Audi just built its biggest SUV ever — and it's not playing it safe. Unveiled July 29, 2026 in Ingolstadt, the Audi Q9 is the brand's first true full-size, three-row flagship, and the Audi SQ9 brings 591 horsepower to prove size doesn't mean slow. This isn't a stretched Q7 with a new badge — it's an all-new model built to go head-to-head with the BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS, Range Rover, and Cadillac Escalade.

Why Audi Needed This

The Q7 was never quite big enough to compete at the top of the segment — especially in the US, the world's second-largest auto market, where full-size luxury SUVs sell in huge numbers. The Q9 closes that gap: at 5.31m long, 2.21m wide, and riding a 3.14m wheelbase, it's the largest Audi ever built, slotting above both the Q7 and Q8.

Design: Big, But Not Loud

The Q9 pairs an upright Singleframe grille with clean, broad-shouldered surfacing — confident rather than aggressive. Buyers can spec up to 22-inch wheels and standout colors like Midnight green and Waitomo blue metallic.

A Genuinely Next-Level Interior

Audi calls the cabin a "business-class" experience, and the details support it:

1. Electric doors — a first for Audi — open and close via key, app, brake pedal, or seatbelt buckle, with sensors that stop for obstacles or cyclists.
2. Largest panoramic sunroof Audi has built — over 1.5m² of glass, nine segments that switch to opaque individually, and 84 LEDs cycling through 30 ambient colors.
3. Premium materials: alpaca wool blends, Dinamica microfiber, Nappa leather, ash or lime wood trim.
4. Two Qi2.2 wireless charging pads and USB-C ports up to 100 watts.

Seating That Adapts to You

Standard configuration is seven seats, with all three second-row spots able to hold a child seat. Prefer comfort over headcount? An optional six-seat layout swaps the bench for ventilated, electrically adjustable captain's chairs. The third row folds flat at the push of a button.

Tech: The "Digital Stage"

Audi's dashboard is dominated by a single curved OLED surface combining an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit and a 14.5-inch touchscreen, plus a 12.3-inch front-passenger display with a privacy mode. It runs Android Automotive OS with ChatGPT integration for general questions, backed by Bang & Olufsen 3D sound as standard.

The real showstopper: curved OLED taillights — a world first — plus Digital Matrix LED headlights that project a turn-signal warning onto the road for nearby cyclists and pedestrians at night. Hands-free driving is available up to 130 km/h in Germany (85 mph in the US) on approved highways.

Engines and Performance

1. Germany: 3.0L V6 TDI diesel — 220 kW (299 PS) or 180 kW (245 PS), mild-hybrid assisted.
2. US: 3.0L turbocharged V6 gasoline.
3. Both pair with an 8-speed automatic and standard quattro all-wheel drive.

The SQ9 steps things up with a 4.0L twin-turbo V8: 591 hp, 590 lb-ft, 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds — best-in-class for a three-row SUV. It gets its own rear-biased quattro system with a locking rear differential and mixed 285mm/315mm tires front-to-rear for sharper handling.

Both Q9 and SQ9 come standard with adaptive air suspension, rear-axle steering, and a 3,500 kg (7,700 lb) tow rating.

The Competition

Audi is aiming directly at the BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS, Range Rover, and Cadillac Escalade — and its trump card is a fresher interior and newer tech than most of those rivals, which haven't been fully redesigned in years. Whether that's enough will come down to real-world reviews.

Price and Availability

1. Launches first in Germany and the US; SQ9 also confirmed for Canada.
2. Orders open end of July 2026; deliveries start November 2026.
3. German pricing starts at €108,400 (Q9 TDI, 220 kW).
4. US pricing: unconfirmed, but industry estimates suggest roughly $87,700–$118,000 depending on trim.

Should You Buy One?

The Q9 is the obvious move for Audi loyalists who've outgrown the Q7, especially families who want real third-row space or the six-seat captain's-chair layout. The SQ9 is for buyers who want flagship performance without giving up practicality — though if proven reliability matters more than being first, the X7 or GLS are still worth cross-shopping in the meantime.

Bottom Line

Between the biggest sunroof Audi has ever built, a world-first OLED taillight, and a 591-hp flagship variant, the Q9 and SQ9 aren't a quiet addition to the lineup — they're Audi's statement SUV. The real test starts once deliveries hit driveways in November.