Audi Q9 2026: the most spectacular SUV - with the permission of the GLS and the X7

If we add rumours, spy photos and various drip-feed information, we have been talking about the Audi Q9, the Ingolstadt brand's largest and most luxurious SUV, for several years now. But the truth is that it has not yet reached the market and there is not even an official launch date.

To make the long wait a little shorter, we offer you a digital preview of the SUV. The designer Nikita Chuicko has created a vehicle following the latest design pattern of the German brand and the truth is that it doesn't leave you indifferent. Do you like it?

Audi Q9 2026, vista trasera

At the front we see a very wide singleframe grille and really thin headlights. The side view shows huge alloy wheels, as well as three large windows and broadened shoulders. 

Finally, the rear end features unorthodox rear lights that invade the side of the car. There is also a gloss black bumper and twin exhaust tailpipes, as well as an aerodynamic spoiler. The rear window is very low-slung to make the third row of seats as habitable as possible.    

Yes, because the Q9 should be available in six- or seven-seat versions, and go beyond 5 metres in length. In this way, it will go head-to-head with the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, the 'giants' of the rival brands.

Gallery: Audi Q9 spy photos

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I bet you're thinking about engines, aren't you? The Q9 is likely to be one of the last new Audi models to be launched with combustion engines, as it is an SUV aimed primarily at the US, Chinese and Middle Eastern markets.

We therefore assume it will be powered by six- and eight-cylinder engines, both diesel and petrol, although there could be high-performance plug-in hybrid variants, such as those used in the Porsche Cayenne, with 470, 519 and as much as 740 PS combined.  

Other SUVs from Audi:

New Audi Q5 and SQ5 arrive in the UK starting at £49,950

Audi is working on a Dakar-style Q6 Sportback

Audi bids farewell to the Q8 e-tron and closes a plant in Belgium

Audi Q6 e-tron: The new electric SUV excels at cornering

We don't know anything about the interior design, but the configuration of more than three digital displays (including one for the climate control and one for the front passenger) seems assured. After all, this is the flagship of Audi's SUV range. 

At the earliest, the Q9 will arrive in 2025 in the aforementioned markets. In Europe, which is a secondary territory for such large vehicles, it could arrive as early as 2026. Will the car look like this digital recreation? I think we're not off the wrong track...

Source: Kolesa