has a combined fuel economy of 18 MPG along with fuel economy figures of 16 and 22 MPG in city and highway conditions respectively. The Q7 also has a bigger fuel tank with 26.4 gallons capacity. Having a larger fuel tank and a really good fuel economy in the segment has helped the Q7 achieve a fuel range of 580.8 miles on the highway and a combined fuel range of 475.2 miles.

The Porsche Cayenne offers a pretty close fuel economy figure and range while the BMW X5 is the most fuel-efficient SUV but it has the smallest fuel tank which affects its range. That said, the ML350 4MATIC is the least fuel-efficient car on the highways as it returns 2 mpg less as compared to the Audi Q7.

The interior of the 2011 Audi Q7 is an attractive space and has tons of features. The dashboard has a leather-trimmed surface and feels plush and premium along with a single and dual-tone color option as well as metal and wood trim insert options. The cabin feels larger than the rest of the SUVs in its class thanks to the third row that has 2 seats. The seats are comfortable and add confidence while driving through corners. The front row gets a decent armrest with storage space beneath it as well. The dual-zone automatic climate control unit, auto-dimming rearview mirrors, and manual tilt and telescopic steering column are some of the creature comforts that come along with the Q7.

The front bucket seats come with 12-way power adjustability and 4-way power lumbar support with heating and memory function for the driver seat. The second-row seats are decently spacious with adjustable recline settings. The 40-20-40 split seats can be folded completely to add more cargo space right when you need it. All seats inside the Q7 come trimmed in leather upholstery. The third row might not be spacious enough for adults, but they can comfortably seat two children or can be used as storage spaces when you need them. The Q7 is the only SUV that offers third-row seats as standard in the segment.

The Audi Q7 does offer best-in-class space in the front row while the story is not the same in the second row. That said, the X5 is really lacking sufficient headroom in the front row. As for the Mercedes-Benz ML350 4MATIC, it has the most spacious cabin of all. That said, the cargo capacity of the Q7 is just 10.9 cu-ft behind the third row but it can be increased till 42.0 cu-ft behind the second row.bSome standout interior features are:

• Heated front seats
• Leather upholstery
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Automatic four-zone climate control (optional)
• Manual tilt/telescopic steering wheel
• Ambient LED interior lighting
• Power tilt and telescoping steering column (optional)

How intuitive is the 2011 Audi Q7’s infotainment unit?

The base Premium trim level gets a 180w Audi 7 channel DSP audio system with 11 speakers that Opt for the higher trim levels and the Q7 offers 270w Bose surround sound system with 14 speakers. Other features include SiriusXM, HomeLink transceiver, Audi MMI navigation plus, and Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity. Some standout infotainment features are:

• 11-speaker sound system
• SiriusXM satellite radio 
• Bluetooth
• Audi MMI Navigation Plus
• Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System (optional)
• Voice control system (optional)

The 2011 Audi Q7 is arguably one of the best-looking SUVs in the segment. The Q7 looks amazing with a single frame gloss black grille with vertical chrome strips. LED daytime running lights, and halogen headlights are given standard. The rear has LED tail lights and power liftgate. Privacy glass, LED daytime running lights, auto leveling xenon plus headlights, Heated windscreen washer nozzles and Front plus rear foglights are some standard exterior features given on the Q7. The top most trim gets a class specific S line exterior. Power heated side mirrors have LED turn signals and optional auto-dimming feature.

The Audi Q7 turns out to be both heavier and longer in comparison with the other SUVs in its class but that is to accommodate the extra row of seats. The Q7, in no way, feels less dynamic or sluggish in its driveability and features like the Quattro AWD system add to the excitement and handling of the Q7 in a great way. Some standout exterior features are:

• 18-inch 6 spoke machined alloy wheels
• Power liftgate
• Front and rear foglights
• Automatic Xenon headlights (optional)
• Three panel Panorama sunroof (optional)

There aren’t any safety ratings available for the Q7 for 2011 model year in the NHTSA records but IIHS has given Q7 ‘Good’ ratings in three crash tests. The structural integrity and safety quotient of the Q7’s chassis and bodywork is praiseworthy. The Audi Q7 does come with some standard safety features that include anti-lock braking system , electronic differential lock, brake assist, crash sensor system,tire pressure monitoring system, rear parking sensors, cruise control, and curtain airbags even in the third-row seats. Some standout safety features are:

• Anti-Slip Regulation
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Brake assist
• Cruise control
• Anti-theft system with engine immobilizer
• Front and rear ventilated disc brakes

The 2011 Audi Q7 is a perfect choice for those seeking a practical and spacious premium 7 seater SUV with decent performance and fuel economy. The Audi Q7 is a reliable machine with a plethora of features and creature comforts making it the best value for money option in its class without a doubt. However, if you can settle with just two rows and want quicker acceleration, the Mercedes-Benz M-Class is also a great choice.