600hp SQ9 tops latest Audi SUV range

Flagship Q9 arrives as BMW X7 alternative; the twin turbo V8 is buried in there somewhere...

By Matt Bird / Wednesday, 29 July 2026 / Loading comments

It’s now 20 years since Audi first offered an SUV, the Q7 following the lead established by the BMW X5 and Mercedes ML with some success. So much so, in fact, that the Audi SUV range has expanded enormously ever since: while not all are available right now, or have been on sale for long, the badges Q2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 have also been found on the back of an Audi at some point since 2007. Plus the Sportbacks. So it’s only right that Q9 should arrive eventually…

We’ll spare you the standard six-cylinder model, perhaps just to say that such a thing was inevitable. BMW has an X7, after all, and Mercedes has recently updated the GLS, both with V8 options; the appetite for enormous, petrol powered SUVs, especially in the States, shows no signs of abating. So this is Audi catering to that demand. And remember that there is still another RS6 coming…

This SQ9 will share an engine with the latest Audi megawagon, albeit without the hybrid assistance that’s looking likely for the Avant. So the familiar twin-turbo V8 is here in 600hp/590lb ft tune, as with the (slightly) smaller SQ7. Expect an entirely inappropriately sprint to 62mph in around four seconds, and plenty of subdued eight cylinder sonics. The quad pipes are a familiar Audi S hallmark, even if the sheer size of the car back there - and the curved digital OLED lights - are not.

There’s more to the SQ9 overhaul than just 600hp and a grille the size of a pub garden bench. The quattro has a unique tune for the flagship, more rear biased and with a rear axle diff lock for ‘impressive lateral dynamics when cornering’. Air suspension is standard fit for the S, and wheels up to 23-inch are available. Which goes to show just how giant this thing is (indeed how massive this sector of XL SUVs is), because they look like an entirely appropriate wheel diameter here…

Indeed as is Audi S tradition, the Q9 isn’t actually drastically different to look at than a standard model. It’s just there’s not much chance of subtlety when dealing with something this large. So as well as the wheels and the grilles, there are new badges and bumpers, as well as mirrors in ‘alu optic’. Daytona Grey pearl effect is a favourite from the Audi Sport catalogue. If you’re also not quite sure of the words, its maker believes the SQ9 boasts a ‘striking and elegant appearance’. And there’ll be no confusing the light bar for any other…

Probably it’s the inside that will sell folk the SQ9 as much as the outside, boasting as it does the choice of six- or seven-seat configurations (with some suitcase space still left behind), five-zone climate control, B&O sound and the 12.3-inch passenger display. Nappa leather and a switchable pano roof are also included, as is the possibility to go big on the Audi Exclusive bits. So those that want sports seats in crimson red and diamond silver with contrast stitching and red seatbelts will be able to have it. What’s good enough for Range Rover is good enough for Audi.

“In the future, ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ will increasingly be defined by the in-car experience – because cars are much more than just a means of transportation. For many of our customers, they are becoming mobile living spaces,” said Audi CEO Gernot Döllner. “That is exactly what the Audi Q9 represents as the new flagship of our portfolio. Premium materials, individual electric seats in the second row, and automatic doors underscore our commitment to quality in the interior. When combined with the latest driver assist systems and a holistic user experience, it becomes clear where we are taking the Audi brand.” Certainly there look like many worse vehicles to spend plenty of hours in, whether behind the wheel or behind the driver. And the longer spent inside means less time spent seeing the outside. Production of all Q9 models is already underway in Bratislava, with orders open next month and deliveries by the end of the year. Ski holidays with the kids will never be the same again.