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Audi's Full-Size SUV Was Worth The Wait: Driven

The Q9 and SQ9 bring big power, clever tech, and sharp handling to Audi's new flagship SUV.

2027 Audi Q9 First Drive Review

Photo by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

Peter Nelson

By: Peter Nelson

Oct 27, at 9:00am ET

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Nearly every luxury automaker has had a full-size SUV in the US for years now—and most of them have been hugely successful. Everyone except Audi, that is, which is finally entering the ring with its new Q9 and more enthusiastically tuned SQ9 models.

The Ingolstadt brand has taken its time, done its homework, and not only figured out what works, but also where it can one-up the competition. Along the way, Audi also debuted a new-generation Quattro all-wheel-drive system, plus intriguing lighting and tech features.

Hitting dealer lots next month in six- or seven-seater configurations, the flagship Q9 offers fresh luxury appointments wrapped in Audi’s latest interior and exterior design. We drove both models in the mountains of Colorado and were largely impressed.

Pros

Excellent Powertrains
Great Ride Quality And Chassis Response
Two Flavors Of Quattro

Cons

Tight Third Row
Styling Isn’t For Everyone

Well-Disguised Bulk, For the Most Part

2027 Audi Q9 First Drive Review

2027 Audi Q9

Photo by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

Since the Q9 and SQ9 are both brand new, Audi didn’t have any previous bodywork to sculpt from. Instead, they wear the latest signature design language that has permeated throughout the lineup for the past few years.

The split LED daytime running lights and headlights are immediately noticeable, as are the handsomely spaced-out taillights. Both SUVs are nicely proportioned for their size, especially the SQ9 with its satin metallic D pillar trim (which can be turned gloss black with the $1,000 Black Optics Package). It only exists on the S and reminds us of BMW’s Hofmeister Kink, but in a good way.

These may be full-size SUVs with wheelbases stretching to 123.5 inches, as well as entire bodywork spanning 209.0 inches, and widths coming in at 86.8 inches (just six inches narrower than the Chevy Suburban). But both SUVs appear smaller in person than one might assume.

2027 Audi Q9 First Drive Review

Photos by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

2027 Audi Q9 First Drive Review

Photos by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

Both models sport gigantic grilles that may not be for some buyers’ tastes. The Q9 gets a massive, Rolls-Royce-like vertical-slat grille, and the SQ9 has a more unique shark-tooth-like pattern spread across its massive maw. Both take up a lot of real estate, but the large headlights and lower grille areas provide balance.

The Q9 and SQ9 can be optioned with wheels up to 23 inches in diameter to slightly cover up some truly massive brakes; the SQ9 sports 16.5-inch six-piston calipers in front and 15.0-inch single-piston calipers in back, while the Q9 gets 15.7- and 13.8-inch single-piston units, respectively.

The interior material quality is overall solid, with substantial plastics, some metallic components here and there, and ample leather. It sports Audi’s latest software, which lives in a 14.5-inch multimedia interface that’s generally easy to use, albeit laggy, and finding some finer adjustments (like customizing ADAS features) takes some digging.

The Q9/SQ9 comes standard with automatic doors, too, which are usually found on far pricier fare—they’re a nice touch for the price point, but their resistance feels clunky if one’s keen on opening and closing their door the ol’ fashioned way.

2027 Audi SQ9 First Drive Review

2027 Audi SQ9

Photo by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

Finally, the Q9/SQ9’s exterior dimensions translate to a comfortable and well-tailored interior—there’s no wasted space, yet there’s plenty of it, ready to accommodate folks of all sizes and shapes. Finer adjustments, like expanding thigh support, take a bit of digging in a menu, but everything else is easy to toggle.

The second row captain’s chairs are just as comfortable and spacious, but space is limited in the third. Thankfully, it’s easy to move the second row forward for easy ingress and egress, and Audi boasts that its 19.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row is class-leading, beating out the Mercedes GLS and BMW X7. What the Q9/SQ9 loses in legroom it gains in being more daily-errand-run-ready.

Solid Athleticism

2027 Audi SQ9 First Drive Review

Photo by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

While the Q9 and SQ9’s powertrains and drivetrains are quite different, they’re both plenty capable.

The former SUV gets Audi’s single-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 engine making 429 horsepower and 422 pound-feet of torque, which keen-eyed Audi heads may recognize from last year’s RS5, albeit slightly de-tuned. It’s paired to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the brand’s latest incarnation of Quattro all-wheel drive, complete with a revised self-locking Torsen center differential.

Behind the wheel, that new center-locking diff gives the SUV confidence and neutral grip. Only when pushed to the limit on twisty roads do you start to feel its downfalls. That said, we are hauling around 5,300 pounds on non-performance-oriented rubber—so, not all that surprising.

While the Q9 and SQ9’s powertrains and drivetrains are quite different, they’re both plenty capable.

That setup also helps the Q9 rip to 60 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds, which is decently speedy for a large SUV. While other journalists complained of turbo lag on the highway, we didn’t experience any issue that a quick click of the left paddle didn’t solve.

On the other hand, the SQ9 proved amply capable. Its Quattro system is completely different, consisting of a clutch-actuated all-wheel-drive system with an electronically controlled differential lock at the rear. This means it’ll send the majority of power out back, and the rear diff itself, to our surprise, felt pretty aggressively tuned—especially in tighter hairpin turns.

This means a more athletic driving experience, the ability to run staggered wheels to further improve dynamics (which is unheard of in any other mechanical Quattro system), and the opportunity to compose massive drifts.

It’s fitting, given that the SQ9’s heart is the brand’s tried-and-true twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 making 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Behind it is the same eight-speed dual-clutch, now with shorter gearing, which helps it hit 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds despite carrying 250 more pounds than the Q.

It’s a real riot to launch; both the Q9 and SQ9 outperform comparable models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and Land Rover.

2027 Audi Q9 First Drive Review

Photos by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

2027 Audi Q9 First Drive Review

Photos by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

While tearing around the winding roads of southwest Utah, both models exhibit excellent chassis control and steering response for their size, and their standard adaptive air suspension delivers an amply comfortable ride. It’s auto-leveling and changes ride height depending on mode to either improve handling or muffle road imperfections.

When it comes to steering feel, there isn’t a whole lot to write home about, but the rack itself is effortless at low speed—thanks to a progressive ratio—and maintains weighted confidence on the highway. The SQ9 features stiffer suspension tuning throughout; it was just as comfortable as the standard model, but a hair more of the road surface translates through the chassis, and its sharpened handling makes for good fun in the twisties.

The chassis responds to steering inputs with commendable immediacy. Besides appearing smaller than one would think, its handling characteristics reflect those of a much smaller sporty crossover.

Trick Lighting And New Levels In Driver Assistance

2027 Audi SQ9 First Drive Review

Photo by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

To solidify the platform’s flagship status, Audi’s debuted some interesting lighting features on the Q9 and SQ9.

The taillights are wrap-around OLEDs that not only sharpen its looks, but also feature the ability to change designs depending on several conditions. For example: when the hazards are on, they turn into teeny triangles. Plus, they’ll warn anyone getting too close by becoming more solidly red. Neat in concept, though we’re not sure how many passers-by will notice.

However, in low-light conditions, the turn signals now project arrows onto the ground, which is an innovative way to bolster these beasts’ presence among pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

2027 Audi SQ9 First Drive Review

Photos by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

2027 Audi SQ9 First Drive Review

Photos by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

Then, since the American public can now take full advantage of adaptive Digital Matrix LED lighting, we get a taste of that tech with the brights on full blast while coursing through a pitch-black canyon road. Yet, without blinding anyone off the road, or throwing their full effect back into our corneas via road signs. That’s because there’s a sensor that detects such objects, which then directs what the headlights’ 25,600 micro-LEDs cover; traffic ahead is blocked out while their surroundings aren’t, and the same goes for road signs.

Finally, in addition to a healthy list of standard advanced driver assistance technology, the SQ9 comes with Level 2+ partial automated driving. While traveling below 85 mph and on a divided highway, if the conditions are right, the SQ will take care of steering, acceleration, and braking itself. It’s easy to toggle on and off; though, we noticed a few instances where it wasn’t happy, such as driving alongside a joining on-ramp. It also won’t flip its signal, pass slower traffic, and then flip its signal to return to the center or right lane—like GM’s Super Cruise—the driver has to initiate the passing and returning by clicking the stalk themselves.

Verdict: A Strong First Go

2027 Audi SQ9 First Drive Review

Photo by: Peter Nelson | Motor1

Since 80 percent of the US luxury car market opts for SUVs, Audi’s devoting 65 percent of the Q9/SQ9’s volume to it. There’s no mistaking why: America loves big, spacious, versatile vehicles. And for the well-heeled, especially ones that are packed with equipment.

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Comments

The 2027 Audi Q9 and SQ9 tick all those boxes with a big red check mark. Even pricing-wise, the Q in its lower Premium trim starts at $87,700, which is within spitting distance of the BMW X7 xDrive40i and substantially less scratch than Mercedes’ GLS450 4Matic.

The SQ9, on the other hand, starts a few grand more than both the BMW X7 M60i and Mercedes GLS580, but only just and with far more power output than either. Between the two, if one’s keen on their exterior looks, there’s little to argue with.

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