With Audi recently announcing that it will soon be launching a new TDI diesel version of its highly acclaimed crossover vehicle, I thought it was high time that I actually drove a Q7.

You see, one of the perks of being an automotive journalist is that we mostly get to choose the vehicles we review. Occasionally we are assigned to a particular model, or requested to attend the launch of a new product, but for the majority of the time, if we have an interest in a certain vehicle, we simply ask for one.

This usually works well, but it can also lead to the odd goof, which is exactly what happened to me with the Q7

You see, when I first clapped eyes on the vehicle at its auto show launch, I was quite drawn to the exterior styling. However, being in the confines of an show stand, up close, I began to feel that it was a tad big and possibly cumbersome for my own personal taste.

That said, and being rather busy at the time, I had a quick seat behind the wheel, which only further expanded my initial impression of a rather large SUV come oversized Station Wagon.

To be fair, in hindsight, that was possibly due to some well-intentioned salesperson lowering the seat and placing it at the extent of its travel to demonstrate the roominess of the driver's cockpit.

However, it was enough for me to decide then and there that the Q7 wasn't really my kind of vehicle, and therefore I've never actually gone in search of one to drive.

Zip forward now to a few weeks ago, and there I was, patiently waiting in line for my turn in the new Audi R8, or as I call it, the "R gr8t"!

Being such a popular vehicle, especially after winning so many AJAC awards, the world and his friend were after one, including just about every automotive show from here to Hearts-Desire Newfoundland, or so it seemed. This meant that my bookings were changed several times to accommodate this.

It was on one of these occasions, that along with an apology, Audi offered me the use of a Q7 for the week. Having just experienced a major snow storm, it made as much, if not more sense than the R8, so I gladly accepted.

Boy! Did I get it wrong!! Having the keys to the vehicle allowed me to adjust the driver's seat properly, and I found that you can actually position yourself quite high in the vehicle because of the excellent available headroom. This then allows for an excellent view of the roadway in front, and almost completely takes away that feeling of being a tiny person in a large vehicle.

Also, as I now had plenty of time on my side, I could start to appreciate the quality of the interior, and the many features which the vehicle boasts.



My Q7 tester came extremely well, if not slightly over-equipped in my eyes, with nearly $20k in option packages added to the base price of $57,800. That's a rather large chunk of change for a bunch of goodies, but to be fair, some of them, like the sporty S-Line package ($3,750), or the wonderful Panorama Sunroof, really do transform the base model.

However, let's take a closer look at how the cost of life's little luxuries can quickly mount up.

If you have a larger than average family, the 3rd row seating package is probably a must, and at just $1,200, it sounds very reasonable to me. Then of course, while we're on the subject of passenger seating, the heated rear seat option at $300 could also be quite tempting. In fact, you don't see that option available on many vehicles.

Then there's the Technology package ($3,600), the Convenience Package ($3,300), and let's not forget the Audio upgrade ($2,100). Then we have, the Navigation package ($2,200), and of course, should you wish to pull a trailer, another $750 goes on top for the towing package.