The 2027 Q9 Is Audi’s Tech-Filled 3-Row Flagship
What Car Shoppers Need to Know
- Audi’s new flagship is now a three-row luxury SUV called the Q9.
- Available with a twin-turbo V-6 or a twin-turbo V-8 in the SQ9, it’s set to go up against other three-row luxury SUVs like the BMW X7, Land Rover Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
- Both the Q9 and SQ9 are set to go on sale by the end of 2026.
Goodbye A8, hello Q9. Audi is no longer placing its flagship bets on full-size luxury sedans; instead, the company is going the three-row SUV route for its new flagship. With two powerful engines, room for up to seven and tons of tech, Audi has its sights on other three-row luxury SUVs like the BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS and the long-wheelbase version of the Range Rover.
Related: 2027 Audi Q9 Teased: The Biggest Audi Ever Is on the Way
Q9 Specs and Features
The new flagship lineup starts with the Q9. At 209 inches long, the Q9 is 9.9 inches longer than Audi’s other three-row SUV, the recently updated Q7. Strangely, despite being longer, the Q9 is exactly the same width as the Q7 (86.8 inches) and nearly the same height (the Q9 is 0.2 inch taller than the Q7’s 71.2-inch height). Upfront, Audi’s recent design theme seen on the updated Q3 and Q7 is almost exaggerated on the Q9: There’s a massive waterfall grille flanked by slim LED running lights and the main headlights beneath them. Audi says these new headlights shape and adapt the lighting in real time by using sensors and cameras. Around back, a width-spanning light bar and illuminated Audi ring badge get flanked by curved digital organic light-emitting diode taillights. The Q9’s large size is further accented by a range of massive wheel sizes: Base models get 21-inch wheels, while sizes up to 23 inches are available.
Power for the Q9 will come from a single engine option, though Audi’s language makes it seem as if another engine choice aside from the SQ9 will be offered. The Q9 gets powered by a 429-horsepower, twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6. Audi says this is enough power to scoot the SUV to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. That engine gets paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard Quattro all-wheel drive.
The interior of the Q9 is where the flagship vibes really shine through. Screens are the name of the game in vehicle interior design now, and there’s over 3 feet of screens in the Q9: an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit display for the driver, a 14.5-inch center infotainment display and a 12.3-inch passenger display. All displays are curved and feature OLED technology. To keep from distracting the driver, Audi says the passenger display has a privacy mode that keeps the driver from seeing it and displays a background image when not in use or if the system doesn’t detect a front passenger. These screens also mean the interior of the Q9 has a lack of physical controls, meaning most functions are done through the screens.
In the second row, standard Q9s come with a second-row bench seat for three passengers; captain’s chairs with sport seats are an option. Audi describes the captain’s chairs configuration as a “business class atmosphere” thanks to features like heated and cooled seats and armrests (on both the doors and the chairs themselves), as well as ambient interior lighting on everything from the headliner to door trim. There’s also a standard 22-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system with head-restraint-mounted speakers. A centerpiece of the interior and helping to deliver on that business-class atmosphere is the massive panoramic roof; with 16 square feet of glass, Audi says it’s the largest panoramic roof ever fitted into one of its models. The roof can also be opened or tilted, but Audi didn’t specify whether that meant the entire roof or just the front panel. The roof can also be optioned with ambient interior lighting, roof illumination or switchable transparency control.
When it’s not being a luxury cruiser, the Q9 will be able to handle people and cargo-carrying duties. According to Audi, its wheelbase gives it up to 87.7 cubic feet of cargo space with both rows folded; that drops to 50 cubic feet with the second row folded and 19.3 cubic feet behind the third row. A suite of driver safety aids comes standard on the Q9, as well, including safe exit warning assist, adaptive cruise control with Level 2 hands-free driving, partially automated hands-free highway driving and emergency assist features.
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SQ9 Specs and Features
For those that want three-row people hauling capability and performance, there’s the SQ9. While the other luxury amenities and tech are the same as the standard Q9, the SQ9 gets performance and handling upgrades. A twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 resides under the hood that puts out 591 hp, enough to get the SQ9 to 60 mph in an Audi-claimed 3.8 seconds. That engine is paired with the same eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro AWD system as the Q9, but the SQ9 gets a rear-wheel bias for the system. With an electronically controlled rear axle lock, Audi says the system can send nearly all of the engine’s available torque to the rear wheels for performance driving. Handling ability of the SQ9 is further enhanced by a staggered wheel setup — 10-inch-wide 22-inch wheels in the front and 11.5-inch-wide 23-inch wheels at the rear — adaptive dampers, and rear-wheel steering. In terms of styling, the SQ9 differs from the Q9 with a hexagonal pattern front grille, quad exhaust outlets at the rear, carbon-fiber interior trim, red ambient lighting and accents, and exclusive interior colors.
Pricing and Availability
Audi says that both the Q9 and SQ9 are available to order now, and deliveries will start in Q4. Pricing for the Q9 will start at $87,700 and $118,000 for the SQ9 (both prices exclude destination charges).
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