Rep Power: 497

As with many things, when you don't have expectations they can't be crushed. Somehow I missed all the hoopla over the 2012 Audi A7 at this year's auto shows (apparently I was busy hunting down more stereotypically family-centric cars). Let me tell you, I was anything but crushed by the A7. I was pleasantly surprised by this large hatchback's combination of performance, driving ability, smooth ride quality and family-friendly backseat space and functional trunk. However, be advised this car seats four, so it's only suited to small families.

The A7's drive quality was the perfect fit for me. Audi's Quattro full-time all-wheel-drive system in the A7 is an absolute must for the crazy weather patterns I experience south of Denver. The A7 somehow manages to be simultaneously powerful and well-connected to the road in corners while still featuring a suspension designed to keep my brain cells in tact rather than wiggled and jiggled free like other "sporty" cars. The one annoyance I noticed was a slight delayed jerk when the A7 shifted down at low speeds, for example when slowing down to creep through the carpool lane.



As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. The A7 is worth every penny of the $68,630 price tag that my test car topped out at; the base price is $59,250. For a small family who doesn't need to fit more than one or two kids in the car but still has the cargo-carrying needs that every family has, the A7 caters to this crew with a luxurious, modern and distinctly stylized car. You'll be lucky to keep yours. I was extremely disappointed to have to return my test car.

Read more of the of the car review from Chicago Tribune

Does anyone drive an Audi? Anyone plan on buying one soon?