For the latest Kia EV9 pricing and information:
The Kia EV9 is a big deal being the first non luxury 3-row electric SUV coming to the U.S. market for seating up to 7 passengers, and it moves Kia towards their commitment to become a future leader in sustainable mobility and their goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.
From the look of the EV9, the future is NOW. It rides on Kia’s E-GMP platform and utilizes Kia’s fourth generation battery technology. Its boxy shape, big wheels, short overhangs, and 7.8 inches of ground clearance give it a brawny look, and the vertical tail lights and digital pattern lighting on the tiger nose grille give it some sci-fi vibes.
The EV9’s wheelbase is 7.87 inches longer than the Telluride’s which should translate to some good interior space for occupants. Despite its blockish appearance, the EV9 has a drag coefficient of just 0.28 which is achieved through a 3D sculpted underbody cover, air curtains integrated into the front bumper, and aerodynamic wheels.
The EV9 will be offered in rear wheel or all wheel drive. A standard and long range RWD model will be offered with a 76.1 or 99.8 kWh battery and will have 215 and 201 hp respectively. No, that’s not a typo, the model with the bigger battery gets less power but that long range battery is good for up to 300 miles of driving while the smaller standard RWD battery only gets up to 223 miles of range. The Long Range AWD model has the same 99.8 kWh battery with a dual motor setup that delivers 379 horsepower, and 443 lb-ft of max torque. That’ll get the EV9 to sprint from 0-60 in around 5.3 seconds and will have about 270 miles of range. The AWD GT-line model get’s a bump in torque and will have 516 lb-ft.
The EV9 will have fast-charging capabilities of up to 218 kW, and 15 minutes of charging can provide up to 148 additional miles, and that fast charge capability can get a 10-80% state of charge in around 25 minutes.
If there’s no where to go while charging, you can position the seats in relaxation mode so you can sit back, relax, and watch all the KBB videos you desire. The EV9 will also have an integrated Charging Control Unit which includes vehicle to load functionality. This lets customers use up to 3.68 kW of power from the EV9 to power things from laptops to electric grills.
As heavy as the EV9 is, it still has some fun potential as if you were driving a high powered Kia Telluride which is great. If you’re looking to tow with your EV SUV, the max tow rating for the AWD models is 5,000 lbs and for RWD it’s 2,000 lbs.
Some standard safety tech on the EV9 will include forward collision avoidance assist, blind spot warning, lane following assist, and Highway Driving Assist.
The North American debut of the EV9 will have available advanced Highway Driving Pilot which will support level 3 autonomous driving that will use 15 sensors, including 2 LiDars, and this will give the EV9 a full 360 degree field of view for obstacle and collision avoidance. Keep in mind this system only supports level 3 autonomous driving, but still needs to be approved by the U.S. government.
Driving is important but what about the inside? Well, the interior of the EV9 looks and feels great, ingress is easy with wide opening doors, plus there’s plenty of space. Kia’s pledge for sustainability is shown through their use of recycled, bio and sustainable materials throughout the cabin, and the thoughtful use of space and flat floors which is made possible thanks to that longer wheelbase and low mounted battery pack.
Along with comfortable seats, there’s also a massage function which could help for those long hauls. There are various storage spots around the cabin, a wireless charger, 12 inch digital gauge cluster and 12 inch infotainment screen, but there’s no available wireless apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, charging won’t be an issue because all 3 rows have USB-C charging outlets. As far as cargo, behind the 3rd row there’s 20.2 cu-ft of space, and with the 2nd and 3rd row folded, cargo volume increases to 81.9 cu-ft. If you’re curious, there is a frunk.
There’s no exact trim breakdown yet, but great options like 21 inch wheels, 360 degree camera, remote smart park assist, panoramic roof, Meridian sound system, head-up display, and 2nd row captain’s chairs will be available options. The EV9 is expected to debut in the states towards the end of 2023, and will be the first Kia EV to be assembled locally in West Point, Georgia at the beginning of 2024.
00:00 2024 Kia EV9
00:56 Exterior
02:04 Powertrains
03:31 Driving Impressions
09:30 Interior
12:17 Frunk
12:27 Interior Details
13:08 Swivel Seats
13:35 Your Car’s Value
13:54 EV9 Available Options
14:10 Final Thoughts
