Audi Retires the Q7's Flagship Crown for a Bigger, Tech-Laden Q9

Since 2005, the Q7 has carried the torch as Audi's largest and most prestigious SUV, aimed squarely at American buyers who wanted size, comfort, and three rows of seating. But the segment has moved on. Rivals grew bigger, cabins got more lavish, and US customer expectations climbed steadily higher. Rather than stretch the Q7 further, Audi decided the moment called for an entirely new flagship, and that's exactly what the Q9 is meant to be.

Size alone sets the tone: at 5,310 mm long, 2,210 mm wide, and 1,810 mm tall on a 3,140 mm wheelbase, the Q9 dwarfs its predecessor. The bodywork blends smooth surfacing with muscular fender flares and sculpted side creases, while the signature Singleframe grille grows to almost comical proportions up front, now lit with vertical illuminated slats. Split lighting units front and rear - square headlight clusters with slim LED daytime running lights, plus a glowing rear light bar built from 512 curved OLED segments - allow the car to project turn signals onto the road and flag black ice or lane departures to the driver. Buyers choose between Advanced and sportier S line trims, with wheels ranging from 20 to 23 inches.

Alongside the standard Q9, Audi simultaneously launched the high-performance SQ9, distinguished by a lowered ride height, sharper bumpers with aluminum trim accents, a quad-tip exhaust, and a distinctive mesh pattern across the grille and air intakes.

One of the Q9's standout party tricks is its powered, sensor-equipped doors, which can swing open automatically up to 90 degrees or be triggered remotely from a smartphone app - and they'll stop themselves the moment an obstacle is detected. Inside, three full rows of seating await, with the option to swap the second-row bench for individual captain's chairs to create a six-seat layout. Every seat gets power adjustment as standard, while the front two rows can be optioned with heating, ventilation, massage functions, and perforated leather. Cargo space runs from 547 liters with all rows up to 1,416 liters with the third row folded, topping out at 2,483 liters when both rear rows are stowed.

The cabin is dominated by Audi's now-familiar triple-screen layout, complete with a squared-off steering wheel and a transmission selector mounted on the column. The driver's display measures 11.9 inches, the front passenger gets a 12.3-inch screen, and the centerpiece is a 14.5-inch, driver-angled MMI touchscreen running Android, complete with an app store, voice control, and ChatGPT integration. Ambient lighting, an optional 22-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system with 4D audio, and a panoramic glass roof spanning roughly 1.5 square meters - itself illuminated and capable of adjusting its transparency section by section - round out the luxury package.

Underneath, the Q9 rides on a stretched PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) architecture with a longitudinal engine layout and independent multi-link suspension front and rear. Adaptive air suspension with up to 90 mm of ride-height adjustment comes standard, with a sportier tune available as an option, while rear-axle steering (up to five degrees) sharpens low-speed maneuvering. Six-piston brakes clamp 400 mm front and 350 mm rear discs. Powertrains vary by market: American buyers get a 2.9-liter turbo V6 with 435 hp and 600 Nm, paired to an eight-speed Tiptronic and quattro all-wheel drive for a 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds, plus a range-topping SQ9 packing a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 good for 599 hp, 800 Nm, and a 3.8-second sprint. Europe instead leans on electrification, with a mild-hybrid 3.0-liter diesel V6 producing 299 hp and 630 Nm as the mainstream choice, backed by a lower-output 245 hp, 500 Nm diesel variant arriving later for select markets.

Production has already begun at Volkswagen Group's Bratislava plant, the same facility building the Q7, Q8, and Porsche Cayenne. German pricing starts at 108,400 euros, with US figures still to be confirmed as the Q9 prepares to take over as Audi's true flagship.