Cayenne/Touareg/Q7 are all evolutions from the same platform; Touareg the "entry level" version, Q7 the family size version, Cayenne the sport version. I drove a 2011 Touareg TDI for 17,000 miles before trading it for a 2013 Cayenne diesel. Same basic engine/transmission combo on the same basic 5 passenger layout, but the similarity stops there. The reconfigured Cayenne engine is more responsive, the remapped transmission is smarter, the steering and suspension seriously upgraded. It's simply more fun to drive, and I know I've been a lot heavier on the accelerator pedal than I was in the Touareg. Yet the Porsche is already delivering better fuel economy than did the VW. Whereas it took 17,000 miles before I first saw 33 mpg on the Touareg, I saw that from the Cayenne in the first 300.

//greg//

 

IMO, the Q7 does not drive anything like a minivan.

It will have more space than the Cayenne but remember that the Audi is based on the last gen. platform. As such, it is substantially heavier (400lbs?), and doesn't steer, handle, brake, etc. as well as the Cayenne does.

Both diesel platforms are excellent, IMO. But if you don't need the third row of seats I find the Cayenne to be a much better driving proposition.

The Cayenne V6 is a fine vehicle too but the torque differences between the diesel and the V6 are just off the charts. If it were my money, and it were between the Cayenne V6, Cayenne diesel and Q7 TDI, I'd get the Porsche diesel all day long.

 

My 2 cents . When you buy an aircraft you make an immediate expensive decision, you buy either a 2, 4 or 6 seater. You make that decision based on the USAGE you are seeking for that airplane. If you - almost always - fly with 3 people you most likely will have a 4 seater in mind. You would - typically - not buy a 6 seater for those one or two occasions you are going to need it. You plan to RENT an airplane for that. I think that is a reasoning that many car buyers are not looking at when buying a car. I bet, that for most of us a VW Jetta TDI or Passat TDI (or the Audi versions for 30K dollars) would do nicely and allow you to keep a bunch of money in your pocket. For that one or twice event per year, go and knock yourself out and rent a Ferrari or a Roll-Royce and amaze your neighbors!

 

There is no 4-zone climate control option for U S/Canada Cayenne diesel due to the AdBlue system that takes up the space for the 2nd air cond unit. Cayenne's main air cond is rather weak, 4-zone is necessary, even if back seats are not occupied the 2nd air cond helps to cool the car much faster.

 

True,I also find it weak..wish I had gotten 4-z

 

We were lucky we test drove the Panamera on a hot summer day, and the kids were complaining about the weak air cond at the back, so we added 4-zone to our Panamera order. Had we test drove it in winter we would not have included this option.
We recently placed an order for a 2013 Cayenne. We had to choose between the base V6 and the diesel. Not able to add 4-zone had pretty much made us to decide on the base V6.