Dealers hype for the Audi Q9: ‘That Soccer Mom vehicle’ we need

Better late than never: Audi is about to enter the full-size luxury SUV segment. From the Range Rover and BMW X7 to the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator: almost all major competitors already have products in this class. About twenty years after arch-rival Mercedes launched the GL-Class, the Q9 will break through in 2026 as Ingolstadt’s late flagship.

As you can imagine, dealers are eager to get their hands on the Q9, Audi’s first luxury liner with a true third row of seats. Speak with Automotive NewsTom McCollum, chairman of the Audi National Dealer Council, is excited about the upcoming product, calling it the “soccer mom we haven’t been able to offer.”

Rear seat occupants will have much more space than in the Q7 as the upcoming range-topping SUV will be significantly larger. For reference, the outgoing Q7 is 198.9 inches (5,052 millimeters) long, while the replacement, also arriving this year, is expected to be even bigger.

Logic suggests the Q9 will be even taller than the next-generation Q7, although McCollum clarified it will be shorter than the Chevrolet Tahoe. The American family dumper is 5,352 millimeters long, roughly comparable to a Rolls-Royce Cullinan or the long-wheelbase Bentley Bentayga.

Audi remains tight-lipped about the first-ever Q9, but the dealer representative said it will feature captain’s chairs and a walk-through second-row seat. McCollum added that the super-sized SUV is expected to entice buyers who have thus far opted for the Tahoe or Suburban for their superior space compared to the Q7.

“The Q9 will solve that problem for us. Every Audi dealer will tell you: it can’t get there fast enough.”

Motor1 takes: Audi certainly needs fresh metal in the United States, given the company’s poor sales performance in 2025. Deliveries fell a worrying 16 percent to 164,942 units, partly because demand for the aging Q7 fell 12 percent to 20,894 vehicles. The launch of an all-new Q7 alongside a larger Q9 should help rejuvenate sales. Although both models will break through later this year, a positive impact on deliveries is unlikely to occur before 2027.

You might think the market for full-size luxury SUVs is already saturated, but Audi believes there’s still room for the Q9. Complaints have been heard about the Q7’s cramped third-row seating and these will be addressed by the upcoming SUV, the range-topping SUV.

It remains to be seen whether the next Q7 will retain a third-row option or if Audi will try to push buyers towards the Q9 instead. It’s also too early to say whether, aside from the individual second-row seats, the Q9 will offer a bench seat that can accommodate three passengers.