Your first glance might lead you to believe the 2012 Audi A7 3.0 TFSI Quattro is little more than an answer to the Mercedes-Benz CLS. Except that Audi has taken "fashionably late" to a new level as the CLS is already into its second generation.
But the 2012 Audi A7 adds a new twist to the much-coveted four-door-as-coupe equation. It's actually a five-door hatchback, a relative rarity in the $60,000-plus market where the A7 is set to reside. While hatchbacks are welcomed by practical Europeans, they're usually supreme no-no's here in the U.S.
To complicate matters further, despite the usefulness that comes with the A7's spacious hatchback and folding rear seats, this Audi is only a four-seater.
But let's forget about defining the A7 for a moment. We'd rather tell you how it performed at the test track and on real roads.
Sizing It Up
As its name suggests, the A7 slots in between the A6 and A8. It rides on a 114.7-inch wheelbase which is six inches less than the BMW 535i Gran Turismo. Its overall length of 195.6 inches eclipses the A6 by 2.1 inches, is well shy of the 202.2-inch flagship A8 and is only 1.2 inches shorter than the 535i Gran Turismo. Still, the sleek A7 is about 1.5 inches lower than its A6 and A8 counterparts.
Although the A7 3.0 TFSI Quattro starts at $60,125 (including destination), our Prestige package tester (which adds S-line trim, Audi Navigation Plus with MMI Touch, four-zone climate control, front seat cooling and a Bose audio system, for $6,330) tallied up a final MSRP of $68,630.
T Is For Supercharger
There's only one drivetrain for U.S. A7s. Luckily, it's a good one: The 3.0 TFSI V6 ("T" no longer stands only for turbo in Audi-speak, as this one's supercharged). This direct-injected engine is quickly becoming a favorite, already seen in various power levels in both the A6 and S4. In A7 form it puts out 310 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. For comparison, the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six in BMW's 535i Gran Turismo produces 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. All U.S. A7s come with an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive.
Without doubt, the 3.0 TFSI is a fantastically flexible piece. The nearly silent supercharger adds urgency yet the smooth flow of power carries all the way to its 6,500-rpm redline. The instant power plus all-wheel-drive grip made for an impressive romp to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds (5.1 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like at a drag strip). The quarter-mile disappeared in 13.6 seconds at 101.7 mph. Not too shabby for a 4,207-pound car with only 310 hp.
Complaining about the A7's rear seat room seems silly and misses the point of this car.
But beyond satisfying the Numbers Nerds, the 3.0 TFSI is one of the world's truly great engines because of the way it delivers its power, which is pretty much everywhere on the tach, with barely a nanosecond of hesitation and aided by the quick-thinking automatic. With a simple prod of your right foot, you're scooting down the road with more than enough verve for just about any passing situation. You might want more power than the A7 delivers, but you certainly don't need more power.
Audi's twin-clutch S tronic gearbox (which won't be available here) would provide quicker shifts and quite likely better fuel economy. The EPA rates the A7 at 18 city/28 highway/22 combined. We averaged 17.4 mpg during varied driving. But this torque-converter automatic is exceptional. Switch the console shifter to Sport mode and upshifts quicken and gears are held longer. Leave it in regular Drive mode and it's as seamless as the finest luxury cars. You can always shift yourself via the console lever, accompanied by throttle blips on downshifts.
Braking from 60 to zero was short and uneventful at only 106 feet, as good as some sports cars.
You're Dead To Me
What isn't exceptional is the A7's electromechanical power steering. Effort can be adjusted via Audi's Drive Select program, which allows you to alter the parameters for three areas: Engine/Drivetrain (throttle response and transmission shift points), Steering (effort) and the Belt Tensioner (seatbelt preload). You can switch between Dynamic, Comfort and Auto modes, as well as a customizable Individual mode. But the problem is that while switching from Comfort to Dynamic adds effort to the steering, it doesn't add even a smidgen more feel.
But a nice aspect of Audi Drive Select is that each time you start the car it reverts to whatever setting the car was last in before you shut down.
Wheel Cool
You'll note that "suspension" isn't mentioned in conjunction with Audi Drive Select. That's because the A7's multilink front and rear suspension isn't adjustable. A sport suspension is available but our test car was not equipped as such, although as we drove to the test track we figured it did. That's because the $1,200 optional 20-inch wheel/performance summer tire package, size 265/35R20 at all four corners, gives a jittery, harsh ride over sharp bumps that's at odds with nearly every other aspect of the A7's benign demeanor. The other downside to these fancy, multi-spoke wheels is that they're incredibly difficult to clean. The upside? Well, they're super fancy.
While the 20-inch wheels make the A7 feel stiffly sprung in a straight line, it exhibited pronounced body roll and more understeer than expected through our slalom. Its 65.3-mph run put it 3.2 mph quicker than the last Mercedes CLS500 we tested, but well off the pace of that other pricey five-door hatchback, the Porsche Panamera V6, which managed 69.7 mph. And although the quattro system helped the A7 exit the slalom with authority, drop-throttle brought the tail out, making it a handful.
The A7's summer tires coerced 0.88g around the skid pad, little thanks to the light steering which revealed next to nothing about what was going on at the front of the car.
So, handling-wise, the A7 is an odd bag, at least with the optional 20-inch summer tires. It's definitely not sport-sedan sharp and its steering is pretty lifeless, while the ride is a tad more jarring than you'd expect given the car's positioning in the market. You won't avoid twisty two-lanes with the A7, but you probably won't seek any out.
Come On In
It's hard to get everything right every time. The Porsche Panamera stands as a good example of this. But Audi is pretty much spot-on with its interiors. Not only do its designs beg you to come in and stay awhile, but the materials — whether they be leather, wood or metal — have great tactility, while the controls always have perfect detents, from the knobs for the climate control to the buttons for the stereo. And the A7 is no exception. Interesting here are the wraparound dash and totally cool nine-inch display screen that deploys horizontally from the dash.
Not to say everything is perfect. The white lighting of the A7's fuel and coolant gauges are nearly impossible to see in direct sunlight. And it takes two steps to change the climate control's fan speed or mode by pressing a button and turning a knob.
The Price of Style
The Porsche Panamera is ugly because function won over style (and because Porsche insisted its sedan look like a 911). One look at the A7 and it's obvious style won over function. No mystery here, the downside to that radical roofline is compromised rear head room. Anyone taller than 5 feet 8 inches will find their noggin in a territorial dispute with the ceiling. And it's easy to conk your head on the roof as you exit.
We can't argue with the usefulness of a hatchback, though, at any price. The luggage area is a bit narrow but exceptionally deep, and after folding down the rear seats it was no problem to throw in a mountain bike.
Conclusion
Complaining about the 2012 Audi A7's limited rear seat room seems silly, and misses the point of this car. Its seemingly at-odds design aspects didn't deter us one bit from reveling in the A7's potent yet utterly smooth engine, gorgeous interior or striking shape. And we doubt its few faults will bother the 7,000 or so Americans Audi hopes to sell the A7 to each year.
Nope, we still can't tell you exactly what the A7 is, but we're okay with that.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Price and Build Your Own 2012 Audi A7 3.0 TFSI Quattro at Edmunds.com
Add A Comment »
phill7 says:
08:32 AM, 08/23/2011
I take this review with a serious grain of salt. First off, I am 6'2" and I sat in the back of the A7 and had another 2 inches above my head. So to say people over 5'8" would have trouble is false. I usually appreciate Edmunds reviews but it's obvious that the writer wasn't being impartial. Second, you mentioned your car had the soft (non-sport) suspension. Well, there you go, probably why it leaned in the corners and why the steering wasn't up to performance specs. To blame it on the 20" wheels is absolutely ludicrus because 35 series aspect ratios of the 265/35/20s have far less flex than the 45 series of the standard 19s. The steering is razor sharp with the sports package and Audi Drive Select selected to Dynamic. I encourage you to fully look into the facts and details before making comments that do not have the facts to back it up. That said, other magazines are saying that the latest Audi S4, new A6, and new A7 with the sport suspensions and Audi Drive Select have better steering feel than their BMW counterparts. In fact one review said that the 2012 A6 has sharper steering than the new 5 series because BMW is focusing on their ride quality as opposed to handling. Compromises, compromises...
carfreak13 says:
02:10 PM, 06/14/2011
@icecubefosho the cargo area is not open to the cabin. this car is gorgeous on the street
bestjinjo says:
08:54 PM, 06/13/2011
ed124c: "Audis don't hold up over the years. Reader comments have validated this opinion."
Depends on where you live (road conditions) and how you drive and your luck of the draw with the vehicle. I have put on 40,000 miles on my 2008 A4 2.0T and don't even have a burnt light bulb to report. I also know an owner of a 2010 Honda Civic whose transmission had to be replaced already and his driver's seat came off the floor. That doesn't imply I should suddenly start making claims that all Audis are as reliable as mine or all Hondas are as unreliable as my friend's.
I have exceeded 200,000 kms on my Dodge Shadow, Dodge Neon and have 275,000 kms on my S70. None of those cars needed any major repairs / fell apart (sure I did need to do regular maintenance like ball bearings, timing belts, spark plugs, light bulbs). Keep in mind I didn't even "baby" these cars. My Volvo only had its transmission fluid changed 2x over 275,000 kms. If I was only going to go based on anecdotal evidence, I should have been expected to replace just about everything in those cars...
As to my points "it depends where you live" -- when I speak to my friends living in Russia, they point out that besides a Volvo, just about every other brand falls apart. So on their roads, a Honda/Toyota/Lexus are actually less reliable than a Volvo according to their consensus. But again, it would probably not be realistic to make such a claim on America roads.
In today's world, the majority of modern cars (outside of exotics) will be capable of reaching 200,000 kms without major repairs (i.e., having to change a transmission, struts/suspension, or engine parts, etc.). However, I have a feeling people buying $70k vehicles don't keep them for more than 5 years. Compared to the competition from BMW and Merc, Audi should be fairly comparable. Also, if the German brands' reliabilities were so awful, why are all 3 of them experiencing the largest growth in market share among the premium brands in the USA?
mk40 says:
09:12 PM, 06/09/2011
Well that's great for Audi that they are on track to exceed their modest target.. can't argue with success. This is one of the nice things about having a global presense.. it makes these niche vehicles more commercially viable. The detailing inside is impressive.. well executed in typical Audi fashion. Perhaps hatchback cars r making a comeback in the US.
different1 says:
09:01 PM, 06/09/2011
to be honest with you today, i went and saw the A7, and the A7 was one of the most beautiful automobiles i ever seen.. in pictures looks way different then seen it in person.. when you sit in it, its like the seat is hugging you, just everything feels right and solid,
stovt001 says:
12:36 PM, 06/09/2011
Audi just seems unable or unwilling to dial some real feel into the steering. Even the variable effort doesn't build up as naturally as I would like. Even accounting for the tendancy of an AWD setup to numb steering, I'm still disappointed in the steering experience Audi offers. The rest looks more compelling than the competition, however. If I couldn't afford a Rapide, this would be my pick in the "4 door coupe" segment.
colorado1974 says:
11:42 AM, 06/09/2011
It looks like a dog that's dragging its butt across the carpet.
ed124c says:
06:56 AM, 06/09/2011
I can understand why, for instance, cjasis will be getting another new car when his/her A6 Avant lease runs out. I could ask him/her why he/she can't just purchase the car when the lease is up, but I know what the answer would be: Audis don't hold up over the years. Reader comments have validated this opinion.
Yes, the A7 is beautiful (and a bit impractical), but you had better lease it if you are serious about having one.
I have an idea about improving rear headroom. A two position hatch. You push a button and the hatch pivots up (from hinges well forward of the rear seat) to give the rear passengers a few more inches of headroom.
I am not going to talk about how the sheet metal would engage when the hatch is in the "top hat" position. That would be up to the engineers and designers.
tbone85 says:
07:20 PM, 06/08/2011
Also, the matte finish open pore wood option looks VASTLY superior to the shiny stuff pictured here.
tbone85 says:
07:18 PM, 06/08/2011
I've always enjoyed a well engineered hatch, and I definitely prefer the styling of the A7 to the new CLS. I question the point of deleting the third rear seat. It doesn't fit my lifestyle, but it is a stunning design. Back when I was single, it woulda been a contenda. :-)