This week we look at a new entry into the Kia SUV lineup, the new all-electric Kia EV9, a large 3-row SUV that has won many awards, such as the World Car of the Year, the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, and a Car & Driver top 10 best trucks and SUVs, just to name a few.
My review vehicle is the next to the top-of-the-line Land all-wheel drive Long Range version, which comes standard with just about everything and it is extremely well- equipped.
Powering this SUV is a 99.8 kWh liquid-cooled Lithium-Ion High-Voltage battery that powers one motor in the back, and another one in the front. This is the long range battery Kia offers, and with dual motors, this is an all-wheel drive version. You can get a single motor as well, and it is rear-wheel drive in that case, but I’d recommend opting for the all-wheel edition for handling purposes.
Specs on this propulsion setup are impressive. It has 379-horses and is rated at 443 pound-feet of torque. As you find with all electrics, the acceleration is very good, even for an almost 6,000 pound SUV. 0-to-60 time is just 4.5 seconds.
Exterior
You see the new Kia design language on the outside, abandoning the round or oval look in favor of square and boxy, sort of reminiscent of the new Hyundai Santa Fe I reviewed. Door handles are flush and pop out when you get near the EV9 with the key. The overall appearance works well, especially with the Ivory Silver Matte finish on this one.
I have to say I just don’t like the wheels, and I am a “wheel guy”. I think they make or break a vehicle, and these are not doing it for me. These are 20” alloy, and as usual with everything else on an EV, they are designed to channel wind and cancel resistance, but I’ve seen wheels I think are way better looking. I wasn’t crazy about the 21” wheels on the GT-Line EV9 I reviewed earlier, either. On the plus side, the front end is attractive with LED lighting and it has lights behind the grill, there are active grill shutters down low to help keep the battery pack cool. Gloss black runs along the bottom and over the wheels.
Interior
When you open the door, you see very attractive dark gray and light gray SynTex seats that are comfortable and highly adjustable. You’ll find soft-touch contrasting materials that run across the dash. Both front seats are power, and both are heated and cooled.
There are two 12.3” touchscreens that display the driver info system that is configurable and will give you the battery range left in miles as well as what percentage you’ve used. There is speed recognition for you to see, and all the pertinent info is large and clear.
In what appears to be the second half of the screen is the infotainment system that displays the navigation system, the Meridian Premium sound with 14-speakers, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, Wi-Fi, and more. Everything is simple to operate, and there are some shortcuts to all the functions built across the dash.
The center console is wide and large, and very soft to the touch. A sliding door opens to adjustable cup holders, and there are buttons on it for Auto Hold, hill descent, rear cameras, and self-parking technology. There is also a wireless charger for cell phones.
Moving to the second-row captain chairs that are heated and cooled, there are USB ports, air conditioning vents, a slide-out center console, USB and USB-C ports. The second row captain’s chairs also recline, and they have armrests. Buttons on the front passenger seat will allow back seat passengers to slide the seat forward limo-style or to create more legroom. Air conditioning controls are mounted on the headliner and are digital. There are also side window shades you can raise. A button on top of the second row seats slide the seats forward for easy 3rd-row access.
The far back seat is extremely roomy for adults, those occupants also have USB ports and cup holders. The flat floor that houses the big battery makes the 3rd row passengers more comfortable.
The third row seats fold down manually from the large cargo area and they fold flat and are not cumbersome to operate at all. At first, I was wishing they were power, but honestly this way is easy and it’s quicker.
Cargo area is cavernous even with the 3rd-row seat up, and there is a frunk, a front trunk, that will hold one nice-sized overnight bag.
Neat features on my tester include surround-view camera, two moon roofs (power front and fixed rear glass), power tilt and heated steering wheel, hands-free liftgate opener, Keyless remote start, and the Meridian Premium stereo. It also has Driver Talk, which allows you to speak directly to the people in the far back, and Quiet Mode, which turns off all the speakers except in the front of the SUV.
On the safety front, the 2024 Kia EV9 Land has automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, rear occupant alert, automatic forward collision assist, parking sensors for front and rear, lane departure with lane keep assist, and Blind Spot View Monitor. Cameras in both side mirrors are activated if there is a car in your blind spot or if you engage your blinkers. The picture of what is happening on either side appears in the center of the driver’s display.
Options include the $995 paint, the $1,500 towing package which gives you a hitch and self-leveling rear suspension, and $340 for carpeted floor mats and a carpeted rear cargo mat.
Ride and Drive
The EV9 drives great, the ride is smooth and in spite of its heavy, bulky looks, lean is minimal in curves and turns. The SUV is incredibly quiet inside and Kia went to great lengths to make sure of that with more insulation and thicker glass.
Is the EV9 essentially a Telluride that is electric? No, actually there are many differences, and the EV9 is slightly larger. It does have many of the features that so many have loved about the Telluride.
As I’ve said, I love one-pedal driving in EVs, and you can adjust the drag from paddles on the steering wheel, and the resistance helps to recharge the battery. I kept it at max the entire time I had it, and hardly ever used the brakes.
Range, MPGe
Range is rated at 280-miles, but on the onboard computer I was able to charge it past that point. The MPGe rating is 75-highway, 91-city, and 83 combined.
Charging
Charging time with a Level 2 charger is almost 9-hours from zero to 100%, but with a DC fast charger, you can charge it to 80% in 24-minutes according to Kia. With a 110 outlet, it takes 7 days, I am not kidding. After 3-days non-stop, I went from 15% to 50% charged. In the interest of full disclosure, this particular vehicle has a problem, and it would not take a charge from my Level 2 garage charger. It worked at a Level 3 pay charger, and the 110-volt also worked, but at a snail’s pace.
What You'll Pay
Total MSRP on this ultra-loaded EV9 is $74,220 before discounts and incentives, and this vehicle does not qualify for the Federal Tax Credit, or the partial $3,750 Federal rebate.
There aren’t a lot of choices in larger, 3-row roomy all-electric SUVs at this time and I will say this one would be an excellent choice.
To view larger photos see a slideshow on CarPro.com.