Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The 2027 Audi Q9 in a NutshellFor years, Mercedes-Benz had the German full-size luxury SUV market all for itself with the introduction of the GL in 2007. Later renamed the GLS, it was largely unchallenged right until 2019. BMW then crashed that party of one when it rolled out the X7. Since then, the two have been butting heads in the sales charts, and the upstart has been outselling the one that started it all.Perhaps tired of its rivals having all the fun, Audi has responded with the Q9. Mainly intended for the North American market, the largest SUV to ever wear four rings wants to outdo and outshine Mercedes and BMW by being bigger, more powerful, and more opulent. But its not just its compatriots it's aiming at, as the Q9 also has the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator in its crosshairs.AdvertisementAdvertisementIn typical Audi fashion, there are three trims to choose from, namely Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. Audi wants this new flagship SUV to sell well by giving its customers more choices. It also helps that it's already offering discounts as early as now. But which trim offers the most for your hard-earned cash? Read on.Cole AttishaPremium: $87,700Calling the Q9 Premium the base model feels a little strange, if you ask us. That's mainly because it's already so well-equipped, it's almost as if you don't have to go for the higher trims. It's also worth pointing out that it's just a few hundred dollars more than the X7, and manages to undercut the GLS by thousands. That's quite impressive given this is the newest of the trio and is the most powerful out of the box. Its 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 is good for 429 hp and 442 lb-ft - far ahead of the BMW and Mercedes.This 'basic' Q9 already comes equipped with animated LED headlights that come with 3 digital DRL signatures, and there's no shortage of advanced driver assists such as adaptive cruise assist with lane departure warning. For added convenience, there's a top-view camera to make squeezing in and out of tight spots a breeze, along with Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus and a head-up display. Even this variant of the Q9 already rides on adaptive air suspension.Also thrown in is a panoramic sunroof, dual-pane windows, front seat heaters, and a Bang & Olufsen Premium sound system with 3D sound. Other highlights include tire pressure monitoring, power third-row seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual wireless charging, and heat-insulating glass. Also, there are six LATCH mounting points for child seats.AudiPremium Plus: $93,300We've established that the Premium gets you a lot of SUV for the money. Then again, for nearly $88 grand you deserve as many standard features as possible. That said, you're already spending that much for a flagship vehicle, so what's another $5,600, right? In this case, it gets you the Q9 Premium Plus.AdvertisementAdvertisementGoing for this trim gets you some pretty useful features on top of the already well-equipped Premium. It throws in an adaptive cruise with hands-free function (for highway only), plus a dashcam, Digital Matrix LED headlights, power soft-closing doors, and a five-zone automatic climate control system so even those in the third row will be comfy as well. Speaking of which, all rows come with seat heaters, and the fronts gain ventilation. All things considered, that's a good amount of additions for $5,600.AudiPrestige: $102,400There are flagships, then there's the top of the line of the flagship. That's what the Prestige trim of the Q9 is all about. For someone who wants, expects, and demands all the bells and whistles, it's the model to buy, cost no object. It's $9,100 more than the Premium Plus, and $14,600 on top of the Premium.It's a bit of a gap between Premium Plus and Prestige, although the latter gets four-wheel steering, those clever projector turn signals, and the curved OLED tail lights. It also adds the ambient interior lighting plus package, Nappa leather seats with massage function, and the Bang & Olufsen 4D Premium sound system, which is probably overkill for listening to podcasts. Other additions include variable light control for the panoramic sunroof, 3D surround-view cameras, air quality package, and rear autonomous emergency braking.AudiAvailable Options and PackagesOptional on all trims of the Q9 is the rear captain's chairs for $450. The Premium is available with the Black Optic Package that gives some exterior trims gloss black finishes for $1,000, while the Convenience Package worth $1,300 adds a dashcam, second and third-row seat heaters, and ventilated front seats.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Premium Plus gets a more expanded version of the Black Optic Package, hence why it's $2,300. You can also add the Bang & Olufsen 4D Premium sound system for an extra $950, as well as the panoramic sunroof with variable light control for another $1,000. This trim can also let you choose between two 22-inch wheel options, something unavailable in the Premium.As for the Prestige, the Black Optic Package is present once again, and it's still for $2,800. However, there's also the Luxury Package that'll set you back $4,000, giving you automatic doors, the extended leather package, and a Dinamica headliner. You can skip both those packages and go straight for the First Edition for $7,650. It bundles the Black Optic Package and Luxury Package together, plus an S-Line exterior and 23-inch alloys.AudiWhich One to Get?Now that we know the equipment levels and available options for each trim, which one provides the best value? Like in the Q7, we're leaning towards the Premium Plus as it has upgrades that may prove useful for those interested in the Q9. Not only that, you can tick all the options for it, and it'll still undercut the Prestige. Of course, there are some features from the top-spec model you'll miss out on if you go for this mid-spec model, but it'll probably satisfy most people.Still, the Premium is a pretty good buy if you just want the extra space over a Q7, and it already has a fair bit of kit. As for the Prestige, if you insist on availing the First Edition and four-wheel steering, it's the only way to go.AudiAudiView the 12 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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