The Germans decided Q7 wasn’t enough anymore. Audi has rolled out the Q9 — and on price, its new flagship lines up almost exactly against the diesel BMW X7 xDrive40d: €108,400 versus €108,500. That’s a difference of a hundred euros, yet the Audi’s body is considerably bigger.
Audi calls the Q9 its first full-size SUV — and that’s not just marketing talk. Length hits 5,310 mm, width is 2,210 mm including mirrors, height is 1,810 mm, and the wheelbase runs 3,140 mm. The new flagship isn’t just longer than the BMW X7 — it’s longer by a full 129 mm, and it beats the Mercedes-Benz GLS by 93 mm.
Seven seats come standard, no extra cost, SPEEDME reports. All three second-row seats get Isofix mounts, and the outer one slides and tilts electrically — so there’s no need to remove an installed child seat to reach the third row. Pay extra and the bench is swapped for two individual seats, turning the Q9 into a six-seater.
Under the hood at launch, it’s diesel only: a three-litre V6 producing 299 hp and 630 Nm of torque. It’s backed by a 48-volt MHEV plus system, an electric compressor, an eight-speed automatic and standard quattro all-wheel drive. Claimed fuel consumption sits at 7.4–8.0 l/100 km. Select European markets will also get a detuned version with 245 hp and 500 Nm.
Air suspension is standard — and it’s no gimmick: ride height adjusts across a 90 mm range. The rear wheels turn up to five degrees: at parking speeds, in the opposite direction to shrink the turning circle, and at higher speeds, in the same direction for stability. Towing up to 3.5 tonnes is no problem either.
From there, the equipment list turns into a genuine indulgence: automatic doors with obstacle sensors, a panoramic roof over 1.5 square metres, five-zone climate control, three front displays. The Bang & Olufsen sound system brings 22 speakers at 1,360 watts and vibration actuators built into the seats — the bass here isn’t just heard, it’s felt through your whole body.
The driving assistant can steer, accelerate, brake and change lanes on its own — without the driver constantly holding the wheel — on approved roads, up to 130 km/h. Don’t get too comfortable, though: this is a Level 2 system, and the driver must keep watching the road and stay ready to take back control at any moment. For now, the feature will only work in Germany, the US and Canada.
The Q9 is built in Bratislava. Orders opened in Germany at the end of July, with first customer deliveries set for November 2026. The SQ9, unveiled alongside it, is currently listed as a US exclusive — whether a performance version reaches other markets is something Audi isn’t saying yet.
The bottom line is simple: for roughly the same money as a BMW X7, buyers get a longer body, a genuine third row for adults, and a generous standard equipment list. The Mercedes-Benz GLS undercuts it on price — but with this much kit on board, the starting-price gap is clearly not the argument that matters most.
