I find the seats in the A7 to be extremely uncomfortable. I absolutely love the seats in the A8. Both the A7 and A8 seats seem to have the same mechanism on the bottom as well as the same electronic and ventilation inputs. Can I install the A8 seats on my A7? Someone please tell me my dream can come true!

Thanks

If you lived in the UK you could just order comfort seats or sport seats. Their option list is much larger, soft close doors etc. They should make the sport seats part of the S line or Sport package. The comfort seats as a stand alone option.

I absolutely agree with docjava2002. I cannot believe Audi is denying the U.S. market so many options that Europe can choose. I'm OK without the soft-close doors, the Lane Assist, Park Assist, dual-pane acoustic side windows, etc., etc. BUT the seats are an extremely important choice. I drive long distances and the seats are extremely important, especially for thigh support (I'm 6' 1"). I cannot say enough good about the seats in my 2008 A8L. I would buy these seats separately and install them in an A7 if I could (and if they'd fit). It sickens me when I see all of the option selections (packages or standalone) for the new BMW 5-series but Audi feels we don't deserve to have the choices. I'm tired of hearing twisted logic about trickling out options in year 2, 3, etc. OR, even worse, never allowing options to be available here so as not to "steal" sales from the Audi flagship. Clearly Audi has no clue about how to grow U.S. sales---more choice means more sales. NOT the other way. While the A7 is a standout design, the option issue has me looking at BMW's. I'll wait to see how the A6 is handled....if the same choke is placed on the A6's option list, then it may well be good-bye Audi and hello BMW.

An A8 or A8L is out of the question due to the miniature space behind the rear seats Audi calls a "trunk" in the D4. That was a design mistake to sacrifice the trunk space to allow for the possibility the a few buyers would option these vehicles with the reclining rear seats. The A7 and new A6 have far more luggage space than the A8/A8L. Either would be a better choice for 4 people traveling with luggage.

Agreed. I found the A7 seats quite uncomfortable during my test drive. It is likely a deal-breaker for me as I intend to do quite a bit of sitting in my next vehicle.

I will also wait for Audi to offer better seats in the A7. The seats in my A8 are so much better I do not think I could live with the current A7 seats. So for now it is a deal breaker for me.

I will also wait for Audi to offer better seats in the A7. The seats in my A8 are so much better I do not think I could live with the current A7 seats. So for now it is a deal breaker for me.

I agree 100%. If Audi doesn't offer an upgraded seat (aka, the "Comfort" seat as it's known on European's option list), on the A7 AND the new A6, they are off of my shopping list. I'll give Audi the chance to offer this seat on both models for the A7 by the fall/winter and for the A6 at introduction. Maybe until next summer at the latest.

An A8 or A8L is out of the question due to the miniature space behind the rear seats Audi calls a "trunk" in the D4. That was a design mistake to sacrifice the trunk space to allow for the possibility the a few buyers would option these vehicles with the reclining rear seats. The A7 and new A6 have far more luggage space than the A8/A8L. Either would be a better choice for 4 people traveling with luggage.

Yes, the A8's trunk volume is significantly reduced, however...

...the reason for this has nothing to do with the reclining seat option. The D3 A8L W12 had a reclining rear seat option with no intrusion on trunk volume. The actual reason (as I've been told) involved a combination of reconfiguring the D4 chassis layout due to pulling the engine slightly more aft of the front axle which also pushed back the rear axle (but not add extra body length beyond what was planned for the passenger cabin), as well as the decision to relocate all the electronics from the rear side panels to the area between the rear cabin and trunk---both issues are supposed to better balance the car's weight and afford improved handling. That's at least what I've been told. From my own observation of my car, the spacial impact of the motorized rear seating is totally limited to the passenger cabin and does not intrude rearward to the trunk.

Yes, the A8's trunk volume is significantly reduced, however...

...the reason for this has nothing to do with the reclining seat option. The D3 A8L W12 had a reclining rear seat option with no intrusion on trunk volume. The actual reason (as I've been told) involved a combination of reconfiguring the D4 chassis layout due to pulling the engine slightly more aft of the front axle which also pushed back the rear axle (but not add extra body length beyond what was planned for the passenger cabin), as well as the decision to relocate all the electronics from the rear side panels to the area between the rear cabin and trunk---both issues are supposed to better balance the car's weight and afford improved handling. That's at least what I've been told. From my own observation of my car, the spacial impact of the motorized rear seating is totally limited to the passenger cabin and does not intrude rearward to the trunk.
Do you find the trunk size to be ample for your needs?

Do you find the trunk size to be ample for your needs?

Mostly. I've found that you have to be more creative in positioning stuff in the trunk, but so far it's all worked out. Having the LWB model will come in handy for trunk overflow on occasion. The biggest problem will be for longer items that won't bend to fit diagonally across the width of the trunk.

Yes, the A8's trunk volume is significantly reduced, however...

...the reason for this has nothing to do with the reclining seat option. The D3 A8L W12 had a reclining rear seat option with no intrusion on trunk volume. The actual reason (as I've been told) involved a combination of reconfiguring the D4 chassis layout due to pulling the engine slightly more aft of the front axle which also pushed back the rear axle (but not add extra body length beyond what was planned for the passenger cabin), as well as the decision to relocate all the electronics from the rear side panels to the area between the rear cabin and trunk---both issues are supposed to better balance the car's weight and afford improved handling. That's at least what I've been told. From my own observation of my car, the spacial impact of the motorized rear seating is totally limited to the passenger cabin and does not intrude rearward to the trunk.

Thank you for a much better explanation (and firsthand observation of the reclining seats) for the diminutive and under-sized trunk in the D4. It makes sense, yet for the size of the car and its best use for long trips for up to 4 persons, the D3's trunk setup was and is far more appropriate (and the D3 is shorter than the D4!). The logic behind such a comfortable car for 4 but without a reasonable amount of trunk space escapes me. When the A7 and new A6 have more stowage space (and not by a small amount), how does Audi really justify such a small trunk for its flagship? (The A4 has just 0.7 cubic feet less trunk space than the D4!) I hope I never see a D4 on the road with crossbars and a luggage rack but, with the D4's design, it could happen. I guess Audi must feel the vast majority of A8's and A8L's are destined for short trips around the city with the family or long trips (which require luggage and other storage) for just 2 or 3 at most---certainly NOT for 4, much less 5.

Mostly. I've found that you have to be more creative in positioning stuff in the trunk, but so far it's all worked out. Having the LWB model will come in handy for trunk overflow on occasion. The biggest problem will be for longer items that won't bend to fit diagonally across the width of the trunk.

Or if you have luggage to haul for 3 or 4 and want to keep the cabin free of luggage.

Isn't there an S Line option for the US ? They have the sports seats which are much much better than the standard ones. There are probably financial reasons why Audi don't give more choice to the US , but where's the customer satisfaction when the bean counters are in charge or the options list? It's lunacy.

Isn't there an S Line option for the US ? They have the sports seats which are much much better than the standard ones. There are probably financial reasons why Audi don't give more choice to the US , but where's the customer satisfaction when the bean counters are in charge or the options list? It's lunacy.
I think they get basic seats even with S-line, which is more than stupid!

Isn't there an S Line option for the US ? They have the sports seats which are much much better than the standard ones. There are probably financial reasons why Audi don't give more choice to the US , but where's the customer satisfaction when the bean counters are in charge or the options list? It's lunacy.

There's only one seat design "choice" for the U.S.--the "standard" seat. It's 12 way adjustable and heated. For the Prestige package ("S-Line"), the seat is can be actively ventilated---not cooled, just air venting through the perforated leather seat and back surfaces.

No Sport seat and no Comfort seat options for the U.S. market.

gb4.2 - I believe that is how all ventilated/cooled seats work - I have had that feature in a Lexus, Mercedes, and now Audi. They simply suck in the cabin air and blow it through the seats. It's not like there is an AC coil running through it or similar.

Or if you have luggage to haul for 3 or 4 and want to keep the cabin free of luggage.

Then you'd need soft outer-skin leather or fabric luggage pieces to cram in the trunk. I think the trunk has a bit more height volume vs. the D3, so you can also do a bit more "stacking" to get things to fit.

gb4.2 - I believe that is how all ventilated/cooled seats work - I have had that feature in a Lexus, Mercedes, and now Audi. They simply suck in the cabin air and blow it through the seats. It's not like there is an AC coil running through it or similar.

I believe you're correct---I was just pointing out that "cooled" seats are more appropriately "actively ventilated" as you described---a fan system which blows ambient air through the perforated leather. I've had these in two D3 A8L's and they work OK when set at "6" (maximum setting). Someone in the D4 A8/A8L forum felt the active ventilation in those seats actually cooled the air. That's not my understanding but maybe someone with a D4 could clarify this.

Either way, the U.S. market is denied anything more than the standard seat with or without active ventilation. No "Comfort" seat with more adjustments and the potential of the various massage functions controlled by the MMI and no sport seat.

Then you'd need soft outer-skin leather or fabric luggage pieces to cram in the trunk. I think the trunk has a bit more height volume vs. the D3, so you can also do a bit more "stacking" to get thinks to fit.

You may be right about the height but the overall volume is, nonetheless, dramatically less than the D3 no matter how you stack or cram it.

I was actually shocked when I opened the trunk on the D4 demo our dealer had a few months ago when it arrived. The trunk is simply disproportionate to the car. I know of several other D3 owners who've walked away from a D4 for this very reason. I guess I'll always be puzzled by the decision to equip it in this manner even with the details you provided in an earlier post.

Te d4 just sucks the air away via the little holes in the seats.

I spoke with an Audi fellow last week about the rear storage space and he said that they'd raised concerns about the d4 boot when they first saw it, but Germany wanted to go down the new route of putting all the electrics behind the back seats and make up the storage volume wi the side pods.

I believe you're correct---I was just pointing out that "cooled" seats are more appropriately "actively ventilated" as you described---a fan system which blows ambient air through the perforated leather. I've had these in two D3 A8L's and they work OK when set at "6" (maximum setting). Someone in the D4 A8/A8L forum felt the active ventilation in those seats actually cooled the air. That's not my understanding but maybe someone with a D4 could clarify this.

Either way, the U.S. market is denied anything more than the standard seat with or without active ventilation. No "Comfort" seat with more adjustments and the potential of the various massage functions controlled by the MMI and no sport seat.

My wife drives the Lexus SUV with ventilated seats and the seats do feel cool when turned on in the higher settings with the A/C turned on but doesn't feel "cool" if the A/C is off. As indicated in the other posts, it apparently takes the air blown from the ventilation system so with no A/C on, no cooling, just ventilation. I ordered a 2012 A6 without this option since I didn't care for it. I didn't feel it cooled that well (on the Lexus) and the perforated seats appeared to keep more dirt in than the regular Nappa leather seats on my S4 IMHO.

Interesting point about the Lexus SUV's ventilated seats---I'm going to discuss with my Audi mechanic as he'll set the record straight, at least as far as the Audi system for the seats in the various models.

gb4.2 - I believe that is how all ventilated/cooled seats work - I have had that feature in a Lexus, Mercedes, and now Audi. They simply suck in the cabin air and blow it through the seats. It's not like there is an AC coil running through it or similar.

I just confirmed that the new D4 A8/A8L does feature "cooled"/ventilated seats. My mechanic tells me there are separate AC ducts feeding each seat so that cooled air is vented through the perforated leather, not just cabin air as in the D3. He says they work VERY well and can result in a very chilled seat.

Let audi know if you're unhappy with their crippled option list vs Europe.

http://www.audiusa.com/us/brand/en/about/main/contact_audi.html

I doubt anything will come of it, but it's worth a go.

I just sent them a lengthy message expressing my displeasure. We'll see if they respond. If they don't, I am likely taking my business elsewhere. There's no justifiable reason to treat the U.S. market with such disdain. I've been an Audi owner since 1987 (12 Audis) but this crippled option list is really pissing me off!

I understand your concern but you will not get a favorable response and you will not get Comfort Seats
until much later in launch. Accept it or move on. It seems to me you are looking for a reason not to commit
an order rather than taking several test drives to see if you can live (as I can) with their rather good seating
in the first place. I have quite a bit higher evaluation the professionalism in Audi's planning and bottom-line
orientation than catering to potential buyers' complaints.

I understand your concern but you will not get a favorable response and you will not get Comfort Seats
until much later in launch. Accept it or move on. It seems to me you are looking for a reason not to commit
an order rather than taking several test drives to see if you can live (as I can) with their rather good seating
in the first place. I have quite a bit higher evaluation the professionalism in Audi's planning and bottom-line
orientation than catering to potential buyers' complaints.

I don't understand your last sentence above due to its wording and its apparent message. Are you saying that "Audi knows best" and that customers should simply accept what Audi does or doesn't offer in the U.S. vs. Europe and never complain? If so, you must either work for Audi or an Audi dealership OR have unusually high esteem for corporate decisions that clearly place the customer last.

I understand everyone's preference is subjective but could you explain what you found so uncomfortable about the A7 seats in particular? I spent some time in the A7 to compare it to an A8 and really could not find much difference. I decided against the A7 due to other reasons including the fact they do not offer an air suspension here in the USA and that they decided to place an ugly plastic (bed)pan between the rear seats (again, only in the USA model). I tried to order a euro spec A7 with no luck so I understand your frustration.

You're right about the A8's trunk being a bit of a joke but I usually take an SUV for the (very) rare longer driving vacation with family and I have not met many A8 owners who use it for that purpose (d3 or d4). What are you intending to use the A7 for?

I just sent them a lengthy message expressing my displeasure. We'll see if they respond. If they don't, I am likely taking my business elsewhere. There's no justifiable reason to treat the U.S. market with such disdain. I've been an Audi owner since 1987 (12 Audis) but this crippled option list is really pissing me off!

I believe that due to the weak dollar, the USA market is just not profitable to sell into. Several Audi dealer people agreed with that and also mentioned that they can not get enough Q5s. In a weak market with 9% unemployment, that is just weird. But if you look at it like a German company, then you see way more profit in the Euro or the Chinese market. So Audi USA has to limit options and squeeze us for a profit by managing the selections available. Why else do they limit the USA to one seat choice, one suspension, no active rear differential, and on and on. They ship the Q5 to China and make thousands more. I bet they make over $10K more when they ship a A7 to Asia.
Audi does ship enough to the USA to keep market share so my final conclusion is that I am glad I got one of the relatively rare A7s that get over here.

I understand everyone's preference is subjective but could you explain what you found so uncomfortable about the A7 seats in particular? I spent some time in the A7 to compare it to an A8 and really could not find much difference. I decided against the A7 due to other reasons including the fact they do not offer an air suspension here in the USA and that they decided to place an ugly plastic (bed)pan between the rear seats (again, only in the USA model). I tried to order a euro spec A7 with no luck so I understand your frustration.

You're right about the A8's trunk being a bit of a joke but I usually take an SUV for the (very) rare longer driving vacation with family and I have not met many A8 owners who use it for that purpose (d3 or d4). What are you intending to use the A7 for?

When I test drove the A7, I didn't find the seats abnormally uncomfortable, but I was only in the car for 15 minutes or so, and it was a fairly sedate drive. The complaints have been mainly from people who have engaged in more spirited driving and have felt poorly supported by the relatively anemic side bolsters of the seats. Also, since the seats don't have adjustable thigh supports, some taller people have felt the seat to be somewhat short. Similar issues have been described over on the A6 forum, as the two models share the same seats.

I believe that due to the weak dollar, the USA market is just not profitable to sell into. Several Audi dealer people agreed with that and also mentioned that they can not get enough Q5s. In a weak market with 9% unemployment, that is just weird. But if you look at it like a German company, then you see way more profit in the Euro or the Chinese market. So Audi USA has to limit options and squeeze us for a profit by managing the selections available. Why else do they limit the USA to one seat choice, one suspension, no active rear differential, and on and on. They ship the Q5 to China and make thousands more. I bet they make over $10K more when they ship a A7 to Asia.
Audi does ship enough to the USA to keep market share so my final conclusion is that I am glad I got one of the relatively rare A7s that get over here.

I think part of the reason too is simple marketing. Due to a variety of reasons, vehicle prices here in the US are much lower than in Europe/Australia/China etc and so cars like the A7 are available to a larger audience than in some other countries. Since the market here is so competitive, Audi likely wants to offer cars at an attractive base price to stand out against established rivals like MB and BMW. Limiting options limits the maximum price of the car and lets reviews say things like "a fully optioned A7 comes in $10k cheaper than a loaded CLS." Plus, Audi doesn't want to cannibalize the sales of its other models, so it leaves premium options like the air suspension and comfort seats out to entice people towards the A8, and it leaves out the active rear differential and DSG to lure buyers to the future S7. Nowadays, you also sometimes need extra perks to entice some people to go for the less fuel efficient, higher-performing models, even in the upper end of the luxury segment...

I'm sure there is a whole army of Audi marketing experts and actuaries who have analyzed US buying preferences and have figured out how to position their products to extract the most money from US car buyers. I too wish we had more options here, but I'll settle for what we were given. I was initially bummed about not having more customizable seats and no air suspension, but after reading all the problems some people have had with the AIRMATIC suspension on the CLS, I realized that sometimes less is more...

Plus, Audi doesn't want to cannibalize the sales of its other models, so it leaves premium options like the air suspension and comfort seats out to entice people towards the A8, and it leaves out the active rear differential and DSG to lure buyers to the future S7.

By the way, the sports rear diff on the A8 (which should be the same as the euro spec A7) is killer.

I think part of the reason too is simple marketing. Due to a variety of reasons, vehicle prices here in the US are much lower than in Europe/Australia/China etc and so cars like the A7 are available to a larger audience than in some other countries. Since the market here is so competitive, Audi likely wants to offer cars at an attractive base price to stand out against established rivals like MB and BMW. Limiting options limits the maximum price of the car and lets reviews say things like "a fully optioned A7 comes in $10k cheaper than a loaded CLS." Plus, Audi doesn't want to cannibalize the sales of its other models, so it leaves premium options like the air suspension and comfort seats out to entice people towards the A8, and it leaves out the active rear differential and DSG to lure buyers to the future S7. Nowadays, you also sometimes need extra perks to entice some people to go for the less fuel efficient, higher-performing models, even in the upper end of the luxury segment...

I'm sure there is a whole army of Audi marketing experts and actuaries who have analyzed US buying preferences and have figured out how to position their products to extract the most money from US car buyers. I too wish we had more options here, but I'll settle for what we were given. I was initially bummed about not having more customizable seats and no air suspension, but after reading all the problems some people have had with the AIRMATIC suspension on the CLS, I realized that sometimes less is more...

First, if a fully optioned Audi vs. a fully optioned BWW or MB isn't equally equipped, what good is it to write or say "it's $10K cheaper"? Yes, it's a simplistic review statement that's too often misused but I prefer accuracy in these types of statements and always fact-check them!

Second, isn't it about time that Audi NOT focus so much on undercutting price and, instead, focus on the product and its quality, design, and engineering? I know they want to increase sales volume in the U.S. but limiting option availability to "entice" customers to spend upwards of $20-30K to move up to an A8/A8L is a bit of a stretch. Is it worth losing any sales of truly loaded A7's in the U.S.?

First, if a fully optioned Audi vs. a fully optioned BWW or MB isn't equally equipped, what good is it to write or say "it's $10K cheaper"? Yes, it's a simplistic review statement that's too often misused but I prefer accuracy in these types of statements and always fact-check them!

Second, isn't it about time that Audi NOT focus so much on undercutting price and, instead, focus on the product and its quality, design, and engineering? I know they want to increase sales volume in the U.S. but limiting option availability to "entice" customers to spend upwards of $20-30K to move up to an A8/A8L is a bit of a stretch. Is it worth losing any sales of truly loaded A7's in the U.S.?

I'm with you, but unfortunately neither of us works for Audi.

Here is a quote from the recent Motor Trend review. Sadly, this appears to be how Audi wishes to function in the US.

I called Audi and read them a Little League version of the riot act. Why can U.S. consumers spend $20,000 on electronic options -- in the case of our tester, $6330 for the Prestige package, $5800 for the Innovation package, and an "are you kidding me?" $5900 for the Bang and Olufsen stereo, plus another $1500 for 20-inch wheels -- but they can't spend the same amount on actual, mechanical performance upgrades like the aforementioned dual-clutch or torque vectoring differential? Predictably, A6, A7, and A8 product specialist Anthony Foulk started telling me everything but the truth. "We try to optimize each car to their market." "In Europe it's a wide-open ordering bank -- an A6 can easily be 100,000 Euros." and my favorite, "Our mission here is to bring the best car at the best value that the customer actually wants."

So, I continued, Americans don't want a car with air suspension or a dual-clutch or a performance-enhancing rear end? Finally Foulk caved. "This isn't the only A7 that will come to the U.S. -- it's the not the sportiest in our lineup." Not that it's any great secret, but he's talking about the S7, which will most likely come packing Audi's new, soon-to-be-released (and shared with Bentley) 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 as well as a dual-clutch tranny, torque-vectoring rear end and (maybe) air suspension.

So, to me that reads like Audi code for "If you want that stuff, pony up the extra bucks and get the S7." I imagine the only reason they get away with it is that it works -- Americans like the high-end, and I guess they need to offer more than just a more powerful engine to get people to spend the extra bucks on an S7...

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1105_2012_audi_a7_test/index.html

Same reason has me looking at the MB550CLS and the revised XF Supercharged. (I don't care for the 5 series so BMW is not an option for me). Both the MB and the Jag have excellent seats (2012 XF Supercharged will have the seats from the 2011 XFR as an option). The MB has a $600 option of "active multicontour driver seat featuring adjustable lumbar supports, side bolsters and shoulder supports, for custom-tailored support. A massage feature helps prevent fatigue on longer drives. Active side bolsters can be set to automatically increase lateral support in cornering maneuvers, or even in the event of a potential accident."
For $600! What is Audi playing at?
This is also available on the E Class