Experienced by Kimatni D. Rawlins

Audi is known for visually astonishing, tech-focused, and thrilling machines, whether it’s the coupe-like silhouette of the Q8 SUV or the menacing demeanor of the RS6 Avant performance wagon. But what the German automaker hasn’t had is a true flagship.

Enter the Q9 and SQ9, the largest and most pervasive SUVs Audi has ever built, and the first to wear the number 9 badge. Consider it Ingolstadt’s opening statement in the full-size luxury SUV wars, and a direct shot at the Range Rover, the GLS, and the X7. SUVs account for 80% of Audi’s business, with 65% of that in the U.S. market. Actually, I’m surprised it took this long for the 2027 Q9 and SQ9 pair to enter the set. They are perfect for either daily family life or wonderful weekend escapes.

Numbers That Matter

Strip away the ambient lighting and the massage seats, and the Q9 still has to move, and move with finesse and capability. Under the hood sits a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 producing 429 horsepower and 442 lb.-ft. of torque, paired exclusively to an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission and standard quattro AWD. The result is a 0-60 mph sprint of 4.9 seconds, a genuinely quick number for a vehicle built to haul seven adults and their luggage, and one Audi claims bests the class rivals it’s aiming at.

Ride comfort comes courtesy of standard Adaptive Air Suspension, capable of a 3.5-inch swing between its lowest and highest settings. At the same time, top-trim Prestige models add rear-wheel steering that tightens the turning circle at parking-lot speeds and steadies the chassis at highway pace. Braking duties fall to 15.7-inch front and 13.8-inch rear discs.

SQ9 Confidence

If the Q9 is the flagship, then the SQ9 is royalty with more jewels to show off. Audi’s first-ever performance variant swaps the twin-turbo V6 for a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 591 horsepower and 590 lb.-ft. of torque. of torque, good for a 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds, quickest in its three-row class, and a full second ahead of its own sibling. Power routes through a rear-biased version of quattro, complete with an electronically controlled rear differential lock and a staggered tire setup (either 22s or 23s) that puts torque down with authority. Standard rear-wheel steering sharpens turns at both parking-lot and highway speeds while a sport-tuned Adaptive Air Suspension does the rest.

Visually, the SQ9 is more boisterous due to quad exhaust outlets, a more aggressive rear spoiler, hexagonal grille accents finished in aluminum optic trim, as opposed to the lit vertical slots of the Q9, and flared fenders housing wider rubber. Inside, sport seats, carbon-fiber trim, and S badging set it apart from the standard Q9’s more sedate ambiance. It’s the full-size SUV that provides both space and potency, and lands at a starting price of $118,000. The question is: are you willing to pay a $30,300 premium over the Q9 for more attitude?

Space, Conceived as a Luxury

At 209 inches nose to tail and riding on a wheelbase that stretches past 123 inches, the Q9 is the largest Audi ever to leave a factory floor, in this case, Bratislava, Slovakia. That size translates directly into cabin real estate. Seven seats come standard, though the smart money is on the optional six-seat layout, where the rear seats are as plush and just as comfortable as the front seats. The middle bench is swapped out for a pair of power-adjustable captain’s chairs. Add heating and ventilation, and in the front row actual massage functions, and the Q9 starts to feel like a well-appointed Pendry suite that happens to have quattro AWD.

“The Audi Q9 is the new flagship of the Audi portfolio,” says CEO Gernot Döllner. “With our first full-size SUV, we are elevating our brand’s premium positioning”

The doors themselves close the deal: the Q9 introduces automatic power doors to the Audi lineup, complete with sensors clever enough to stop a door before it meets an oncoming cyclist. You can open one door at a time by quickly pulling back its handle, or an owner can expose all four simultaneously using the key fob. Overhead, Audi has fitted its largest panoramic sunroof yet, over 16 square feet of glass that can tint itself opaque at the push of a button. Materials-wise, Audi leaned toward the essentials: Fine Nappa leather, real wood inlays, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel as standard. And I can’t forget about the illuminated seatbelts!

Lights, Camera, Headlights

The Q9’s most theatrical trick can be found in the rear. Its optional taillights use curved OLED panels, bent in three dimensions using glass that is thinner than a strand of human hair. The effect is taillights that appear to wrap around the body rather than sit flush against it, visible from angles no conventional lamp could manage. Up front, Audi is finally bringing its Digital Matrix LED headlights to America after a decade on European roads. The technology reads oncoming traffic and carves precise shadows around other cars, so the Q9 can run its high beams without blinding the vehicle passing by from the opposite direction. It’s a small piece of automotive thoughtfulness executed in light. However, I can only imagine the repair costs of this technology after an accident.

Digital Displays for Days

An aluminum rail system lines the trunk for storing odd-shaped cargo, and the center console offers dual wireless phone chargers, plus optional USB-C ports powerful enough to juice a laptop in every row. Even the cupholders got the memo, sized generously enough for the oversized mugs that have become a national obsession in America.

Three digital screens, an 11.9-inch gauge cluster, a 14.5-inch central touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch passenger display fill out the dash. Doubling as a concert hall, an optional Bang & Olufsen 4D sound system with 22 speakers and seat-mounted actuators will have you rocking out during every commute.

Smarter, Not Just Larger

The Q9 arrives with Level 2+ hands-free highway driving, a first for Audi in the U.S., letting drivers release the wheel on approved stretches of road while the car manages steering, throttle, and braking up to 85 mph. It’s paired with the full suite of modern safety hardware such as Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind-Spot Monitoring, a 360-Degree Camera System, and an Exit-Warning feature that can hold a door shut if a cyclist is approaching at an inconvenient moment. However, I prefer to control the vehicle myself rather than let go of the wheel or pedals.

A curved OLED display architecture runs the show, and Audi’s voice assistant now leans on ChatGPT to answer whatever question the built-in system cannot. Additionally, six Audi Drive Select modes are available, including an Off-Road mode.

Pricing and Availability

The 2027 Audi Q9 and SQ9 will arrive at dealers in the 4th quarter of 2026, priced from $87,700 and $118,000, respectively, with three years of complimentary scheduled maintenance. It’s Audi’s most ambitious vehicle launch in years, and the clearest signal that the brand intends to compete for the same customers who’ve long defaulted to Range Rover, Cadillac, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. Whether the Q9 family earns a spot in that conversation will come down to time behind the wheel and design appeal.