Audi Q7 vs Q9: which three-row Audi belongs in your driveway?

For years, three rows and four rings meant one thing: the Q7. Not anymore. Audi just built its first-ever Q9, a full-size flagship that sits right on top of the lineup. And the Q7 got an all-new third generation for 2027. So which one fits your family?

Size and the third row

This is the whole ballgame. Audi calls the Q9 its most spacious SUV yet. It stretches 209 inches long on a 123.5-inch wheelbase. Fold the second and third rows in a seven-seater and you get up to 87.7 cubic feet of cargo room.

The Q7 isn't small. It's just sensibly sized. In the seven-seater you get 15.1 cubic feet behind the third row, up to 43.9 behind the second, and up to 78.1 with both folded. The Q9 answers with 19.3, 50.0 and 87.7.

Both seat seven, and both offer a six-seat layout with second-row captain's chairs. In a seven-seat Q9, Audi says you can fit three child seats across the second row. If teenagers or grandparents live in row three, the Q9's extra length is the point. If row three is for the occasional carpool, the Q7 handles it fine.

Under the hood

Here they're siblings. Each one uses a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with 429 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. Each one sends it through an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic to standard quattro all-wheel drive. Audi clocks the Q7 at 4.8 seconds to 60 mph and the heavier Q9 at 4.9. Not much separates them.

Want more? The SQ7 and SQ9 each swap in a twin-turbo V8 with 591 horsepower. Audi quotes 3.7 seconds to 60 for the SQ7. For the full rundown, see our RS and S guide.

The ride is where they split. The Q7 rides on steel springs as standard, with adaptive air suspension on the options list. The Q9 gets adaptive air as standard, so it can raise and lower itself.

Tech and the cabin

Both put a 12.3-inch screen in front of the passenger as standard. Both offer Digital Matrix LED headlights, which shape the high beam so you see more and oncoming drivers get less glare. Both offer a three-year trial of hands-free driving on approved highway stretches.

The Q9 piles on the flagship stuff. It gets a standard panoramic sunroof, the biggest Audi has ever put on a car. It offers curved digital OLED (organic light-emitting diode) taillights, doors that open and close themselves, and Bang & Olufsen 4D sound. The Q7 answers with available remote park assist pro, which can learn a parking move, like backing into your garage, and repeat it on command from the myAudi app.

Towing and Louisiana life

Got a boat? Both are rated to tow up to 7,700 pounds when properly equipped with the hitch. That's a bass boat headed to False River with room to spare.

Day to day, think about where you park. A Q7 slides into an older Baton Rouge garage without drama. The Q9 is a big rig, and you'll feel it in a tight lot. Either way, quattro keeps you planted when a summer storm turns I-12 into a lake.

Side by side

Sources: audiusa.com Q7 and Q9 model pages and Audi of America's media site. Specs are preliminary and subject to change.

Trims

The Q7 comes in Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige, with a launch edition on Prestige and the SQ7 above. Audi names Premium Plus and Prestige grades for the Q9, with the SQ9 on top and a sportier S line look offered on launch edition models.

For deals, ask the store. We don't post offers here. Prefer a sloped roofline? Our Q8, SQ8 and RS Q8 guide covers Audi's other big SUV family.

Can I get a Q9 in Baton Rouge?

Audi says the Q9 reaches U.S. dealers later this year. Audi Baton Rouge keeps a Q9 interest list. Ask to get on it, and shop the Q7 while you wait.

FAQ

Specs are from Audi of America materials, preliminary where noted, and subject to change. Ask Audi Baton Rouge for current pricing and availability.