A big powerful V6 Diesel for the big Audi Q9
- Published on 29/07/2026 13:22
- Modified on 29/07/2026 17:54
Doing very well what no one wants to do anymore, at Audi, is no longer an accident; it’s almost a philosophy.
While the global automotive industry now almost exclusively swears by electric vehicles, Audi unveils its brand new Q9: a 5.31 meter long SUV, over 2.20 meters wide… and powered, initially, by a good old V6 Diesel. Certainly electrified, but Diesel nonetheless.
On paper, the reasoning is not absurd. Audi knows that this type of behemoth will often travel very long distances, sometimes carrying seven passengers and their luggage. In this context, a six-cylinder TDI still has solid arguments: a generous torque of 630 Nm, controlled consumption, and an autonomy that many electric SUVs can still envy. The MHEV+ technology provides 24 hp of electric assistance and even allows for some movement without engaging the thermal engine. Enough to improve efficiency… and especially to reduce official CO2 emissions.
Because that’s where the paradox lies. This “new generation” Diesel must also allow the Q9 to escape an ecological penalty that would have been astronomically high with a more traditional engine. A mild hybridization that resembles more of a fiscal passport than a true technical revolution.
Audi does Audi
The rest of the vehicle fully embraces its excess. Seven seats as standard, a VIP lounge-style interior, electric doors, the largest panoramic roof ever mounted on an Audi, an avalanche of driving aids, and even curved OLED lights touted as a world first: it’s hard to be more demonstrative.
Ultimately, the Audi Q9 perfectly illustrates the current strategy of the brand. While some manufacturers reduce the size of their models or accelerate their shift to 100% electric, Audi continues to believe that there is a clientele ready to invest in a huge premium SUV, capable of effortlessly covering hundreds of kilometers. A clientele that, evidently, has not yet mourned Diesel.
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Despite not being in vogue, the Q9 fully embraces its status as an automotive UFO. A gigantic, luxurious, ultra-technological vehicle… and powered by technology that many had declared doomed just a few years ago. Audi is indeed swimming against the tide. But it must be acknowledged that in Ingolstadt, they still know how to do it very well.
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This page is translated from the original post "Un bon gros V6 Diesel pour le bon gros Audi Q9" in French.
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