Audi’s New Q9 Flagship SUV Is Here to Dethrone the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS

Audi has been playing catch-up in the full-size luxury SUV segment for way too long. While BMW and Mercedes have been printing money with the X7 and GLS for years, Audi’s lineup topped out at the mid-size Q7—a solid vehicle, sure, but not a flagship. That changes this summer when the all-new 2027 Audi Q9 arrives to finally challenge the German big boys for supremacy in the three-row luxury space.

This isn’t just another Q-badged crossover stretched to family-hauler proportions. The Q9 represents Audi’s most ambitious luxury vehicle in years, and the company is swinging for the fences with its interior design, material selections, and tech integration. The question isn’t whether Audi needed this vehicle—it’s why it took them so damn long.

Room for Seven (Or Six, If You Want to Feel Extra Fancy)

The Q9 can be configured as either a six- or seven-seater depending on your preference. The standard setup is a three-across bench in the second row, but Audi will offer a pair of power-adjustable captain’s chairs as an option for those who find bench seating barbaric. If you go with the captain’s chairs route, there’s even a center pass-through to the third row—no need to disturb your co-pilot’s personal space to reach the back.

Both configurations include power-adjustable second-row seats that can slide forward at the press of a button to reveal the third row, which is also power-adjustable. The third-row legroom is legitimately competitive with the X7 and GLS according to hands-on reports, making it suitable for adults on shorter journeys and absolutely spacious for kids. For a 6-foot-1 passenger, the wayback was on par with segment rivals—which is the bare minimum you’d expect at this price point, but it’s nice to confirm they nailed it.

Behind the third row sits a cargo area that Audi hasn’t fully disclosed measurements for, but multiple sources confirm it’s generous. Drop the second and third rows and the Q9 transforms into a cavernous hauler. A roof rack comes standard, because apparently Audi assumes Q9 buyers will need even more storage than a 16-cubic-foot cargo bay provides.

The Interior Is Audaciously Over-the-Top (In the Best Way)

Audi’s designers clearly had a mandate to make the Q9’s cabin feel less like a vehicle and more like a five-star hotel that happens to move. The dashboard is plastered with displays—we’re talking a large central touchscreen infotainment unit, a fully digital gauge cluster, and a passenger-side display. Exact screen sizes haven’t been released, but the sheer number of visual real estate suggests this thing makes most luxury SUVs look like they’re running iOS 5.

The ambient lighting system is bonkers. Audi has fitted so many programmable LED zones throughout the cabin that you could probably use the Q9 as a nightclub if the mood struck you. Add in a sectionally dimmable panoramic sunroof that’s large enough to qualify as a sky window, and the interior lighting experience is less “luxury car” and more “what if we made the cabin of a spaceship but made it cozy.”

Material choices elevate this beyond standard corporate luxury. Audi has developed new wool upholstery specifically for the Q9—genuine wool, not synthetic—alongside custom leather options and Dinamica microfiber. New color schemes include Tamarind Brown and Stone Beige, both of which are substantially more interesting than the beige-on-black palette you’ll find in most luxury SUVs. There’s genuine wood trim throughout, and the craftsmanship on offer here represents a step up from what Audi did with the A6 E-Tron, a vehicle the company learned some lessons from.

Tech That Goes Beyond Practicality Into Absurdity

The Bang & Olufsen audio system deserves its own paragraph. With 22 available speakers, this isn’t just a stereo—it’s a concert hall. Reports indicate the system can physically vibrate your seat in sync with the music, which is either incredibly luxurious or incredibly annoying depending on your taste in podcasts.

The power-opening doors close electronically with emergency capacitors, meaning they’ll shut even if the battery dies on you mid-entry—a detail that screams engineering overachievement. The center console has two wireless smartphone charging pads, because apparently one wouldn’t be sufficiently luxurious. The cupholders are engineered to hold everything from standard beverage containers to oversized water bottles and, yes, Stanley tumblers, because Audi knows its demographic.

Infotainment will include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, Bluetooth, onboard Wi-Fi, and all the connected car features you’d expect from a modern flagship. Audi hasn’t detailed the complete feature set, but expectations are high that this will at least match what’s available in the GLS and X7.

Pricing Remains a Mystery, But Here’s What to Expect

Audi has been characteristically tight-lipped about Q9 pricing. What we do know is that the current Q7 starts at $64,000, and Audi traditionally offers Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trim levels across its lineup. The Q9 will almost certainly follow this structure, but as a full-size flagship, expect the entry price to land significantly higher—likely somewhere in the low-to-mid six figures given the segment’s price floor.

The real story here is that Audi is willing to price this aggressively to establish the Q9 as a legitimate contender. BMW’s X7 starts around $84,000 (non-M), and Mercedes’ GLS begins in similar territory. Audi will need to undercut at least one of them to gain traction in a segment where buyers have already made their decisions about what “prestige” looks like.

Why Audi Needed This Vehicle Yesterday

Here’s the brutal truth: Audi’s lineup has been incomplete for years. The A8 sedan is essentially dead—a relic of when German luxury meant executive saloons. Meanwhile, the entire market has shifted toward SUVs, particularly three-row family haulers that can justify six-figure price tags because they offer space, comfort, and brand cachet in one package.

BMW and Mercedes figured this out ages ago. The X7 launched in 2018 and has been a sales juggernaut ever since. The GLS followed and picked up where the ML left off. Audi? Audi was making the Q7 smaller and wondering why it wasn’t selling like the competition’s flagship rigs. The Q9 is Audi finally admitting that it needs to play in the big leagues again.

The vehicle should debut in its entirety this summer, with sales beginning shortly after. When it arrives, the Q9 will have the most modern platform underpinnings, cutting-edge tech, and materials that justify its flagship status in ways the older X7 and GLS simply can’t match. Whether that’s enough to convince luxury buyers to switch allegiances remains to be seen, but on paper, Audi has built something genuinely competitive.

For the first time in years, there’s actually a reason to wait on that X7 purchase.

Sources: Car and Driver · Jalopnik · The Drive · Autoblog