Shockingly, it’s taken Audi this long to bring a true full-size SUV to market. Mercedes-Benz has offered a GLS for 20 years now, while BMW put the X7 on dealer lots back in 2019. Audi moves a bit more slowly, but the Q9 is finally here—and it’s a full-size stunner.
Earlier in the year, we were able to show you the interior. Now, we can finally reveal the rest of the goods. We’re getting two flavors of the Q9: the standard Q9 and the sportier SQ9.
There’s no denying the size of the Q9. With 123.5 inches between the axles, the Q9 has a longer wheelbase than a Chevy Tahoe. The Tahoe runs longer overall, but Audi does a tighter job tucking in the nose and tail.
View Price on AmazonThe Q9 stands as the largest Audi ever. Pop open the doors, and you’ll find three rows of seating, with a choice between room for six or seven. I recommend you opt for the six-seater, if you’re able, as the second row captain’s chairs are seriously comfortable thrones. And any adults who need to get into that third row won’t be out of sorts in the back.
Pop back outside though, and take a gander at the styling of this thing. You’ve already seen the updated Q7. The Q9 is essentially that, just scaled up. In fact, Audi offers a range of wheel options, starting with 21-inch hoops and moving up to optional 22- and 23-inch wheels.
As large as the Q9 is, the brakes are up to the task too. Take a peek behind the aforementioned wheels, and you’ll see a set of 15.7-inch rotors up front with six-piston calipers. The rear brakes are 13.8 inches with a single-piston setup.
Audi fits the Q9 with a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6. That mill might sound familiar, as it’s essentially the same engine used in the prior-gen RS5. Here on the Q9, you get 429 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque, and that torque peaks from 2,000 rpm up to 4,500 rpm.
The automaker claims the Q9 will run from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds, which is mighty impressive for a full-size non-sporting SUV. Audi pairs the V6 with an 8-speed gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive.
Audi has long been a leader in advanced lighting technology. From the early days of the R8’s daytime running lights to laser tech, and now the adaptive Digital Matrix LEDs, Audi’s lighting game has always been strong. Finally, though, we get to experience Audi’s truly adaptive lights here in the States.
The Digital Matrix LED lighting system is, according to Audi, smarter than the previous iteration of its laser light technology. The result appears the same, however: you can run your lights at max illumination without blinding pedestrians, other motorists, or even yourself.
Audi has engineered the system to recognize any things at which it should not be shining its brights. While I can feel the eye roll from those of you reading this, I fully understand your trepidation. Modern headlights feel far too bright, and every other car on the road seems like it’s out to roast your retinas.
What the Audi system actually does is reduce glare by lowering the light sent toward other motorists. It also detects metal signs on the side of the road, so that the bounce back from your lights hitting that source doesn’t blind you.
It’s not just smart headlight tech at play here, either. Audi has developed fascinating OLED taillights. They feature thousands of micro LEDs, similar to the headlights, which allow Audi to adapt the shape of the lights to better fit the vehicle.
The turn signals are a neat party trick, too. When you engage your indicator, an arrow projects on the ground on the side of the car in the direction you plan to turn. This happens off the front and rear of the vehicle and serves as a greater amount of notice to other cars, pedestrians, and cyclists that you’re about to turn. Those turn signals are an optional extra as part of a package including the upgraded headlights and taillights.
Source: motor1.com
