Audi has spent two decades watching BMW and Mercedes-Benz split the full-size luxury SUV market between them. The 2027 SQ9 is the answer it took that long to build. Starting at $118,000 and arriving in the fourth quarter of 2026, the SQ9 pairs a 591 hp twin-turbo V8 with a rear-biased quattro architecture that Audi claims makes it the quickest-accelerating three-row SUV in its class, at 3.8 seconds to 60 mph.
That class, per Audi’s own competitive footnote, consists of the 2027 BMW X7 M60i, the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580, and the 2026 Range Rover SE LWB V8. It’s a deliberately narrow bracket, but the performance claim holds up within it. The BMW X7 recorded 31,575 sales in 2025, its best year since launch, and Mercedes has been selling the GL and GLS for two decades. Audi’s Q7, without a true flagship above it, fell 12 percent to 20,894 units in recent periods. The Q9 and SQ9 exist to close that gap.
What the V8 Actually Does
The SQ9’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 produces 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, routed through an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission. The real engineering story is what Audi did with the quattro system underneath it. Rather than the front-biased split common to large AWD SUVs, the SQ9 uses a completely new drivetrain that actively distributes torque between axles via an electromechanical clutch. In dynamic cornering, nearly all available torque can flow rearward, rotating the car into the corner. An electronically controlled locking rear differential then manages split between the left and right rear wheels, adding traction under hard acceleration and stability under sporty driving. Brake torque vectoring and standard rear-axle steering complete the picture.
The rear-wheel steering deserves attention on a 208.9-inch, 123.5-inch-wheelbase vehicle. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn opposite the fronts, shrinking the effective turning circle. At highway speeds, they turn with the fronts, improving lane-change composure. The system requires nothing from the driver and activates continuously based on speed.
Tires are staggered: 285/40 fronts and 305/35 rears on standard 22-inch wheels, widening to 285/35 fronts and 315/30 rears on optional 23-inch rollers with summer rubber. The six-inch rear-width advantage over the front is there to handle 590 lb-ft leaving the line, and it’s part of why Audi can make the rear-biased handling claim with any credibility on a vehicle that also seats seven.
Air suspension is standard, with roughly 3.5 inches of total ride-height adjustment between Highway and Lift modes, reaching a maximum of 10 inches of ground clearance. An optional sport-tuned adaptive air suspension, part of the S sport package, is also available. Six drive select modes span Comfort, Balanced, Dynamic, Off-road, Individual, and an Assistant mode that adjusts its own behavior based on detected driving style.
Interior and Technology
Inside, the SQ9 carries a panoramic sunroof spanning more than 16 square feet, which Audi calls the largest electrically opening roof ever fitted to one of its vehicles. It uses electronically dimmable glass with nine individually adjustable segments rather than a traditional fabric shade. An illuminated version is planned for post-launch availability.
The digital architecture centers on the Audi Digital Stage: a continuous display spanning from the driver’s virtual cockpit to the center stack. The main MMI touch display measures 14.5 inches, paired with a standard head-up display and a 12.3-inch front passenger display with an active privacy mode so the driver isn’t distracted by content on the passenger side. Amazon Alexa is integrated into the MMI interface.
Standard on all U.S. SQ9 models are heavily bolstered sport seats finished in Fine Nappa leather with ventilation and massage for both front outboard positions, heated outboard seats in the second row, heated third-row seating, carbon fiber trim, and a factory-integrated dashcam mounted under the rearview mirror. Optional leather colors beyond standard Black include Arras Red, Pastel Silver, and an exclusive Baikal Blue package. The center console features dual wireless charging pads compliant with the Qi2.2 standard alongside oversized cupholders sized for large insulated tumblers.
Cargo figures run 19.3 cubic feet behind the third row and 87.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. An aluminum rail system in the trunk floor allows sliding hooks and adjustable tie-downs for securing loads. Second and third row seats fold flat via sequential buttons at the rear right and in the trunk.
For audio, the available Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System runs a 1,360-watt amplifier across 24 channels: 22 speakers plus two seat actuators in the front seats that reproduce bass frequencies physically. Fraunhofer Symphoria handles spatial distribution, and headrest speakers for the driver and front passenger allow private listening for calls and navigation.
Lighting and Driver Assistance
The SQ9 introduces Digital Matrix LED adaptive high-beam headlights to the U.S. market for the first time. The system uses a 13-millimeter chip housing 25,600 individual micro-LEDs, each approximately 40 micrometers across, to selectively dim segments that would otherwise blind oncoming traffic while maintaining full illumination everywhere else. Audi developed the system specifically to meet U.S. Department of Transportation glare regulations, a regulatory hurdle that kept adaptive high-beams off American roads for years while European buyers have had them for over a decade.
At the rear, the SQ9 and Q9 Prestige debut third-generation curved digital OLED taillights in what Audi describes as a world first for a production vehicle. Ultra-thin glass backing 0.1 millimeters thick allows the OLED panels to bend to a 200-millimeter radius, following the bodywork contour and emitting light in more than one direction. Six panels total 512 individually controllable segments, enabling eight selectable digital light signatures and communication functions: proximity alerts, a warning triangle with hazard lights active, and an automated parking indicator. When using the turn signal at night with both Matrix LED headlights and OLED tails equipped, the system casts a synchronized turn indicator onto the ground alongside the vehicle, improving visibility for pedestrians and cyclists who may not have a line of sight to the conventional signals.
Hands-free highway driving arrives as standard on all U.S. SQ9 models through adaptive cruise assist plus, which handles steering, acceleration, and braking at up to 85 mph on approved divided highway segments. Activating the turn signal prompts a lane change in the desired direction. A driver monitoring camera on the steering column tracks eye position and head movement, issuing escalating visual, audible, and haptic warnings if attention lapses. The system is SAE Level 2; the driver remains responsible and must remain alert.
Pricing and Competition
Order books opened in July 2026. The SQ9 starts at $118,000 and the standard Q9 at $87,700, both before destination. Five optional packages are offered for the SQ9: a 23-inch wheel package with Audi Sport wheels and summer tires, a black optic package, a 23-inch black optic wheel package, the S sport package with sport-tuned air suspension and red brake calipers, and a luxury package that adds illuminated DRL signatures, OLED taillights with eight digital signatures, automatic doors, a Dinamica headliner, and an illuminated front grille. Individual options include captain’s chairs for the second row, a trailer hitch with intelligent trailer assist enabling up to 7,700 pounds of tow capacity, and Bang & Olufsen audio.
BMW’s X7 M60i and the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 have had years to establish themselves in this space. The SQ9 arrives better-equipped by default, with rear-axle steering, adaptive air suspension, hands-free highway driving, and the first U.S.-legal adaptive high-beam headlights all standard. Whether buyers waiting on a proper Audi three-row flagship will show up in numbers that move the needle on Q-series volume is the question the next 18 months will answer.
Source: Audi. Images courtesy of Audi.
