Audi unveils full-size three-row Q9 SUV, starting at $89,095

German luxury auto brand Audi unveiled its full-size Q9 SUV on Tuesday, marking the first vehicle of its name for the brand and the latest in a product push aimed at the heart of the American market, where Audi has struggled over the past several quarters.

Key Details

• The three-row, full-size luxury SUV starts at $89,095
• A high-performance SQ9 variant starts at $119,395
• The Q9 and SQ9 will serve as Audi's flagship U.S. model
• They join two other SUVs unveiled this year: the compact Q3 (March) and midsize Q7 (June)

Designed for the U.S. Market

Filip Brabec, Audi of America senior vice president of product management, said the Q9 was made primarily with the U.S. consumer in mind, including six- and eight-cylinder engines and large cupholders.

"If you look at our recent introductions, whether it is the Q3, whether it is this car, it really plays right into the center of what's happening in America," Brabec said at the vehicle reveal in New York on Tuesday. "SUVs keep growing. It's over 80% of the premium space, and we have absolute top contenders in each and every part of those segments."

The Q9 competes in one of the most profitable, but crowded segments in the U.S. market.

"It represents the most lavish luxury car that we have in this space," Brabec said.

Dimensions and Features

• Length: 209 inches
• Width: 86.8 inches (including sideview mirrors)
• Slightly longer than both the Mercedes GLS and BMW X7
• Large enough to fit adults in the third row

In a press conference before the reveal, Brabec said the Q9 focused on three key areas: performance, space and technology.

Powertrain Options

| Model | Engine | Horsepower | 0-60 mph | |-------|--------|------------|----------| | Q9 | 2.9-liter V6 | 429 hp | 4.9 seconds | | SQ9 | 4.0-liter V8 | 591 hp | 3.8 seconds |

The SQ9 also delivers 590 foot-pounds of torque.

New Technologies

• Matrix adaptive beam headlights — available in Europe for roughly a decade but only recently allowed in the U.S. The lights use clusters of tiny LEDs to shape beams and reduce or eliminate glare for oncoming drivers
• ChatGPT-powered voice assistant
• Hands-free driver assist system
• Largest moonroof Audi has ever put on a vehicle

"This one's going to have some real decadent features, I would almost say, like power opening doors and crazy interior materials, even by Audi standards," said Karl Brauer, executive analyst for iSeeCars.

Audi's Road in the U.S.

The reveal comes as Audi has struggled in the U.S. market:

• 2025: 16% fewer vehicles sold than the previous year
• First six months of 2026: Down 17% from the same period in 2025
• First quarter of 2026: 30% drop from the same period in 2025

Audi blamed lagging U.S. performance on tariffs and the end of federal electric vehicle incentives. Analysts said the new SUVs could give the brand a needed boost, but structural disadvantages remain — especially the lack of U.S. manufacturing.

Comparison with Rivals

• Mercedes-Benz: Sales down approximately 3.5% through June
• BMW: Sales up 4.7% in the same period

"They are watching things like the [Mercedes-Benz] GLS and the [BMW] X7, and they're just saying to themselves, 'We need more.' We need more space, but what we really need is more MSRP and more profit," Brauer said.

By the 2000s, Audi leadership — especially former Audi and Volkswagen boss Ferdinand Piëch — had turned the automaker into a formidable rival to BMW and Mercedes, earning a reputation for high-quality engineering and design.

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