So why did we pick these two mid-size German luxury SUVs for today’s Face off Friday? Well for one, these two are the hottest new (we emphasize new because some of you might ask “What about the Range Rover?”) mid-size German luxury SUVs on the market right now.
Second, it’s been an ongoing debate which is the hotter mid-size SUV for 2007, the Audi Q7 or the BMW X5? We’ve just been getting too many emails on what our opinion is. So what are we going to look at? We’ll start off with power; take a look at design and then take a look at the pricing. So here it is.
Power: Before the launch of the new Audi Q7, BMW X5 owned most of the respect for Germany’s Ultimate mid-size luxury SUV. Now, Audi has raised the bar with the 2007 Audi Q7, giving the SUV a 3.6 FSI quattro V6 engine as the entry level model. That gives the Q7 the ability to produce 280 horsepower with 266 lb-ft of torque. The 2007 BMW X5 has a 3.0 liter inline 6-cylinder engine that produces 260 horsepower with 225 lb-ft of torque. That means Audi beat BMW in horses by 20 horsepower. Does that mean it beats the X5 in 0-60mph? Well with the Q7’s 5,300 pound weight, the Q7 does 0-60 mph in 8.2 seconds while the X5 passes by in 7.8.
Now if you want to move up one level to the Q7 4.2 FSI and the X5 4.8i, the power still favors the X5. Both the Q7 4.2 FSI and the X5 4.8i produce 350 horsepower, but the X5 does 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds while the heavy Q7 takes 7 seconds.
Design: This is probably the hardest category to compare both of the SUVs in. Both have outstanding and attractive design inside-out. The 2007 BMW X5 just received its first major design overhaul ever since its launch and the new 2007 Audi Q7 stands right up to par next to it. Our opinion with respect to design is that the front fascia of the 2007 Audi Q7 is much sleeker and attractive than the front of the 2007 BMW X5, while the rear fascia of the 2007 X5 is more attractive than the rear of the 2007 Q7.
Inside, both SUVs have 3rd-row passenger seating. However, the third row in both SUVs is completely pointless since they provide very little, if any, leg room. What we did like about the Q7 was the removable middle seat in the second row, giving passengers more room and freedom while traveling. The X5, while roomy, is more cramped than the Q7.
Price: If you’re going out and considering buying a mid-size luxury SUV, we highly suggest both the 2007 Audi Q7 and the 2007 BMW X5, but make sure you visit your local dealership to work out a deal that is affordable to you. So, which SUV is more affordable? For the 2007 Audi Q7, pricing starts at $39,900 for the 3.6 liter and $49,900 for the 4.2 FSI. The 2007 BMW X5 however, will run you quite a few more greens. The 2007 BMW X5 3.0si starts at $45,900 while the 4.8i starts at $54,500.
Overall, we don’t know how much money you have in your wallet, but we feel the 2007 Audi Q7 is a better buy at the entry level price of $39,900 rather than the entry level price for the 2007 BMW X5 of $45,900 in this class. But if you have the money lying around, or if you’re a huge BMW fan and hate Audi and if you really care about the .6 seconds difference in the 0-60 mph, go for the X5.
Read Article