Audi is getting ready to launch the 2027 Audi Q9, its biggest vehicle ever and its first full-size luxury SUV. CarBuzz previewed the interior of the new model in Munich, Germany, and the message was plain: this is a large, American-focused SUV built to go after the Cadillac Escalade, the Mercedes-Benz GLS and the BMW X7.

The Q9 is meant to sit at the top of Audi's SUV lineup as a new halo model, much the way the A8 anchors the sedan side of the brand. It will arrive in 2027, with the Q7 due for replacement later this year, giving Audi a larger three-row flagship just as the current midsize model reaches the end of its run.

Inside, Audi says the Q9 will be offered with six or seven seats. The six-seat layout uses captain's chairs in the second row and two individual seats in the third row, while the seven-seat version swaps in a second-row bench that can take child seats in all three positions. Audi says both rear rows are roomy enough for adults, though the third row is slightly tighter than an Escalade's and far more comfortable than the third row in a Volvo XC90.

Front-seat buyers will have the best equipment. With the sport seat plus option, they can get heating, ventilation and massaging functions. Rear passengers get heating for now, along with seats that feature shoulder-level light detailing and a sportier look. Partial power adjustment is standard across the cabin, and the third-row seats can be raised or lowered independently with a button in the trunk.

The cargo area is getting attention too. Audi has built an aluminum rail system into the sides of the trunk, with adjustable hooks and anchors meant to hold smaller items above the floor while leaving room below for larger bags and boxes. There are also two ventilated wireless charging pads in the center console with magnetic locking to keep phones from sliding, plus USB-C charging ports throughout the cabin.

Perhaps the most unusual feature is the door system. Audi says power-operated doors will open and close automatically for the first time in one of its models. The exterior handles still need a single pull and release, but the doors can swing open to 90 degrees and then shut by themselves after a person gets in, buckles up or presses the brake pedal. External sensors are meant to keep the doors from opening too far in tight spaces and can even stop a door from opening if an unseen cyclist or car is approaching.

The same doors can also be controlled remotely through the myAudi app and the key fob. Audi has not yet given cabin dimensions, but says the Q9 should be even larger than the Q7. That matters because the company is tailoring the SUV for regional tastes, with Europe and China seen as too far removed from the Middle East and America for a one-size-fits-all strategy. In that market, the Q9 is entering one of the toughest corners of the luxury segment, where size, comfort and brand status matter as much as the badge on the grille.

For Audi, the Q9 is less a niche experiment than a statement of intent. It answers the simple question the preview raised: whether the brand can build a true full-size luxury SUV that feels tailored for American buyers. The answer, based on what has been shown so far, is yes.