Audi Georgia Plant and the New Q9: What Canadians Should Know

Why is Audi in the news in Canada? On October 24, Audi said it will build its first U.S. plant in Georgia. It will cost about US$4 billion and build up to 200,000 SUVs a year from 2031. Nothing changes for Canadian buyers today. The new Q9 still starts at $123,300 here.

Key takeaways

• Audi picked the Middle Georgia Megasite near Macon for its first U.S. factory. The news came out on October 24, 2026.
• Audi says the plant will cost about US$4 billion and create about 4,500 jobs.
• The State of Georgia says grading starts in 2027, building starts in 2028 and full output comes in 2031.
• A U.S. official told Reuters the plant should build the Q7, Q8 and Q9. Audi has not named the models.
• The 2027 Audi Q9 made its Canadian debut near Toronto in early October. It starts at $123,300 before fees and tax.
• Audi Canada has not said if any Canadian Audis will come from Georgia.

Why Audi is trending

Audi is one of the top searches in Canada this weekend. The reason is a big factory story from the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump broke the news at a rally in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday, October 24. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Audi CEO Gernot Döllner then made it official. Audi posted its own media release on October 25.

There is a second reason too. The new Audi Q9 just landed in Canada. It is the biggest Audi ever built. Many Canadians are looking it up.

What Audi is building in Georgia

Here are the facts from Audi and the State of Georgia.

Audi says it wants to build "premium SUVs tailored to North American customers" close to the buyers. Today Audi has no plant in the U.S. at all. It ships every Audi sold there from Europe or Mexico.

Why tariffs matter here

CNBC reports that U.S. tariffs cost Audi about 1.2 billion euros last year. That is a lot of money for one brand. A plant in Georgia lets Audi build its biggest SUVs inside the U.S. and skip those import costs.

I have watched brands make moves like this for over 10 years. A new plant is a long game. It takes years of work before the first car rolls out. Nothing about this plant will touch a Canadian price tag before 2031.

What it means for Canadian buyers

The short answer is nothing yet. Here is how I see it.

• Prices today do not change. The plant does not exist yet. Dealers in Canada still get Audis from the same plants as before.
• We do not know where Canadian Audis will come from in 2031. Audi Canada has not said a word on this. We will update this story if it does.
• Trade rules will matter. A car built in Georgia and sold in Canada falls under Canada and U.S. trade rules. Those rules may look very different by 2031.

If you want an Audi now, shop the way you normally would. Do not wait for this plant.

The new Audi Q9 in Canada

Photo: Autowizja, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. 2026 Audi Q9 rear. File photo.

The Q9 is the kind of SUV the Georgia plant is likely to build. It is Audi's first SUV designed for North America. Audi Canada showed it to guests at a private event outside Toronto in early October.

Here is what Canadian buyers pay, as reported by Driving.ca and Auto123 from the Audi Canada website.

Add a $3,060 destination fee. You also pay the federal luxury tax, since these prices are over $100,000. Auto123 says that brings the Q9 to about $132,350 and the SQ9 to about $167,800, before sales tax.

The Q9 has a 2.9 litre twin turbo V6 with 429 hp. The SQ9 has a 4.0 litre twin turbo V8 with 591 hp. Seven seats come standard. Both can tow up to 7,700 lb, according to Auto123.

You can see all the brand's models on our Audi page. For more on how federal tax rules may change, read our Budget 2026 and gas tax guide.

FAQ

Is Audi building a plant in Canada? No. The new plant is in Georgia, in the United States. Audi says it will cost about US$4 billion and build up to 200,000 vehicles a year. Audi has not announced any plant in Canada. Audi Canada sells cars here but does not build them here, and that has not changed.

Will Audi prices in Canada go down because of the Georgia plant? Not any time soon. The plant will not reach full output until 2031, says the State of Georgia. Audi Canada has not said if any Canadian cars will come from there. Prices today are set by the current plants, the dollar and the federal luxury tax on cars over $100,000.

Which Audi models will the Georgia plant build? Audi only says large premium SUVs for North American buyers. A U.S. official told Reuters, as reported by CNBC, that the plant should build the Q7, Q8 and Q9. Audi has not confirmed the list. We will treat it as a report until Audi names the models itself.

How much does the Audi Q9 cost in Canada? The 2027 Audi Q9 starts at $123,300 and the Technik trim starts at $133,600. The SQ9 starts at $152,850. Add a $3,060 destination fee and the federal luxury tax. Auto123 puts the real starting prices at about $132,350 for the Q9 and $167,800 for the SQ9.

Should I wait to buy an Audi? I would not wait for this news. The Georgia plant is years away and its effect on Canada is still unknown. If you need an SUV now, compare prices, test drive a few and buy when the deal is right. Watch our news section for any change to Audi pricing in Canada.

Sources

• Audi AG, Audi to establish first U.S. production site in Georgia, October 25, 2026
• Office of the Governor of Georgia, Audi AG Selects Georgia to Invest $4 Billion, October 24, 2026
• CNBC, Trump announces Audi will build $4 billion U.S. factory in Georgia, October 24, 2026
• Driving.ca, 2027 Audi Q9 starts at $123,300, SQ9 at $152,850 in Canada, August 19, 2026
• Auto123, Audi's new 2027 Q9 and SQ9 priced for Canada, August 19, 2026
• Azure Magazine, At its Q9 launch, Audi showcases the Consequence of Ideals, October 19, 2026