2013 Audi A7

MMI TOUCH
Buyers who step up to the Premium Plus trim enjoy MMI Touch, a neat touch-sensitive pad that lets the driver input letters and numbers by drawing them with a fingertip. It turns out to be much less gimmicky and more usable than it sounds.

NAVIGATION WITH GOOGLE EARTH
Google Earth is impressive enough on a home computer; in a vehicle's navigation system it is even more striking, and quite practical. Improved awareness of one's surrounding area and the sheer coolness of a helicopter-like map view make navigation with Google Earth a delight.

Audi's now-famous knack for creating great automotive interiors is on full display in the A7's luxurious cabin. All A7's utilize Audi's MMI interface, a rotary selection knob surrounded by four push-buttons, to control many vehicle functions. The rest of the dash becomes attractively uncluttered as a result. Seating is comfortable for four, and, optionally, workable for five; the standard rear seat has two buckets and a storage console between them, but a 3-place bench seat can be substituted as a $350 option. Either way, that graceful roofline makes rear-seat headroom tight for tall passengers.

The face of the 2013 Audi A7 has the trademark oversized hexagonal grille and LED running lights, and the body lines are similarly standard Audi issue. But the A7 distinguishes itself in the roofline, which cuts low over the rear windows and tapers all the way to the tail. It looks great but does ask occupants to duck when entering the rear seat. The A7's 4-door-coupe design marries aero-look efficiency with clean styling in a way entirely consistent with Audi's brand character. The faster and meaner S7 is identified by subtle badging and trim and 1-inch-larger wheels.

Today, 310 horsepower in a luxury sedan might seem barely adequate but thanks to an advanced 8-speed automatic transmission, the A7 makes the most of its 3.0 supercharged V6's output. Zero-to-60-mph acceleration runs take just 5.4 seconds thanks in part to the broad spread of torque through the low- and medium-speed ranges. With its 420-horsepower twin-turbo V8, the lusty S7 makes even shorter work of 0-60, taking just 4.5 seconds. Remarkably, the S7's blistering performance comes at a cost of just a single mpg in the EPA city/highway ratings. In both the A7 and S7, power is sent from the transmission to the standard quattro AWD system, greatly improving stability and confidence on slippery roads.

3.0-liter supercharged V6
310 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
325 lb-ft of torque @ 2,900 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/28 mpg

4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8
420 horsepower @ 5,500-6,400 rpm
406 lb-ft of torque @ 1,400-5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/27 mpg

In base Premium form the A7 checks in at $60,995; the Premium Plus trim starts at $64,695, the Prestige at $67,045. Fully outfit an Audi A7 Prestige and the price can blow past $82,000. The sportier S7 starts at $79,695 and can top $96,000. While less expensive than the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the Audi A7 costs considerably more than the Volkswagen CC. For up-to-date pricing on the A7 be sure to check out the KBB Fair Purchase Price. When it comes to resale values the A7 is expected to perform reasonably well, with residual numbers that match those of the Volkswagen CC but trail the Mercedes-Benz CLS.

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