Audi Q9 takes aim at luxury SUV rivals with automatic doors and two V6 diesels

## The Q9 is the largest Audi ever built

According to Audi’s official launch material, the Q9 is 5,310 mm long, 2,210 mm wide and 1,810 mm tall. Its wheelbase measures 3,140 mm, while wheel sizes extend to 23 inches. Audi calls it the largest car in the company’s history and positions it above the Q7 and Q8.

The BMW X7 is 5,181 mm long and has a 3,105 mm wheelbase. The Q9 is therefore 129 mm longer, with an additional 35 mm between the axles. Audi emphasises the extended rear overhang, large rear doors and upright roofline, claiming enough space in the third row for adults.

The Q9 is not intended to be merely a taller Q8. Audi developed it around the expectations of the full-size luxury-SUV market, particularly those of North American customers, where the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS compete with even larger domestic models. The Q9 will also be sold in Europe, although its dimensions and CO₂ emissions will inevitably restrict its audience.

## Seven seats are standard

The Q9 comes with three rows and seven seats as standard. All three seats in the second row have Isofix child-seat mounting points. For access to the third row, an outer second-row seat moves forwards electrically and tilts without requiring a fitted child seat to be removed. The third-row backrests can be folded individually using electric controls in the luggage compartment.

An optional six-seat layout replaces the second-row bench with two individually electrically adjustable seats. All six seats are at least partially power-adjustable, with heating available as an option. Depending on specification, Audi also offers ventilation and massage functions for the front seats, together with electrically heated armrests. The company has yet to publish the European model’s luggage-capacity figures.

Aluminium rails integrated into the sides of the luggage compartment use movable hooks and adjustable anchor points to secure cargo. When the third row is in use, the load cover can be stored beneath the floor. That does not compensate for the missing capacity figures, but it shows that Audi intends the Q9 to function as a genuinely usable seven-seater rather than merely a large luxury object.

## The automatic doors check their surroundings before opening

The Q9 is the first Audi with electrically powered doors. Occupants can open and close them from several control points inside the vehicle or remotely through the myAudi app. An electric soft-close mechanism pulls each door gently into its latch.

Obstacle detection stops a door if a person or object is in its path. Radar sensors in the rear bumper monitor approaching vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. If the system identifies a collision risk, it can prevent a door from opening or stop one that is already moving.

Automatic doors are not new to the luxury-car market, but Audi links the convenience feature directly to safety. As a late entrant to the full-size class, the Q9 needs to offer something an X7 or GLS customer will notice before even sitting down.

## Curved OLED rear lights use 512 segments

The Q9’s digital OLED rear lights comprise six panels with a total of 512 individually controllable segments. A glass substrate just 0.1 mm thick allows the outer panels to curve three-dimensionally with the shape of the body. Audi describes this as the first production-car application of curved digital OLED panels.

The rear lights do more than display welcome animations. They can show a warning triangle to alert following traffic to an accident or breakdown ahead. The exit-warning function uses a dedicated light signature to warn approaching cyclists and drivers that a door is about to open.

When combined with the Digital Matrix LED headlights, the digital OLED rear lights also enable the indicators to project a stylised turn signal onto the road at night. The headlights can display lane-change and ice warnings, provide lane-orientation guidance and highlight pedestrians detected near the road. Availability depends on the selected lighting and assistance equipment.

## The panoramic roof can turn opaque in nine sections

The standard panoramic sunroof covers more than 1.5 m² and can be opened or tilted. Optional laminated safety glass with switchable transparency is divided into nine independently controlled sections. When the vehicle is parked, the roof automatically turns opaque; when the car is restarted, it restores the most recently selected setting.

On the highest trim level, 84 LEDs illuminate the roof in a choice of 30 colours. The illuminated panoramic roof with switchable transparency will not, however, be available at the start of presales.

The dashboard houses a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, a 14.5-inch central touchscreen and a standard 12.3-inch front-passenger display. Android Automotive OS allows apps to run without a connected phone. The Audi assistant forwards general questions to ChatGPT only when the car’s own system cannot provide an answer.

## Europe gets two V6 diesel outputs

In Germany, the Q9 will initially be offered with a 3.0-litre V6 TDI producing 220 kW and 630 Nm. Selected European markets will also receive a 180 kW version with 500 Nm. Both use an eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission and permanent quattro all-wheel drive with a centre differential.

The powertrain generator in the MHEV plus mild-hybrid system can add up to 18 kW when pulling away or overtaking. The system also includes a belt alternator starter and a lithium-iron-phosphate battery.

The V6 diesel is assisted by an electrically powered compressor rated at 7.5 kW peak output and 3.5 kW continuous output. Audi says it can build absolute boost pressure of up to 3.6 bar in 1.2 seconds, improving the engine’s response at low revs.

The 220 kW Q9 has a WLTP fuel-consumption figure of 7.4–8.0 l/100 km and CO₂ emissions of 194–209 g/km. Audi has yet to publish European acceleration, top-speed or kerb-weight figures.

## Air suspension is standard and the rear wheels steer by up to five degrees

The Q9 comes as standard with adaptive air suspension, offering a total ride-height adjustment range of 90 mm. In its comfort exit setting, the body drops 62 mm below balanced mode. The all-wheel-steering system turns the rear wheels by up to five degrees, reducing the turning circle at low speeds and improving stability at higher speeds.

The Q9 uses 400 mm front and 350 mm rear brake discs, with six-piston fixed callipers at the front. Published North American specifications give both the Q9 and SQ9 a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 lb, equivalent to approximately 3,500 kg.

Adaptive driving assistant plus permits hands-off driving on approved motorway and Autobahn sections. The maximum is 130 km/h in Germany and 85 mph in the US and Canada. The system controls steering, acceleration and braking, but remains an SAE Level 2 driver-assistance function. The driver stays responsible, while a camera continuously monitors eye position and head movement.

## German prices start at €108,400

Audi will build the Q9 family in Bratislava, where it also produces the Q7 and Q8. German order books open at the end of July 2026, with the first deliveries scheduled for November. The Q9 TDI 220 kW starts at €108,400.

The Q9 does not attempt to beat the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS with an electric powertrain or sports-car acceleration. Audi’s answer is a large body, the long-distance range of a diesel engine, a seven-seat cabin and luxury equipment stretching from automatic doors to curved OLED lighting.

The Q9 will inevitably remain a niche model in Europe. In North America, however, it could become the vehicle Audi has needed for years: an SUV that no longer has to apologise for its dimensions alongside the BMW X7 or Mercedes-Benz GLS.