Audi Unveils the Full-Size Q9, Its New Flagship SUV
The Audi family is growing larger in every way.
To the German marque, luxury is all about substance. And there is no vehicle in Audi‘s lineup, and especially it’s refreshed S.U.V. portfolio, that better reflects this than its new flagship Q9, which was unveiled during an event in view of the Brooklyn Bridge on Tuesday night.
The first Audi to bear the number 9 in its moniker, the full-size model is the automaker’s largest yet in the category. But size is far from its only virtue, as it raises the bar on the marque’s level of plushness and technological advancement, all while delivering the driving experience enthusiasts expect from the brand. It will also be available in two versions at launch: the standard Q9 and the sportier SQ9.
The newly revealed 2027 Audi SQ9.
Audi
“I think what we’ve done is we’ve just made it the best version of Audi,” Vito Paladino, president of Audi America, tells Robb Report. “It’s Audi true and true.”
Designed specifically to target North America, a region where 80 percent of the luxury automobile sold are S.U.V.s, the Q9 stretches 209 inches (17.4 feet) bumper to bumper, is 86.8 inches (7.2 feet) wide, and stands 71.4 inches tall (just shy of 6 feet). As with the redesigned Q7, which it shares a platform with, it features a more defined shape and upright stance than the last generation of the company’s S.U.V.s.
The SQ9’s illuminated grille features a hexagonal pattern.
Audi
But it’s not just an enlarged version of the mid-size Q7. The Q9 presents a much more prominent grille with an illuminated badge up front, a feature exclusive to North America and meant to underline the model’s position at the front of the brand’s lineup. The SQ9 has the same grille, only with a hexagonal pattern, along with wider wheel arches, colored accents, and split tailpipes. Both variants are also available with adaptive digital matrix LED lighting that is more precise and less glare-inducing than traditional headlamps—technology that makes its stateside debut with the Q9.
Thanks to its imposing proportions, the Q9 has a wheelbase of 123.5 inches (10.3 feet), making it easily the most spacious Audi ever. Also like the Q7, the Q9 comes with three rows comprising seven seats as standard, though it can be optioned with a six-seat layout that features captain’s chairs. Thanks to the long wheelbase, there’s room for adults to sit comfortably in both rear rows. There’s also up to 87.7 cubic feet of cargo room behind the first row.
The interior includes an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit, a 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a 12.3-inch passenger display.
Audi
The opulent cabin is covered in premium materials, such as wood trim, decorative inlays, and leather upholstery, and features a new lighting setup. It also integrates all the tech you’d expect from a high-end vehicle, including an array of screens up front called the Digital Stage, which includes an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit, a 14.5-inch touchscreen for infotainment, and a 12.3-inch passenger display. The infotainment system can be used to cycle between the vehicle’s six driving modes and features the ChatGPT-powered Audi Assistant. An all-new, 22-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system is also available as a premium add-on.
The Q9 comes with a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 that makes 429 hp and 442 ft lbs of torque, which, because it is an Audi, is routed to all four wheels via the company’s trademark Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Despite its considerable size, the Q9 can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. The SQ9, meanwhile, comes with a revised 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 that makes 591 hp and 590 ft lbs of torque. Both engines are exclusive to North America.
The Q9 comes with three rows comprising seven seats as standard, though it can be optioned with a six-seat layout that features captain’s chairs.
Audi
Audi claims the SQ9 can hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, a full second faster than its entry-level equivalent. Top speed, meanwhile, comes out to 130 mph for the Q9 and 155 mph for the SQ9. Despite its size and power, the Q9 is intended to offer the agility of a much smaller sedan or wagon due to its adaptive air suspension, which comes standard.
“What you don’t want in a big vehicle is a big feeling,” Paladino said. “You’ll see with the driving dynamics of the vehicle, it behaves like you would think of a more nimble Audi.”
Audi’s Q9 and SQ9, priced starting at $89,095 and $119,395, respectively, are set to launch in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of this year.
Click here to see more photos of the Audi Q9 and SQ9.
Audi
