I am debating between the Q7 TDI (would wait for the 2014 redesign) and the newly redesigned 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel that releases this spring. I would get the adaptive air suspension in either case. My intended use is as my primary vehicle, including commuting to work and weekly trips to the ski resorts (I'm in Utah) and mountain biking in the summer. For these things, the Q7 is more fun to drive than the Jeep based on a test drive of the Q7 compared to driving my brother's 2011 jeep. The added space in the Q7 would get used by my family and is an added benefit. The "fun-to-drive" aspect, small 3rd row, and extra trunk space is what would make me want to get the Q7 instead of the Grand Cherokee.

Here's where I'm not sure the Q7 would be OK. We will be towing a 5000 pound travel trailer 3-5 times per summer to places like Moab and other high-dessert Utah areas. I'm sure the Q7 will tow well. Once there, however, we often have to drive on rough washboard roads, sometimes
with dry-ish creek/stream crossings to get to trailheads for mountaineering/hiking/biking. No extreme rock crawling, just rough, rocky dirt. Having higher ground clearance (with the air suspension) lets one get closer to the trailhead in some instances. My brothers Jeep with air suspension handles these ridiculously well. The washboard road is comfortable compared to doing the same road in our minivan which felt like it was about to lose all its bolts. Even after 2 years of punishment, his Jeep doesn't have any rattles and is quiet even off-road. Will the Q7 with air suspension also do well on washboard, rocky roads? Will it "shake apart", or is it still designed to handle that type of off-road abuse?

Thanks for your input.

 

You should see what people are doing with there Q7's on youtube, When I saw some of the video's, I was like nooo, don't do that!. Type "Audi Q7 off-road", They treat them like Touareg's. Watch some of the video's then ask yourself " Do I really want to do that in MY Q7". I can't do it in mine.

But seriously, go check out the video's, I was amazed.

 

Wow - great suggestion to search youtube!
This is my favorite that I came across in a quick serach:
I still don't have a sense of how nicely the adaptive air handles washboard roads, but based on that video I know that if I ever need to rock crawl the Q7 will do so nicely!

 

Finishing up a purchase of a 2008 Q7, and was not sure if it would really be able to do some things that we do 2-3 times per year, which are drive on the beach and in the sand dunes of the northern NC outer banks and go to the mountains in the snow. After seeing this, I am sure it will handle it without any problems. Getting more and more excited about taking delivery of the Q7.

 

Agreed. Now I am obsessed with the rumors of the redesigned version hopefully coming for the 2014 model.
Have you done the sand dunes with other SUV's? You may know this already, but having the correct tires for the environment makes a huge difference. So make sure you have tires that are known to be good in the sand before heading out to the outer banks so you don't end up as an embarrassing You Tube video!

 

I didn't think the Q7 could do that!