SPIED: 2026 Audi Q9 Is A Six-Figure Three-Row SUV To Lure Cadillac Escalade Buyers originally appeared on Autoblog.
Audi Q9 Has Been Touring Europe
It's summer, and that's the perfect time to visit Spain. After visiting northern Sweden and then Germany's Nürburgring, the Audi Q9 is soaking up the sun as part of its hot weather testing, closely following a new Q7 (which was mildly refreshed last year), Audi's current largest SUV and only three-row. The Q9 needs to make a positive impression from the start, facing stiff competition in the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, not to mention the best-selling full-size luxury SUV in the U.S., the Cadillac Escalade. Along with other American three-row luxury SUVs, the Q9 will have to face the threat of Asian alternatives like the Infiniti QX80.
Styling Is Progressive Rather Than Revolutionary
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The Q9 in these images appears to be as close to production-ready as it gets, and even the wacky vinyl camouflage can't hide the handsome, if somewhat simple, appearance. Sure, the LED daytime running lights beneath the hood line look like Audi's latest and greatest, and we're sure they'll be capable of some fancy animations, but the decision to split the headlights is one that is all too common these days. The shoulder line running backward from these headlights to the rear haunches passes uninterrupted thanks to flush-fitting door handles, but without the massive Singleframe grille or what will undoubtedly be an illuminated badge, this SUV might not stand out from most forward-facing angles. Other noteworthy elements are the pronounced roof rails and panoramic glass roof. At the rear, Audi will again be a victim of following trends, with a full-width taillight bar connecting the main rear lamps. The graphics and taillight borders evident under braking aren't vastly dissimilar from those on your average electric Cadillac, but combined with the reflector strips in the lower bumper (not to mention the fact that the Q7 will adopt a similar look), we'll come to associate the rear end with Audi. Just to be certain, another illuminated badge will appear here.
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With hexagonal cutouts in the front end, it's possible that different exhaust finishers will be used on this SQ9 or S-Line model when it reaches production. A final note on the styling: the smaller Q7's higher-mounted license plate will make it easier to differentiate from the rear, but the front's differences from the wider Q9 will be subtler. Audi intends to show a completely new concept at IAA Munich next month, something it's calling its next "TT moment," but that will likely only inform later vehicles, and this Q9 will be somewhere in the middle of the crossover in design language.
Underpinnings Are Aging, But That's Good News For V8 Lovers
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Like the Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga, and Lamborghini Urus, both the Audi Q7 and Q9 in these images (as well as the Q8) will be based on the Volkswagen Group's Premium Platform Combustion architecture, which is basically a revised version of the MLBevo platform first introduced in 2007. That means we can expect a mix of mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid six-cylinder engines, and since the Audi RS6 will retain its V8, we can expect the SQ9 to do the same. Considering the level of camouflage, a reveal should take place late this year or early next with an expected price tag in the six-figure range.
Related: Audi CEO Says New Sports Car Will Be Their "TT Moment 2.0"
SPIED: 2026 Audi Q9 Is A Six-Figure Three-Row SUV To Lure Cadillac Escalade Buyers first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 8, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
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