MUNICH—It has taken Audi a little longer than its rivals, but with the debut of the 2027 Q9 this evening, the company has joined them in offering a range-topping full-size SUV. No, not the Q7, although a third-generation version of that vehicle broke cover in June. The car was designed first and foremost for Europe, with a third row of seats that’s fine for small children or occasional use. But in America, there’s a segment one size larger, pioneered by the Cadillac Escalade, and it’s here we find the new Audi. With no concrete plans to replace the A8 sedan yet, the Q9 SUV becomes the brand’s new flagship.
At 209 inches (5,309 mm) long, 79.2 inches (2,012 mm) wide, and 71.4 inches (1,814 mm) tall, it’s definitely not diminutive, although parked next to the aforementioned Caddy, you’ll find the American SUV exceeds this one by a few inches here and there. The 123.5-inch wheelbase (3,137 mm) is 5.6 inches (142 mm) longer than the Q7’s, much of which translates to more room for the third row.
The Q9 looked big in the studio, but it was less imposing than a Mercedes-Benz GLS or BMW X7. The body panels feature more curves and more subtle creases than the Audis of a few years ago. And there are definite station wagon vibes, but that’s mostly because its big wheels make it look smaller and closer rather than bigger and farther away (aka, the Father Dougal principle.)
Like the Q7 (and the new A5 and Q5), the Q9 uses Volkswagen Group’s new Premium Platform Combustion, or PPC, architecture. At launch, it will come with one of Audi’s 2.9 L V6 engines under the hood, but there’s also the SQ9, which uses the twin-turbo V8 found in some RS6 and RS7 models. You’ll know the SQ9 by its wider wheel arches, bigger alloy wheels, and the different illuminated grille. Audi says that unlike the regular Q9, the SQ9’s all-wheel drive power delivery is rear-biased for daily driving.
As we have previously covered, Audi will finally bring its active-matrix LED headlights to the US with the Q9’s arrival in the last quarter of the year. The advanced headlights can selectively dim portions of their beam to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers or subjecting the Q9 driver to undue glare while projecting driving aids like lane markers onto the road ahead. The Q9 (and the Q7) also get new turn signals that project indicators onto the roadway to make them more visible for other road users like cyclists and pedestrians.
In May, we looked at the Q9 interior. At the time, you had to imagine the olive-colored interior I waxed lyrical about; Audi only shared images of the carbon-accented SQ9 for that embargo. But in the images here, you can see a warmer option than the SQ9’s First Order-inspired color palette, which uses open-grain wood instead of carbon. There’s a massive panoramic roof with electrochromic dimming, and the interior can be configured as a six-seater with two captains’ chairs in the middle row or a three-seat bench. Cargo room is 19.3 cubic feet (547 L) with the third row in use, up to 50 cubic feet (1,416 L) with the third row flat, or 87.7 cubic feet (2,483 L) with all the seats flat. Towing capacity is 7,700 lbs (3,492 lbs) for both Q9 and SQ9.
The Q9 will start at $87,700, with the SQ9 starting at $118,000.
