• Auto123 gets in a first drive of the 2027 Audi Q9/SQ9
St. George, UT – Just a few days before Audi announced its intention to establish an assembly plant in the U.S., we had opportunity to drive the brand-new flagship SUV that will, the company hopes, help drive the growth it envisions for the North American market.
Any such ideas might have been a little pie-in-the-sky if Audi did not have in its arsenal a proper three-row SUV. Well now it has it.
North American motorists haven't been scared off of their taste for large utility models by rising fuel prices, that we know. That phenomenon has proved enduring, particularly in the premium segments, for the simple reason that if you can afford a large premium SUV like the new Q9, you’re probably not that concerned about blowing a few hundred extra dollars a year at the pump.
Until now, the Q7 filled Audi's three-row utility role, but Audi evidently determined it needed a more appropriate rival to take on models already established in North America. The Q9 is the largest Audi ever built, designed to take on the Mercedes-Benz GLS, BMW X7 and Cadillac Escalade while also assuming the flagship role in the brand's model lineup.
Audi says it expects the U.S. and Canada to account for 65 percent of total sales of the new Q9 and its high-performance SQ9 variant. We figure that the former will vastly outsell the latter.
Where is the 2027 Audi Q9 assembled?
That new U.S. assembly plant won’t be up and running until the early 2030s, so for now the Q9 will be built at Audi’s plant in Bratislava, Slovakia.
2027 Audi Q9/SQ9 – What’s new?
Everything, of course, this being an all-new model. That said, there’s no mistaking this as an Audi, through and through. No surprise, there are advancement in terms of exterior lighting, which was a main focus for Audi representatives during our drive program, mechanics, tech and interior ergonomics.
About the lighting system of the new Q9: the automaker says it has long wanted to bring its advanced digital matrix LED lighting to North America, but U.S. regulations in particular had prevented it – until now. The system we will now see in use on our roads includes third-gen OLED lighting, advanced turn signaling and curved OLED taillights with ultra-thin glass. Hazard lights are projected on the ground around the vehicle.
Powertrains of the 2027 Audi Q9/SQ9
Under the hood, the base Q9 features a 2.9L twin-turbocharged V6 engine producing 429 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. Working alongside an 8-speed automatic transmission and Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system with a Torsen centre differential, it delivers a 0-100 km/h sprint in 5.2 seconds.
The Torsen differential sends 40 percent of power to the front wheels and 60 percent to the rear under normal driving conditions, shifting up to 70 percent to the front or 85 percent to the rear when required.
Stepping up to the SQ9 brings a 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8 engine generating 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Paired with a performance-oriented version of quattro featuring an electronically controlled rear differential and a pilot clutch at the transmission output, the SQ9 rockets from zero to 100 km/h in four seconds.
There are 6 drive modes available to drivers: Lift, Offroad, Balanced, Comfort, Dynamic and Loading, the latter for towing purposes.
Unlike European counterparts, North American models do not feature hybrid technology.
Both models provide a maximum towing capacity of 3,493 kg (7,700 lb).
Design of the 2027 Audi Q9/SQ9
Measuring significantly larger than the third-generation Q7 with 142 mm of extra wheelbase, 251 mm of additional total length and 51 mm more height, the Q9 makes an imposing visual statement at 5.3 metres long.
At the front, advanced LED matrix headlights incorporate 25,600 micro-diodes per side to adapt to road conditions and create dark zones in a bid to avoid blinding oncoming motorists. They flank a newly illuminated vertical-slat grille.
The SQ9 distinguishes itself with a different grille design, more traditional. At the rear, 512 lighting elements are distributed across the OLED taillight panels, capable of projecting blinking turning arrows onto the ground. The SQ9 rides on staggered tire sizing for optimal grip and road authority, and it gets wider rear wheel arches to go with that. The model gets unique wheel designs for its 22- or 23-inch wheels.
Interior of the 2027 Audi Q9/SQ9
Inside, the cabin offers seating for six or seven passengers depending on the configuration. Both the Q9 and SQ9 models that we drove on this day had the former setup, meaning no bench for the second row.
Access is provided via power-operated doors that open and close automatically. We have to say that within minutes of encountering the SQ9, we were sharing our thoughts regarding that kind of tech that looks great on paper. Namely, the mechanism can feel slow if you’re in a hurry, and it makes manual opening and closing of the door heavy and ponderous.
Once inside, the interior adheres to Audi's clean design philosophy featuring minimal physical controls and trim.
Second-row passengers enjoy generous legroom and very comfortable captain’s chairs (with adjustable and detachable armrests, a nice touch); they are easily access. Alas, the third row remains cramped and tight for adults.
Cargo capacity is at 547 litres behind the third row, which grows to 1,240 litres with that row folded flat and 2,483 litres with the middle row stowed.
Premium amenities include an excellent 4D Bang & Olufsen sound system featuring 22 speakers and front seat actuators that translate sound into vibrations. While the cabin is super quiet thanks to acoustic glass, the interior finish really feels a bit minimal for the luxury segment and could have used more traditional physical switches.
Technology in the 2027 Audi Q9/SQ9
Technology takes centre stage via a triple-screen layout comprising an 11.9-inch reconfigurable gauge cluster and a 14.5-inch central multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also a 12.3-inch front passenger display equipped with a privacy mode for streaming content. A head-up display plays all the main driving data hits on the windscreen.
It’s all very advanced and impressive, but there are some ergonomic hurdles. We suggest new owners take time to figure out the steering column controls, for instance the wiper and washer controls, before heading out on a rainy day.
Also, adjusting the climate settings requires digging through central touchscreen menus; a few physical buttons or a dedicated lower screen would save drivers aggravation and putting themselves at risk due to distraction.
Hands-free adaptive cruise control offers Level 2+ functionality on compatible multi-lane highways up to 130 km/h. In our vehicle, we found the system a little finicky, with the system de-activating sporadically for little or no apparent reason, before settling into a groove when the road straightened out and the traffic thinned. We asked colleagues about their experience afterward, and they reported a smoother experience, so maybe it was just a bit of bad luck.
We did note, however, that even when functioning, the system occasionally seemed to make the vehicle wander a bit within its lanes. Clearly, there’s still a bit or work to be done before Audi can vaunt a system superior or equal to GM’s Super Cruise.
Driving the 2027 Audi Q9/SQ9
How about hands-ON driving, you ask? Well, out on the road, the Q9 is an excellent handler for a vehicle of its size and is amply powered for North American driving demands and realities. It might weigh up to 2,530 kg, but the way it moves when called on can be quite gazelle-like.
Standard air suspension with adaptive damping and adjustable ride height allows the chassis to raise the vehicle by up to 254 mm for rough terrain or lower it for highway cruising.
Variable-ratio steering combines with standard rear-wheel steering—where rear wheels turn up to five degrees in the opposite direction at low speeds and in the same direction at high speeds—to make the full-sized crossover feel remarkably agile and compact.
The base Q9 is perfectly capable in terms of punch, but it does prioritize smooth, compliant comfort. The SQ9, meanwhile, delivers a taut, highly athletic feel with razor-sharp cornering tenacity and strong grip from its staggered tires. Then there’s the intoxicating V8 exhaust note we drank in whilst driving the emptier corners of the state surrounding Zion National Park on a day of varying conditions.
There’s probably no need to dwell on Audi’s quattro AWD system, a known quantity at this point and which continues to do its part to make the brand’s SUVs uniquely drivable and confidence-inspiring. The Q9 features what Audi calls the “latest evolution of the classic quattro system,” with the SQ9 getting a modified version to enhance driving dynamics.
2027 Audi Q9/SQ9 – Pricing and availability in Canada
The 2027 Audi Q9 is available to order now across Canada. Pricing starts at $123,300 for the Q9 Progressiv, while the Q9 Technik begins at $133,500, excluding $3,060 for delivery and preparation fees. The high-performance SQ9 starts at $152,850.
The final word
As mentioned, Audi expects 65 percent of total global volume sales to happen here in North America. As it commits to growing its market share in the U.S. in the coming years, it needed a vehicle like this. Audi is positioning its new flagship SUV directly against established heavyweights like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, and while there are weaker points, the same can be said of those models.
2027 Audi Q9/SQ9 competitors
- - BMW X7
- - Cadillac Escalade
- - Mercedes-Benz GLS