kip1

I have a 2014 X5 and am switching over to Q7. While I think the X5 looks better, it has some flaws. The car is very unstable on uneven roads, especially felt on straight highways. Even people owning e70s say the f15 is unstable. I drove the new Q7 for 2500km in Italy and was convinced. There is more room in the boot and back seat. The Q7 is stable as a rock. I actually wanted the Q7 etron allready in 2014, but they refused to launch it. The Q7 MMI is also more modern than the X5s slightly outadted interface (internet doesnt work, mobile phone functions with the Android limited, etc). In the Q7 the same new Android performed very well. Also safety, they havent crashed the X5 in the EuroNCAP for some reason, the Q7 got 5 stars, also performed very well in IIHS, also side airbags and laminated windows are available for the Q7 , N/A in the X5. There is no true air suspension for the X5, just rear suspension, the Q7 has full air suspension. Also the lane assist is better. The Audi drives itself if you fall asleep, the X5 vibrates the steering wheel a little just before you hit a tree. To compare it to the XC90, I think the Audi is just more of a drivers car. The Volvo is huge and luxurious, but here it costs almost as much as the Audi, so would chose Audi anytime. That said, the X5 has served us well. The split tailgate is very convenient, in the Audi you just lower the suspension with the buttons in the rear. Also the keyless opening of the boot with your foot is very convenient when carrying big stuff. Audi is also currently the only manufacturer that offers a hybrid with diesel, and that ultimately was the final decisive thing.

4SallyPat

I have been a BMW fan for 15 years and have lost interest in the brand.
BMWs have changed dramatically to non driver cars - soft, boring and disconnected.

I am looking at the Q5 / Q7 when my BMW X5 lease is up in a few months....

The newer MkII Q7 is much better than the old MMI style. I would like to see the Q5 also get the new version as well to compare.

Driving the AWD Quattro system is the only way to enjoy driving - a must have on any Audi. Why someone would get a FWD Audi is beyond me!

When my BMW X5 is returned, I still have my torquey, fun to drive, grippy and nimble Land Rover Discovery Sport which is my daily 4WD driver. After so many years with BMW AWD, I find that it is a necessity. The Land Rover has a feature that I wish all manufacturers use: Torque Vectoring - that is what separates the AWD cars from 4WD.

kip1

Yes, the Audi also has torque vectoring, in the X5 you need a 5000 euro chassis upgrade to get it and it is N/A for 7-seater models.

alex904

1. Safety. Active and passive. My wife is a primary driver. She was in bad accident last year from which she's still recovering. So it was very important.
2. Ride quality. Q7 is fun to drive. Don't know other full size crossover or SUV that can be as dynamic and responsive as Q7. Very quiet, ergonomic and comfortable. Quattro - important for winter mountain trips. In fact, I got stuck in icy puddle this winter in my FWD sedan in Yosemite parking lot, had to push it, when previous occupant, Q7, easily backed out of it using all 4 wheels. Lesson learned.
3. Tech. CarPlay and Android Auto were important.
4. Practicality. Roomy inside, 3rd row. Cargo capacity is great.

kip1

Surprisingly the q7 did well even in the small overlap test, which caused the A4 to get a poor rating. Way to go q7!

kip1

The xc90 also did well, but if you look correctly, the car actuslly never crashed and tested the barriers. Not sure if the cool wheel drop off was intentional...

kip1

Feg the A4 failed the small overlap

Paradox

Looks like it hit in exactly the same spot as the Q7, look at the yellow lines on the hood in the overhead camera. I wonder if one was designed to hit and 'stop in place' (Q&) while the other (XC90) was designed to hit and 'glide off' keeping the vehicle in motion. I've no idea if one is better than the other but I just don't think it was a case of one not "actually crashing and testing the barrier".

kip1

You missunderstood what I mean. I wasnt dissing the Volvo. Of course it hit exactly where it was supposed to hit. It is a test, it would have failed and had to be redone. Did the wheel fall off intentionally? Maybe. Did it test how strong the structures of the Volvo cabin are in such a test? NO. In real life it wont hit the dotted line that Volvo engineers know is used in this test. Audi crashed head on and got full points!
To make my point clear. When I was a kid, I played car videogames and sometimes in internetplay if I was behind the bunch Id crash into them or pass the group by shortcutting a bend, was I fastest at yhe finishline? Yes. Was I the fastest one on the track. NO! ☺

alex904

From the video looks like the frame in XC90 in the front is angled to vector impact to side. Can't say it's better or worse, because it has its own +'s and -'s. I guess Audi went too far with weight reduction on A4.

By the way, am I the only one who was surprised by how cheap Q7's insurance is in US?