About 15-20 new Q7s are at the dealer in Scottsdale currently...with one cleaned up in the showroom. All are euro-spec and are here for a beat-the-hell-out-of-'em driving event in the next week or two (that I am hopefully getting invited to).
Just a few impressions...

Outside looks great...much smaller than anticipated...might even be shorter than the S6? Looks more cross-over-ish than real SUV. Very attractive.
Inside...front...first impression was a step back upward in quality of materials and understated elegance compared to the somewhat step down from the C5 to C6 A6 line. The dashboard was clean and solid, not overstylized like the C6, IMO. The premium "cricket" leather was awesome...much better than the 'recent' leathers since the deletion of the valcona leather with the '02 A6. The seats were very comfortable, although not "sport" seats...which is fine in an SUV, I suppose.

Backward from the front seat things lose a bit. I really like the panoramic roof...but the support crossbrace above the second row of seats is intrusive significantly to headroom. Legroom is fine, better than the S6 by far...but headroom stinks. The 3rd row is useless to anyone above 10-12 years old...or > 5 feet tall. Legroom is meant for children and access to the 3rd row is terrible...ok for nimble children but not a slick design.
There is an interesting 6-seat configuration available that I could only see through a dusty tinted window that has a small console between the second row seats...part of the premium model...would be useful as the middle seat in the standard 7- or 5-person configuration is very small.
There was a clever partly hidden shoulder belt design in the 3rd row. Cargo space was modest...similar to the A6 avant...maybe a hint more??? maybe not.

Don't know how it drives (yet)...but overall I was very impressed with the quality feel and heft...definitely a move back toward a better quality material. Where it fell short was utility and slickness of configurations which others have done far more smoothly and effectively. I think it should have been a few inches larger which would have allowed more room for the 3rd row and easier access. It is not much or any more utilitarian than an Avant...but it looks really cool and I bet drives sweet.

The LR3 will continue as the main people-mover as the configurations and space make it incredibly utilitarian (plus, it has been absolutely the most 'reliable' vehicle I've ever owned in the first 11k, that is)...but the wife may be getting the Q to replace the S6 which has just gone out of warranty (yikes!) although it has been sweet also...

Another one on the list is the MB R-class...which has a lot of similarities to minivans, wagons, and SUVs...
It is a little funny looking and probably doesn't drive like a race car...but the wife is really starting to appreciate more space as the kids are getting bigger...she actually liked the Sienna minivan we rented last week!

I'm glad to hear that it feels smaller/more cross-over like.

Our S6 is going off warranty in July also. I've considered whether to keep it and purchase a warranty extension. Probably won't though, cuz while it does have the third row option, it's not really engineered for that and we worry about the safety aspects of having our kids back there. We do need more space now, so the Q7 will hopefully win out over the LR3. My wife really prefers the looks of the latter.

So you've enjoyed your LR3? Drives pretty well for a big utilitarian truck?

Thanks.

I actually really enjoy driving it...but I have no doubt the Q7 will feel much more sporty. The LR3 feels heavy (it is) and very solid...what surprises one the most while driving, is how flat it is around corners...it doesn't give you any tippy feeling at all...it's unusually flat for a truck. It is very smooth riding on the highway and tracks straight without needing constant correction. The steering wheel is thick and solid. The transmission has only one glitch...similar to the '00-'02 Audis when accelerating after slowing almost to a complete stop, the transmission gets 'confused' for a second and can slam a bit into gear...the solution is the same as for the Audi...accelerate slowly initially after a slight pause...it works fine.
Overall, the interior is appropriately only semi-luxurious...without wood or other fancy trim. I like that I feel like I don't have to baby it or be afraid of scratching something inside...it's very durable and good quality plastics. The seats are nice but no sport seats or anything. Comfortable for long trips, however.

Overall, it is a great truck and I have zero regrets whatsoever. If you need significantly more space/cargo space, the Q7 won't do it...but if you only need 3rd row seats for 7-10 year olds...and otherwise the cargo capacity of the Avant is good enough, the Q7 could be great. I am looking forward to driving it...hopefully in this upcoming driving event.

LA auto show - I sat in the third seat - I am 5-10" and I could ride back there for short trips no problem. 1/2 hour to an hour.

But, headroom is terrible and so is legroom...I'm 6 feet 0...so not short...but even the 5 foot 1-2 or so saleslady was snug back there. Even she commented that access was poorly designed especially given what others have done in recent years.

I really like it...but I wouldn't buy it because of the 3rd row, it would be despite it...

third row avail at the auto show however - it is one of the better ones. other than the big USA SUV are the best, tahoe, suburban, expidition or explorere, which I would not consider. The Volvo XC 90 has a decent third rwo, the Jeep commander is teh suck. there is not real size third row out there unless you get a suburban or epidition.

It's the removeable variety, faces backwards. They were also available on the Allroad until last year. I think Mercedes still offers this on their wagons, but I'm wary of the safety on that configuration also.

fits a 6-4 person without problem. Plenty of legroom and headroom...and comfortable.

That's the reason I got one.

I couldn't sit in the third row in the Q7 without having the 2nd row folded forward, or twisting sideways so my knees could fit.

hardware looks really cheap - like it would be uncomfortable after some time. - the seats are very thin and about three inches thick- where the Q7 seats are full size and 6-8 inches think probalby providing better safety protection too. I was not impressed with the LR3, I would get the Volvo SUV first for the money. IMO.

the other rows of seats. I've sat in the 3rd row for 30-40 minute trips here and there...but my wife and mother-in-law (70 years old) sat back there for 2 3-hour scenic drives to- and from- Sedona and both were amazed at how comfortable they were. Comfort has little to do with thickness of the seats...it has far more to do with the materials used, density, etc. Aside from that, the thickness of the Q7 seats are not 6-8 inches. Why would they provide better protection? I have no idea which vehicle is "safer" or provides better protection. I supposed crash-testing and experience over the next years with vehicle accident data may suggest one or the other may be "safer"...but there is nothing from my crawling around in the Q7, nor the 11k miles I've put on my LR3 that can tell me that one is safer than the other.

The LR3 is more smartly designed with regards to the function and access to the 3rd row. Unfortunately, the Q7 is a decade or more behind the times when it comes to 3rd row access and ergonomics associated with folding the 2nd and 3rd rows.

I have nothing against the Volvo XC, but it is really more of an elevated wagon, not a truck/SUV.

I research this seemingly endlessly, but the LR3 is the first and currently still the ONLY mid-sized SUV that has a 3rd row that is functional for full-size (tall, not fat) adults. The R-class Mercedes arguably could be...but it seems to me more of a cross between a wagon and minivan, not a real SUV. Bottom line I can fit easily and comfortably in the 3rd row of the LR3, I can barely get into and don't fit in the third row of the Q7.

After buying 2 Audis in 2 years (an A6 4.2 and an S6 Avant) and frequently going back and forth between using the S6 and the LR3, I must honestly say I am very impressed with the solid feel and structural integrity of the LR3. Even my wife, who loves her S6 more than me, commented the other day about how smooth and quiet the LR3 is. She prefers the power, acceleration, and agility of the S6 more but prefers the smoothness and more solid feeling structure of the LR3...and I'd have to agree.

We are considering the Q7 as a replacement for the S6...it is actually quite a bargain compared to the new C6 4.2. It doesn't offer much more space, if any, than the S6...but it looks great, the interior quality is fantastic, it is brand new and would have a new 4 year warranty...

but since you own one you probably know better.