New Flagship: Full-Size Audi Q9 Crossover Fully Revealed

Production of the German marque's new model has been set up at the plant in Bratislava (Slovakia). Sales on the model's primary market, the USA, will begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, with prices already announced.

After a series of spy shots and teasers, the German marque has finally fully revealed its new flagship SUV, the Audi Q9, as well as its 'performance' version, which has been given the SQ9 designation. The primary market for these new models is the United States, where it is expected that Audi's flagship will compete for customers with the large BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS SUVs.

The overall length of the Audi Q9 in European specification is 5,309 mm (253 mm longer than the current Q7), the width is 2,205 mm (the same), the height is 1,794 mm (14 mm lower), and the wheelbase measures 3,138 mm (144 mm longer). The boot capacity of the seven-seat new flagship SUV is 547 litres, expanding to 1,416 litres with the third row folded, and 2,483 litres with both rear rows of seats folded down.

The Audi Q9 features a traditional five-door body with full roof rails, conventional exterior mirrors and standard door handles. The model is also equipped with semi-circular wheel arch trims painted in the body colour, as well as two-tier headlights, with slim matrix daytime running lights positioned at the top and the main headlight units below. Between them sits a large radiator grille with illuminated vertical slats. The rear is adorned with two-tier tail lights connected by a thin illuminated strip, along with slim horizontal reflector strips in the lower section of the rear bumper.

For the 'performance' Audi SQ9 variant, the radiator grille features a pattern of large cells with metallic inserts, a large air intake with a honeycomb pattern is integrated into the lower part of the front bumper, and at the rear there is a silver insert in the lower section along with four oval exhaust tailpipes (two on each side). The wheel size on the flagship ranges from 21 to 23 inches.

As Kolesa.ru previously reported, the Audi Q9's doors are equipped with electric drive, and the roof incorporates a panoramic sunroof with an area of approximately 1.5 square metres, featuring adjustable transparency and ambient lighting (84 LEDs, 30 colours). Contour lighting for the dashboard and doors is also provided, and the illuminated elements can synchronise with the rhythm of the music playing in the cabin. The SUV features an upgraded Bang & Olufsen sound system with 4D audio.

Three displays are mounted on the dashboard: a virtual instrument cluster with an 11.9-inch diagonal, a central multimedia touchscreen measuring 14.5 inches, and a touchscreen for the front passenger measuring 12.3 inches. The Audi Q9 can be configured with seven seats or six seats; in the latter case, the middle row consists of two captain's chairs with electric adjustment and a ventilation function. A massage function is also available for the driver's and front passenger's seats.

At the launch of sales in Germany, the new model will be offered with a MHEV powertrain based on a 3.0-litre V6 diesel producing 299 hp, with a maximum torque of 630 Nm. On some markets, a version with an output of 245 hp and 500 Nm will be offered as the entry-level engine.

In the USA, the Audi Q9 will be offered at launch with a 2.9-litre petrol turbocharged six-cylinder engine, producing a maximum power of 435 hp and torque of 600 Nm. The models come with an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox and the quattro all-wheel-drive system. The new model accelerates from standstill to almost 60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 4.9 seconds.

Under the bonnet of the 'performance' flagship SUV, the Audi Q9, sits an updated 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 engine, producing 599 hp and a maximum torque of 800 Nm. Such an SUV accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds (0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds). Adaptive air suspension is included as standard equipment on the Q9 and SQ9, and both full-size SUVs can tow a trailer weighing up to 3,500 kg.

Production of the Audi Q9 and SQ9 has been set up at the plant in Bratislava (Slovakia). Pre-orders will begin in July, while live sales on the model's primary market, the USA, will start in November 2026. The Audi Q9 starts at $87,700 there (equivalent to approximately 6.97 million roubles at the current exchange rate), while the SQ9 starts at $118,000 (approximately 9.38 million roubles).