After years of rumours, spy photographs and speculation, the new Audi Q9 is finally official.

It is the first Audi production car to wear the number nine and becomes the brand’s new flagship SUV, sitting above both the Q7 and Q8. More significantly, at 5.31 metres long, it is the largest Audi road car ever made.

The result is a vast seven-seat luxury SUV created to challenge the BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS and Range Rover. It combines a 299PS V6 diesel engine with quattro all-wheel drive, adaptive air suspension, all-wheel steering and what Audi describes as its finest interior to date.

I have not seen the Q9 in the metal or driven it yet, so this is not a review. However, Audi has now released enough UK information to give us a proper understanding of what its biggest SUV will offer.

What is the new Audi Q9?

The Audi Q9 is a full-size luxury SUV positioned at the very top of Audi’s model range.

While the Q7 remains Audi’s more conventional seven-seat SUV and the Q8 provides a sportier five-seat alternative, the Q9 is noticeably bigger than both. It has been developed to offer genuine space across three rows rather than treating the rearmost seats as an occasional extra.

The new model measures:

  • Length: 5,310mm
  • Width: 2,210mm including mirrors
  • Height: 1,810mm
  • Wheelbase: 3,140mm
  • Maximum boot capacity: 2,308 litres
  • Seats: Six or seven

That makes it almost half a metre longer than many family SUVs and gives it a footprint comparable with the largest luxury models sold in Europe.

What does the Audi Q9 look like?

There is something very American about the Q9’s proportions, which is no coincidence. Audi says the car was developed with the needs of customers in the United States firmly in mind.

The front is tall and almost completely upright, with a substantial new interpretation of the Audi Singleframe grille. The Advanced version uses vertical grille bars, while S line models adopt a more open and sporting treatment.

It does not try to disguise its size with a sloping coupé roofline. Instead, the roof remains relatively straight and the back of the car is deliberately upright to maximise passenger and luggage space.

Wheels range from 20 to 23 inches globally, although Audi UK says British cars will receive 22-inch wheels as standard and 23-inch wheels on Vorsprung models.

At the rear, the Q9 introduces curved digital OLED lighting panels. Audi says this is the first time curved digital OLED rear lights have been fitted to a production vehicle.

The complete system contains 512 individually controlled lighting segments and can display different signatures and safety warnings. The rear lights can, for example, warn following traffic about an incident ahead or alert an approaching cyclist when somebody is about to open a door.

Is the Audi Q9 electric?

No. Despite arriving at a time when Audi is rapidly expanding its e-tron range, the UK Q9 will initially be powered by a diesel engine.

The launch model uses a 3.0-litre V6 TDI producing 299PS and 630Nm of torque. It comes with an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox and permanent quattro all-wheel drive.

It is supported by Audi’s MHEV Plus mild-hybrid system, which uses a small battery and powertrain generator to provide up to 24PS of additional assistance.

This does not make the Q9 a plug-in hybrid and it will not provide a meaningful electric-only driving range. Instead, the electrical system assists the diesel engine during acceleration and allows the car to recover energy when slowing down.

For a vehicle of this size, diesel arguably still makes sense. The Q9 is likely to appeal to people covering long motorway journeys, towing or travelling with several passengers and a full load of luggage.

Audi has not yet confirmed whether petrol, plug-in hybrid or fully electric Q9 versions will be offered in the UK later. Any additional powertrains remain unconfirmed.

How fast is the new Audi Q9?

Audi UK lists the Q9’s maximum power output as 299PS and its 0-62mph acceleration time as 6.5 seconds.

That might not sound remarkable alongside modern electric SUVs, but it is still rapid for something measuring more than 5.3 metres long and containing three rows of seats.

An SQ9 has also been revealed for selected international markets, but Audi has not confirmed that the performance version will be sold in Britain.

Will the Audi Q9 be difficult to drive in the UK?

Its size could prove challenging on narrow British roads, but Audi has fitted technology designed to make the Q9 feel less intimidating.

Adaptive air suspension is standard and continually alters the damping and ride height. The suspension has a total adjustment range of 90mm, allowing the car to lower itself for easier access or raise itself when additional ground clearance is required.

Audi UK has also confirmed standard all-wheel steering. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the fronts, helping reduce the turning circle. At higher speeds, they turn in the same direction to improve stability.

The rear wheels can turn by as much as five degrees, which should make a meaningful difference when parking something this long.

A surround-view camera and automated parking assistance are also available.

What is the new Audi Q9 interior like?

Audi appears to have placed even more emphasis on the cabin than it has on outright performance.

Seven seats are standard in the UK, with heating available across all three rows. The second-row seats move electrically and the two third-row backrests can be lowered independently using powered controls.

All three seats in the middle row have Isofix-compatible mounting points. Audi has also designed the outer second-row seats to slide and tilt forward without requiring an attached child seat to be removed.

From 2027, UK customers will be able to specify a six-seat Lounge Pack. This replaces the middle bench with two individual executive chairs and adds features including electric blinds and a dedicated centre console.

The front seats include heating, ventilation and massage functions as standard in the UK. Higher specifications add features such as heated armrests, illuminated interior panels and electrically operated doors.

The automatic doors use surrounding sensors to detect walls, vehicles or pedestrians. If there is not enough room to open safely, the system stops the door before it makes contact. On UK cars, the Audi Smart Entrance system will be reserved for Vorsprung specification.

Audi Q9 boot space

With the second and third rows folded, the Audi Q9 provides up to 2,308 litres of luggage capacity.

For context, the new Q7 offers up to 1,980 litres, while the Q8 provides up to 1,755 litres. The Q9 is therefore considerably more practical than either of Audi’s existing large SUVs.

Audi has also developed an aluminium rail system for the sides of the boot. Sliding hooks and adjustable anchor points can be used to secure smaller items without occupying the centre of the luggage floor.

When all seven seats are being used, the luggage cover can be stored beneath the boot floor.

Three screens and ChatGPT integration

The Q9’s dashboard follows Audi’s latest digital design, with three prominent displays.

These include:

  • A 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit
  • A 14.5-inch central MMI touchscreen
  • A 12.3-inch front-passenger display
  • An available head-up display

The passenger screen uses a privacy filter to prevent the driver from viewing distracting content such as films while the car is moving.

Android Automotive OS sits behind the infotainment system, allowing compatible apps to be downloaded directly to the car without going through a smartphone. Audi’s voice assistant also includes ChatGPT integration for general questions that cannot be handled by the car’s own systems.

The optional Bang & Olufsen 4D sound system uses 22 speakers and produces 1,360 watts. It also places speakers in the front headrests and actuators inside the seats, allowing occupants to physically feel the bass.

Whether vibrating seats improve a long motorway journey or simply become an amusing party trick remains to be seen.

Audi’s largest panoramic roof

The panoramic glass roof covers more than 1.5 square metres, making it the largest Audi has fitted to a production car.

Unlike the fixed glass panels used in many modern vehicles, it can be physically opened or tilted. An optional version divides the glass into nine sections that can change between transparent and opaque.

On the highest specification, 84 integrated LEDs can illuminate the roof in one of 30 colours to match the rest of the ambient lighting.

When will the Audi Q9 be released in the UK?

Audi UK has opened a registration page for the Q9 but has not announced a confirmed UK ordering date.

Production will take place in Bratislava, alongside other large Volkswagen Group SUVs. Orders open in Germany at the end of July 2026, with the first European deliveries due to begin in November.

This suggests UK cars could begin arriving towards the end of 2026 or during early 2027, although that timing remains an informed estimate until Audi UK confirms its launch schedule.

How much will the new Audi Q9 cost in the UK?

An official Audi Q9 UK price has not yet been published.

The 299PS diesel model starts at €108,400 in Germany, while the smaller new Q7 currently starts from £82,560 in the UK. The Q9 will sit comfortably above the Q7, so a British starting price approaching or exceeding £100,000 would not be surprising.

That is my estimate rather than a confirmed Audi figure, and Vorsprung models could cost considerably more once their extra lighting, luxury and technology features are included.

My early verdict on the new Audi Q9

The Q9 feels like a car Audi should probably have launched years ago.

BMW has had the X7 since 2018, while Mercedes-Benz has offered the GLS in various forms for even longer. Audi has traditionally asked Q7 buyers to make do with something slightly smaller, or move into the Q8 and sacrifice the third row completely.

The Q9 finally fills that gap.

Visually, it is not subtle and its scale could be difficult to live with on narrow UK roads. However, it does appear to offer the space, technology and sense of occasion expected from a genuine flagship.

The decision to launch it with a diesel engine may seem old-fashioned, but it could suit the car’s likely use better than a smaller petrol engine or an enormous battery. The more important questions will be how refined it feels, whether the third row really works for adults and whether Audi has rediscovered the interior quality that once placed it ahead of BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

I will reserve judgement until I have seen the Q9 properly and, hopefully, driven it. On paper, though, Audi finally appears to have a serious full-size luxury SUV of its own.