I’m going through withdrawals. Ever since I had to give back the Audi A7 after driving with it for a week, I’ve been experiencing withdrawals. I compare everything else I’ve driven to the A7, and when I say no other car has come close to it, I mean nothing. Okay, maybe when I get to drive the R8, I’ll have a change of heart, but until then, I’m in love with that A7.
The ExteriorLet’s face it, many of us buy a car because of how it looks, right? So let’s start with the exterior. This particular model we tested was equipped with the prestige package, which includes the S-line exterior that stands for sexy, sleek, sporty, sensuous, solid, and every good word that starts with “S”. And even though celebrity starts with “C”, we’ll add that as a word to describe the A7 because it turned heads everywhere we went. My favorite part of the exterior is the hexagon design in the bumper that gives it a distinctive look. Adding even more to the sporty style of the A7 is the spoiler that can go up or down with the touch of a button.
Our tester came with the 20” ten-parallel-spoke wheels with summer performance tires, but the standard is the 18” alloy wheels with all-season tires or you can get the optional 19” five-double-spoke wheels.
Of course, we can’t forget the Xenon headlights with and signature LED daytime running lights that Audi is known for. The prestige package includes the adaptive headlights which make it easier to see at night when making turns around corners, plus you get front and rear parking sensors with a rearview camera. Also, I like the Audi side assist option that alerts you via lights in the side view mirrors when there is a car in your blind spot.
For more photos visit the Audi A7 set on our Flickr page
The Interior
Once you sit in this car, you’ll never want to get out. Who would want to when you have plush leather seating, Sirius satellite radio (3 month complimentary subscription) with BOSE surround sound, Audi Connect which turns the car into a Wifi hotspot for up to 8 devices (6 month complimentary subscription), and the ability to make phone calls via a bluetooth connection to your mobile phone. It’s heaven for the technology-inclined.
Audi is most notable for its multi-media interface (MMI) with its high-resolution color screen. The new touch pad is a highlight that allows you to navigate through the radio, navigation, and telephone options. For example, if you want to make a phone call, you can either draw the first letter of the person you want to call and the system will go through your cell phone’s directory and bring up a list of contacts beginning with that letter. In order to browse through your radio presets, you can simply touch the number on the pad that corresponds with the station you want to listen to. If you don't want to use the touch pad, the system also has voice recognition so that you can say an address, call a number, or even find the nearest gas station while you're driving.
My three favorite features are:
- Memory seating for both driver and passenger
- Cooling seats - The only suggestion I have is to allow adjustment of the temperature. During the hot, sweaty summer days I would like it to be cooler.
- Keyless go - Just push the button next to the gear shift and go.
Words can't describe just how beautiful the interior is, so we'll leave it up to this brief video to show you instead...
For passengers in the back seats, the leg room is not that great, so this car isn't ideal for long road trips with tall people. However, there is ample room in the trunk for luggage. And for those beautiful days in Southern California, the sun roof is a huge plus.
The Drive
The 2012 Audi A7 3.0 TFSI Quattro comes standard with a 310 hp supercharged V6 engine, 325 lb-ft. of torque, 8-speed automatic transmission with dynamic shift program (DSP), quattro permanent all-wheel drive system with rear torque bias. Needless to say, it’s a force to be reckoned with. A slight tap on the gas pedal and you’re off to the races. The car just beckons you to test its power. Going from 0 to 60 took 6 seconds, but I didn’t even use my lead foot. Who knew a sedan could look and feel so sporty?
Audi drive select allows you to choose from three different drive settings: 1) Comfort, 2) Dynamic, and 3) Auto; or you create a custom driving experience to your liking. If you want the full sports car experience, then the Dynamic setting will work best. I chose to drive in the Auto setting for the majority of the time to let the car work its own magic, although in stop and go driving, I liked the Dynamic setting which made me feel like I was in a jet plane taking off.
The Servotronic vehicle speed-sensitive power steering and ESP (Electronic Stabilization Program), which also come standard in the A7, made handling the car much easier - especially during the drive through the winding mountains of North County San Diego. At times wondered if I was driving in a spaceship instead of a car. That’s how smooth the drive was. When driving at fast speeds on the freeway, you can feel that the steering wheel was much tighter.
For a supercharged car, you'll get decent miles - 18 city mpg and 28 highway mpg. In our week together, I averaged about 22 mpg in a combination of city and highway driving.
Pricing
Base Price: $59,250.00
Moonlight blue metallic: $475.00
Beige interior w/ dark carpet: Included
Eight-speed Tiptronic transmission: Included
Prestige package: $6,330.00
- S-line exterior
- 19" wheels with all-season tires
- Audi Connect
- Front and rear parking sensors with rearview camera
- Front seat ventilation
- Advanced key
- 4-zone automatic climate control
- BOSE surround sound system
- HD Radio
- Power Steering column adjust
- Adaptive headlights
- Ambient lighting plus
- 7" color Driver Information System
20" wheels with summer performance tires: $1,200.00
Audi side assist: $500.00
Front Filler Panel: Included
Audi Connect/Google Earth: Included
Destination Charge: $875.000
Total Price As Shown: $68,630.00
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