LOOKS

The EV9’s exterior design combines a mostly boxy look with some nice angles and attractive wheel designs. You can tell it’s an EV, but the design isn’t overdone to the point where it has like a forced futuristic look as you see on some EVs. Some of the styling was borrowed from Kia’s Telluride SUV, but the EV9 has enough different elements to stand on its own.

Its charge port is easy to access, and my test vehicle featured a very sharp Ocean Blue exterior paint color and 21-inch wheels.

The EV9 features dual sunroofs, a smart power liftgate, a unique and futuristic lighting setup in the front grille, and roof rails.

The EV9 includes a “frunk”, aka front trunk, which actually has room for some small items. Many EV frunks are so minuscule that you can’t fit anything of note, so this is a welcome surprise.

Moving inside the EV9, an impressive, versatile setup is found that is bordering on luxury level even though Kia isn’t a luxury brand.

The vehicle provides plenty of room for 6 or 7 passengers, the two configurations allowed. There is tons of legroom and headroom in all three rows, and you get high-quality, comfortable seating that adults and kids will both love.

One unique feature included were the leg rests for front-row passengers, which I haven’t seen elsewhere. I didn't like it for the driver, but it is a nice option for the front seat passenger.

The design of the EV9 allows for plenty of small storage space in front, underneath the center console, since the shifting is done via a lever near the steering wheel. Second-row passengers are able to push a button to move forward front seats, and an Ergo Motion massaging seat is offered for the driver (with options for pelvic, lumbar and whole body massage). This type of feature helps give the EV9 a luxury vibe.

Accessing the third row is a breeze, with the push of a button. And both rear rows fold down easily if you’d like to fill the back with cargo.

Other interior features include: Heated and ventilated front seats, memory settings for driver seat, steering wheel and outside mirrors, optional Captain’s Chairs for the second row, and a heated steering wheel. 

Cargo space is solid in the 2024 Kia EV9. With all rows up, you get 20.2 cubic feet behind the third row. Lowering the third row seats gets you 43.5 cubic feet, and with the second row done that number grows to 81.7 cubic feet.

HOW’S THE RIDE?

The 2024 Kia EV9 comes in both RWD and AWD options, and multiple battery size offerings.

The GT-Line trim I tested featured a pair of electric motors, a 99.8 kWh lithium ion high-voltage battery, e-AWD, and a DC Fast Charge Port (800V).

Numbers on the GT-Line come in at an impressive 379 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, which leads to impressive 0-to-60 times in the mid 4-second range — excellent numbers for a vehicle this size.

Lower trim levels offer RWD, and less power (215 horsepower on one trim level, 201 horsepower on another).

The EV9’s on/off button and its gear shifter are both placed on a lever connected to the steering column. This frees up space in the center of the vehicle for more small item storage.

In terms of driver enjoyment, I had a wonderful time behind the wheel of the EV9 GT-Line, which delivered tremendous performance. It’s responsive to driver input, corners well and has solid handling.

The ride was both smooth and powerful during city driving as well as more speedy highway drives. Regardless of the roads you are traveling, it’s pin-drop quiet inside and you’ll rarely feel the impacts of road imperfections.

This is really a best of both worlds situation, and looking ahead to 2025, an even more powerful GT option is rumored to be on the way.

The experience behind the wheel of an EV9 GT-Line is a sign that the future of vehicles is bright as we transition to electric vehicles being the norm, and these new rides can ultimately please driving enthusiasts who want powerful options.

In terms of towing, the EV9 maxes out at 5,000 pounds, and it offers a self-leveling rear suspension.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY 

The 2024 Kia EV9 delivers a tech-savvy ride, as an EV should. It features an easy-to-use, large 12.3-inch center touchscreen with simple menus, plus voice commands that work very effectively.

A second 12.3-inch screen sits in front of the driver, offering a ton of information, and one long connected console houses both this screen and the center 12.3-inch screen.

The physical design of the tech setup is quite sparse. The only touch controls are climate buttons, and a somewhat old-school volume roller knob. All the rest of the controls are on on touchscreen (including some redundant climate controls)

Navigation worked effectively in the EV9, and there is also a Wi-Fi hotspot offered inside the vehicle. 

Other tech features in the EV9 include the ability to use your smartphone as a Digital Key, SiriusXM satellite radio (free for 3 months), a high-end Meridian premium audio system, and a wireless phone charger.

You also get a three-year trial of Kia Connect, which allows you to remote start the vehicle, adjust climate and view vehicle information through an app. And Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is included for phone mirroring.

Moving onto safety, the EV9 is fully equipped with airbags in the front, rear and sides of the vehicle, plus driver’s knee airbags.

Its many helpful safety systems include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (applies brakes to avoid crashes), Blind-Spot Warning and Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (helpful in intersections), Safe Exit Assist (warns of oncoming vehicles before you open door from the inside), Highway Driving Assist, Parking Distance Warning, and Smart Cruise Control.

My test vehicle also featured a very helpful Head-Up Display to help keep the driver’s eyes on the road, a bright and clear Surround View Monitor, Lane Keeping System, and parking assist technology.

A driver attention warning also alerts the driver if sensors in the vehicle determine you are becoming fatigued.

RANGE, CHARGING

With a larger EV, the question will always come up: How far can this thing actually go? Am I going to be constantly charging?

Good news for those considering the EV9 is that the range numbers are excellent.

Different trim levels will offer varying range totals — including 230, 270 and 280 miles. But the Long Range offering is listed at 304 miles, which is among the best range you’ll find anywhere in this segment. This Long Range model features a larger 99.8-kWh battery (base model gets a 76.1-kWh battery), and what’s even better is that depending how you drive it, you can push it even higher into 300-mile range.

This is a tremendous range number for a large, three-row SUV like the EV9, and will be a huge selling point. With more than 300 miles at your disposal, most likely you’ll only need to charge the vehicle once a week, worst case two times. Most importantly, that means there’s no range anxiety to be found here.

Some rival EVs from Tesla, Mercedes-Benz and Rivian do offer higher range totals, but they are also a lot more expensive so it’s a tradeoff many will be willing to take.

The EV9 also features quick charging capability, which will make powering up the vehicle on longer road trips much quicker. The EV9 will change from 10 percent to 80 percent in less than a half hour when using 350 kW fast charging.

For regular charging, it’s best to use a Level 2 charger at your home, and you’ll be able to charge fully overnight in less than 8 hours.

PRICE

Pricing is an important element when families are deciding whether to move to an EV. And in the realm of three-row EVs, the EV9 actually holds up pretty well.

The starting price comes in around $56K, and goes up to $75K depending on the trim level and options you choose.

Considering that three-row EV offerings from Tesla, Rivian and Mercedes-Benz come with starting prices of $70K, $80K or even $100K, that number starts to look very attractive to buyers who want a premium vehicle without that level of premium pricing.

Trim levels include: Light, Light Long Range, Wind, Land and GT-Line. Even on the lower trims, the EV9 comes packaged with quality features that will have buyers appreciating the vehicle.

I had the top GT-Line trim level, and my test vehicle’s final price after options was $78,430.

A few years ago, I would never have imagined saying that a Kia vehicle whose top prices reached the $70K range would be worth the cost. But when it comes to the EV9, that statement holds up as believable. And going with the base offering at $56K is a steal in this category.

Another positive that may draw buyers to the EV9 is the excellent Kia warranties, which are industry leading. You get an overall warranty covering 5 years or 60,000 miles, plus a powertrain warranty covering 10 years or 100,000 miles (including the battery).

BOTTOM LINE

The 2024 Kia EV9 is arguably the best vehicle Kia has produced thus far, equal to or better than the Telluride, and is one of the best EVs I’ve ever tested. 

It offers excellent range for its size, strong design, a solid tech setup, drives smoothly and quickly, and is a solid overall package for families seeking an EV.

If you’re EV shopping and want a large, three-row vehicle, the EV9 has to be on your list of test rides, as it’s the class of the field. 

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