Original MyFavi blog
2027 Audi SQ9: A 591-HP V8 Flagship With Room for Seven
The first Audi SQ9 brings 591 hp, rear-biased quattro, three-row seating, and a 3.8-second sprint to Audi's flagship SUV.
The first-ever Audi SQ9 has arrived, and it feels gloriously out of step with the downsizing era. Audi has put a 591-horsepower twin-turbo V8 into its new three-row flagship, sent 590 lb-ft through rear-biased quattro all-wheel drive, and produced an SUV it says will hit 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. It can also seat seven and tow up to 7,700 pounds.
That combination is the whole point. The 2027 Audi SQ9 is not merely an SQ7 with a higher number on its hatch, nor is it trying to be a taller RS Q8. This is Audi's biggest SUV translated into S-car language: serious speed, real exhaust pipes, air suspension, huge wheels, and enough cabin for the school run that supposedly justified buying it.
The V8 Is the Headline — and the Heart
The SQ9's numbers put it firmly in modern performance-SUV territory:
- Engine: Twin-turbo V8
- Output: 591 hp
- Torque: 590 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph: 3.8 seconds, manufacturer claimed
- Driveline: Rear-biased quattro permanent all-wheel drive
- Suspension: Standard adaptive air suspension
Three-point-eight seconds is absurdly quick for a full-size, three-row SUV. More importantly for an enthusiast, Audi has not reduced the SQ9 to a launch-control party trick. The company says its permanent quattro system favors the rear axle, and its technical page specifically mentions a regulated rear-axle differential lock. That should help the big Audi rotate more naturally under power instead of simply dragging itself out of a corner by the front tires.
We should keep the physics in view. A vehicle with three rows, an available 7,700-pound tow rating, and as much as 87 cubic feet of cargo volume is not going to dance like a TT RS. Audi has not published a curb weight on the linked U.S. overview pages, and no amount of torque vectoring can make mass disappear. But rear-biased power delivery and adaptive air springs are exactly the tools you would choose to make a large SUV feel alert without punishing everyone onboard.
Then there are the exhausts. Audi says the twin tailpipes on both sides are functional, with an acoustic role as well as a visual one. In a market filling rapidly with convincing but quiet performance EVs, a flagship SUV with a proper V8 soundtrack has become an occasion in itself.
It Looks Big Because It Is Supposed To
Audi describes the SQ9 as its SUV flagship, and the design refuses to hide that status. The upright Singleframe grille occupies what feels like an acre of frontal area. Slim upper daytime-running lights sit above the main lamps, while the wide shoulders and nearly vertical tail make the SQ9 read as a substantial luxury SUV rather than an oversized coupe.
S-specific bumpers, aluminum-look mirror caps, S badging, and available 23-inch Audi Sport wheels add the aggression. Audi also gives the rear wheels a wider track and fits wider rear tires with the available large rims. That staggered footprint is more than theater: Audi says it provides additional grip, and visually it plants the SQ9 in a way a tall three-row body needs.
The available curved digital OLED rear lights are pure modern Audi. Owners can choose among light signatures, and a communication light can display warning information. Up front and along the sides, available projection lighting can cast graphics onto the road, including a dynamic arrow intended to make a turn or lane change more visible at night. Whether that strikes you as useful signaling or elaborate light-show bravado, it certainly suits a flagship.
My favorite detail is simpler. The SQ9 does not pretend its engine is something to apologize for. The exhaust is visible, the grille is emphatic, and the proportions are unapologetically upright. This is not a delicate design, but delicacy would be dishonest here.
A Real Three-Row Cabin, Not a Performance-SUV Afterthought
The SQ9 can be configured for six or seven passengers. The seven-seat version uses a three-place second row, and Audi says as many as three child seats can be installed there simultaneously. The six-seat layout substitutes individual second-row seats, giving passengers more personal space and an easier path through the cabin.
Fold the second and third rows in the seven-seat configuration and cargo capacity grows to a claimed 87 cubic feet. Properly equipped with the available trailer hitch, the SQ9 can tow up to 7,700 pounds, though Audi notes that vehicle load, options, and accessories can reduce that maximum. Those are not decorative utility numbers; they are what make this extravagant machine usable as a single family vehicle.
The front Sport seats plus can be trimmed in fine Nappa leather, while carbon-structure inlays and illuminated S door sills carry the performance theme inside. Audi also offers seat ventilation and massage. A standard panoramic sunroof can open for fresh air, and available segments can switch to an opaque state — a far more elegant solution than wrestling a fabric shade across a giant glass panel.
Available five-zone climate control lets even third-row occupants set their own temperature. That may be the most honest luxury feature in the entire vehicle. Horsepower impresses the driver; giving the passengers at the very back their own climate zone prevents an argument before it starts.
Screens Everywhere, but Some Clever Ideas Too
Audi's continuous dashboard display arrangement includes the virtual cockpit, central MMI interface, and a standard 12.3-inch front-passenger screen. The passenger can use apps and entertainment without taking over the main display, while a head-up display keeps essential information in the driver's sightline. Wireless phone charging and multiple USB ports cover the less glamorous but more frequently used part of the technology brief.
The SQ9 also offers remote-control parking and a trained-parking function that can learn frequently repeated maneuvers and reproduce them when instructed. On specified highways, Audi advertises an included three-year trial of assisted hands-free driving. The company is careful to frame these systems as convenience features, and drivers remain responsible for using them within their operating limits.
There is a lot happening here, perhaps too much for anyone who misses the calm, button-rich cabins of older Audis. Yet the passenger display makes sense on a vehicle meant to cover distance with a full cabin, and the available parking tools could be genuinely valuable when 23-inch wheels and a flagship-sized body meet a tight garage.
Where the SQ9 Fits
Audi's own comparison makes the family hierarchy interesting. The regular 2027 Q9 starts at $87,700 and uses a 429-hp twin-turbo V6. The new SQ7 starts at $98,700 and makes the same 591 hp as the SQ9, while the five-seat RS Q8 starts at $139,700 with 631 hp. Audi does not list an SQ9 starting price on the linked overview page.
That leaves the SQ9 with a clear mission even before its price is announced. The SQ7 is the smaller way into this V8 output. The RS Q8 is the sharper, more powerful five-seat statement. The SQ9 is for the buyer who needs maximum passenger and cargo flexibility but refuses to make the family flagship a purely sensible purchase.
It also avoids chasing the RS badge too aggressively. With 40 fewer horsepower than the RS Q8 and a full extra row, the SQ9's job is not to set a Nürburgring headline. Its job is to cross states quickly, tow the toys, make a mountain on-ramp memorable, and keep six or seven people comfortable while doing it.
The Enthusiast Verdict, for Now
On specification alone, the Audi SQ9 is wonderfully excessive in a very coherent way. The V8 has the output to make its size feel improbable. Rear-biased quattro and adaptive air suspension suggest someone cared about more than a straight-line number. The staggered stance, functioning exhausts, and 23-inch wheel option give it presence, while the seating and cargo figures preserve the reason a flagship SUV exists.
The unanswered questions matter. We do not yet have an official U.S. starting price on Audi's overview, an independent curb weight, instrumented performance results, or a road test that can tell us whether the steering and brake pedal communicate through all that luxury. Audi also notes that illustrations may show equipment unavailable on U.S. models and that specifications can change.
Still, the premise is difficult not to love. The 2027 SQ9 takes the most practical shape Audi sells and gives it the least apologetic powertrain in the range. It is a family hauler engineered with a mischievous streak — the kind of vehicle that can tow a boat on Saturday, swallow a warehouse run on Sunday, and make every empty on-ramp between the two feel like an event.
Official Sources
All specifications, equipment, pricing comparisons, and availability statements are based on Audi of America's official U.S. product pages as accessed July 31, 2026. The 0–60-mph figure is manufacturer claimed. Maximum towing capacity requires proper equipment and may be reduced by vehicle load, accessories, or options. Confirm current specifications and availability with Audi or an authorized dealer.