Audi Q9: Audi’s First Full-Size Three-Row SUV Is Here

Audi Q9

Audi has moved into true full-size SUV territory. The new Audi Q9 is the brand’s first full-size SUV with three rows of seats and its biggest production car ever. It sits above the Q7 and Q8 as Audi’s new flagship and takes on the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS.

From camouflaged prototype to showroom

For months the Q9 was only seen in camouflage, including test laps of the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Audi first showed a prototype and the interior on 12 May 2026, and the full reveal followed on 29 July 2026. Orders opened at the end of July, with the market launch in Germany planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.

Size and space

The Q9 is 5.31 metres long, 1.81 metres high and 2.21 metres wide including mirrors. Seven seats are standard. Top versions can be ordered as a six-seater with two individual chairs in the second row. With the third row folded, the boot holds up to 850 litres, around 100 litres more than the BMW X7.

Platform and engines

The Q9 rides on Audi’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), the same architecture designed for combustion engines with electrified support. It is built in Bratislava, Slovakia.

  • Europe at launch: a 3.0-litre V6 TDI mild hybrid with 299 PS (220 kW) and 630 Nm, an eight-speed automatic gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive. The mild-hybrid system smooths out the drive and allows short stretches on electric power.
  • Later: Audi has announced further mild-hybrid petrol and diesel engines and a plug-in hybrid.
  • North America: the Q9 is sold there with a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.
  • SQ9: a performance version with a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 exists, but it is not offered in every market.

Chassis and technology

  • Adaptive air suspension that can lower the car for easier access, plus all-wheel steering.
  • Three screens: a digital instrument display, a 14.5-inch central touchscreen and a 12.3-inch passenger display with a privacy mode.
  • Android-based infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a voice assistant that uses ChatGPT.
  • Matrix LED headlights, with digital matrix LED and curved digital OLED tail lights on top versions.
  • Bang & Olufsen sound systems, power-closing doors and an emergency assistant that can steer the car to the hard shoulder and stop it.

Prices

In the UK, the Q9 starts at £103,900 for the Edition 1 and £113,250 for the Vorsprung. The six-seat Lounge package adds £5,000. That puts it well above the Q7, which starts at just over £82,000. First UK deliveries are expected at the end of 2026. Prices in other European markets vary; check your local Audi dealer.

Bottom line

The Q9 is no longer a rumour: Audi now has a real full-size, three-row flagship. In Europe it starts with a single, efficient V6 diesel mild hybrid, with more engines including a plug-in hybrid to follow. If you need seven proper seats, a big boot and the latest Audi tech, the Q9 is now a serious alternative to the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS.

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