Audi is trying something different: listening to American drivers.
Audi has been struggling in the United States the past few years, recently seeing a 16% decline in 2025, only selling 164,942 vehicles. This was Audi’s worst performance in the U.S. in the past 10 years. Audi predicted at the time that 2026 would be even worse. Poor sales were likely due to tough competition in the EV SUV space, the Trump Administration’s punitive import tariffs, and seemingly meaningless names that nobody cared about.
The worst-selling models were its SUVs, like the Q3 and Q7, while the A7 and Q8 did okay, and the Q6 e-tron saw a significant increase in sales. The EV SUV segment doing so poorly is likely what led Audi to fear a similar decline in 2026, since it had even more of the same to offer. Something had to change.
Audi’s Q9 is another huge SUV that America didn’t ask for
During Audi’s annual media conference on March 17th, the company announced that the Q9, a large crossover, would be heading to the United States first. This is the first time that an Audi vehicle will launch in the United States before anywhere else. And this wasn’t done at random.
Said CEO Gernot Dollner, reported by Automotive News: “It’s been specifically developed for the U.S. market. This is definitely a product where we really listened to what the U.S. market told us. We listened to the requirements of the customers.”
The Q9 will be revealed in the second half of 2026, and deliveries are expected by the end of the year. And I have to say, I’m not sure if Audi actually listened. Dollner described the Q9 as a “chauffeur vehicle,” due to its massive interior and six captain’s chairs. While the United States is currently the top country for full-size luxury SUVs, I think there is a bit of a misconception about this.
Due to the current state of the economy and job market, Americans are probably the poorest we’ve ever been. We’re struggling so much, in fact, that the families that used to buy bargain commuters for around $20,000 to $30,000 can no longer even afford that. Meanwhile, the rich keep buying large SUVs, unaffected. This has convinced automakers that Americans want big, honking Escalades, leading many brands to eliminate their compact cars in favor of larger, more obnoxious SUVs. Then, automakers would wonder why they are struggling to sell their expensive luxury EVs.
Didn’t I just say that the Audi Q7 didn’t even do well last year?
Well, Audi may find out the hard way. The Q9 is meant to take on some of the most over-the-top SUVs America has: the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz GLS (the SQ9 performance Q9 will have a V8), and BMW X7. It’s Audi’s largest SUV ever, made specifically for Americans who are begging for cheap, compact cars. However, it could appeal to Escalade owners and Navigator enthusiasts who have been asking for an Audi with three rows of seats, luxurious materials, a huge trunk, and all the tech and safety features you could ever dream of.
I’m not saying nobody will enjoy this. They will. But I think most Americans were hoping for the Audi A1.
