The interior of the first Audi Q9 large SUV has been revealed ahead of its scheduled unveiling in July 2026 in Europe.
Expected in Australian showrooms late in 2027, the Q9 will give Audi a rival to the BMW X7 and the Mercedes-Benz GLS full-size SUVs in terms of size, cabin space, and likely price.
Previously spied testing, the Q9 has a clear kinship inside and out to recently launched Audi models like the third-generation A5 and sixth-generation A6.
It may also become the brand’s flagship in Australia after the A8 sedan went off sale here in late 2025, with a successor not expected to go on sale for several years.
As such, the Q9 brings Audi’s first automatically opening and closing doors, with sensors to avoid nearby obstacles, for access to the largest passenger area it has ever offered in an SUV.
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Massive screens dominate the first row, with a driver’s digital instrument cluster alongside a centre screen and dedicated front passenger display, though exact sizes have not been disclosed.
Audi’s flat-bottom three-spoke steering wheel includes physical buttons, as does the centre console, but the climate control is adjusted via a strip of anchored touchscreen controls across the bottom of the main display.
The brand says subtle lighting brings a ‘floating effect’ for the centre display, with the Q9 featuring a full-width ambient light package consisting of an LED strip encircling the entire cabin.
The ‘dynamic interaction light’ can match the beat of the audio from the Bang & Olufsen sound system, which has 4D sound. It includes headrest speakers which can also be used for phone calls, with wireless phone chargers in the centre console along with two USB-C ports.
Audi hasn’t announced dimensions, but it has confirmed a 1.5 square metre UV-light resistant panoramic roof on all Q9s – and it opens, too – as well as external roof rails with included roof racks to add to its cargo-carrying capacity.
There are also aluminium side rails with adjustable anchors in the boot area to help secure luggage.
Opting for the six-seat configuration retains the same first and third rows but adds two electrically adjustable captain’s chairs in the second row instead of a three-person bench.
The third-row seats also feature power-adjustable backrests.
The seats are trimmed in several leather and leatherette types, including genuine Nappa leather, while new materials inside include alpaca wool alongside microfibre with inlay options including ‘ash natural’, silk beige and carbon-fibre weave options.
Audi said it has consciously limited fingerprint-prone glossy surfaces, choosing matte and textured materials in new colours such as tamarind brown and stone beige.
The Q9 is expected to be closely related to Porsche’s upcoming flagship SUV, codenamed ‘K1’, with both brands part of the broader Volkswagen Group.
The Audi and Porsche will use the Platform Premium Combustion (PPC) architecture currently used on the Audi A5, Q5, and A6, an evolution of the earlier MLB platform with improved support for longer range plug-in hybrids.
Powertrain options for the Q9 are yet to be announced.
Its arrival marks a transition for the Audi brand as it looks to bounce back from sliding sales globally.
“In 2025, Audi set out on a new path – with a clear design philosophy … the new Audi Q9 strengthens our position in the US [United States] and defines the top of our portfolio,” Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said at the brand’s annual general meeting in March 2026.
“Our growth targets through 2030 are both realistic and ambitious – and we are squarely aligning our position in our core regions of Europe, the US, and China to achieve them.”