The 2026 Audi Q9 SUV: Everything You Need to Know

Audi’s last internal-combustion vehicle is coming after Mercedes and BMW.

Published January 9, 2024

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Audi certainly has an impressive crossover lineup, with a wide range of gas- and electric-powered vehicles across a variety of sizes and price points. But compare it to its competitors, and it’s not hard to realize it’s missing something: a large, three-row flagship rival that can take on the likes of the BMW X7 and the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. The closest equivalent is the Q7, which has less cargo space than a VW Tiguan.

But that could be about to change. Recently, several reports have claimed that Audi is about to launch a new Q9 flagship crossover. Here’s what we know about it so far.

The new SUV will almost certainly be called the Q9

Based on the brand’s current naming system, Q9 is the moniker that makes the most rational sense for the new Audi SUV. Recently, Audi Australia director Jeff Mannering agreed with CarSales that the name had a nice ring to it.

The Audi Q9 should be a three-row crossover

According to Automotive News, the Q9 will be a three-row crossover, and it will be larger than the Q7 (seen above).

The Audi Q9 should arrive by 2026

Mannering told CarSales to keep an eye on developments within the next 24 months. Automotive News, meanwhile, has the Q9 hitting American dealers in 2026, which aligns well with Mannering’s statement.

The Q9 should be a gas-powered SUV, not an EV

Rivals like Mercedes and Lexus have pledged to go all-electric by 2030. Audi plans to stop launching combustion vehicles after 2026 and phase them out of the lineup entirely by 2033. But that timeline would leave room for a 2026 launch of the Q9, then give it a full generation’s model run as an internal combustion SUV.

There’s word yet on what engine the Q9 will use. But we’d bet a 4,0-liter twin-turbo V8 will be one of the options, considering its ubiquity atop the Audi (and, in fact, all the VW Group) lineup.