Kia's new three-row electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) doesn't just take the body size and packaging that has made the Telluride so popular and electrify it. The 2024 Kia EV9 is a revolutionary design and engineering feat for the company, and so well executed it sets the bar high for not just Kia rivals, but also those at luxury automakers.
That revolution comes in the form a sculpted body underpinned by the architecture that has made the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Hyundai Ioniq 6 such successes, as well as a refined, sustainability-focused interior.
Think of EV9 as a next-generation electric Telluride. Its body is about the same dimensions as the Telluride, but slightly longer. Electrification allows the new SUV to have more interior space than its gas-powered counterpart.
From nose to tail the EV9 is designed to be a Kia while also being electronics forward. With an available digital "grille" up front, LED lights on all four corners, and connected services available at an owner's fingertips, or via voice control, the SUV hits on all those elements with aplomb.
Designers have given the EV9 a color palette inspired by the Earth with muted tones taking precedence. However, white, black and a bright blue are available. There's really not a color Kia offers it in that EV9 looks bad wearing.
American buyers will be able to get the car with either rear- or all-wheel drive, and with a 76.1- or 99.8-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery. As tested with all-wheel drive and larger battery, the EV9 was grounded, capable and easy to drive and ride in, whether on winding rural roads in the middle of South Korea, highways closer to the country's east coast, or city streets in the bustling metropolis of Seoul.
The frame, along with the mid-size SUV's battery-electric powertrain allows it to feel grounded and stable on the road, with noise from asphalt, concrete and dirt roadways kept to a minimum generally reserved for luxury vehicles. During the test drive, deep puddles filled with rain for a long stretch of roadway courtesy of a torrential downpour and the EV9 was steadfast.
Kia says the SUV should be able to get around 300 miles of all-electric range in its largest battery configuration, but exact numbers are not yet public.
The beauty of the EV9's engineering is that it doesn't feel like a size compromise. Big EVs, which get their weight from their overall dimensions as well as their battery size, tend to feel beleaguered when accelerating sans gimmicks like GMC's WTF launch mode. This isn't the case in EV9, which provides the same balanced acceleration and braking experience Kia customers have come to expect when driving models like the EV6 and Niro EV.
Drivers have access to four drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport and My Mode. While Eco performs typically, with slower upticks in acceleration like in other vehicles, there's little that would make someone want to avoid using Eco when merging on a highway or driving through town. It doesn't feel like a compromise to use.
Sport mode delivers more aggressive performance, but nothing to write home about. Cruising in the car's Normal mode is just fine for practically every occasion.
Brake regeneration is adjustable as well, with a mid-level most appropriate for rural roads, allowing for one-pedal driving, while a more abrupt slowdown option works well in city driving situations.
Lack of compromise is a theme in the interior of the EV9 as well. Here, the car achieves premium levels of comfort thanks to a mix of higher-end materials, thoughtful touches, and technology. All this without cumbersome screens, overwrought design, and nonsensical features.
American buyers will be able to choose from either a six- or seven-passenger seating configuration when the SUV goes on sale later this year. Swivel seats, offered overseas, will not be available in North America.
The EV9's accommodations are plush and more than fulfill expectations. This includes the mesh headrest, which delivers a good amount of support without the pain in the neck that harder headrests can deliver, all while using less material.
There's plenty of technology packed into those seats as well. Heating and cooling functionality extends to the second row, and USB-C outlets are available for those passengers.
The third row is easy to climb into and sit in, even for adults. There's no compromise on head- or legroom for the average adult to be concerned about.
Its smooth dashboard and console design are reminiscent of Rivian's oft-praised look. Natural and recycled materials form pleasing shapes without the frivolity that some models have inserted into them by their maker, and that Kia is not totally immune from when looking at the company's wider lineup.
The center console is expandable and the glove box is located at the center of the vehicle's lower dashboard, allowing for more space for the front passenger's legs. This location is similar to where the Nissan Ariya has its, and far better than the small console pocket where Lexus RZ owners are meant to keep their materials.
There's plenty of cargo space in the EV9. At the rear there's more than in a Nissan Armada and less than in a Chevrolet Tahoe. It's a sweet spot that fits carry-on luggage and groceries with no problem, without having anything rolling around back there while hugging tight turns.
Under one housing sits Kia's twin driver information and infotainment screens. Instead of a black, blank space between, there's a busy, smaller climate control screen with all the necessary functions front and center, one touch away.
Lane centering assistance makes long drives on the highway a breeze in the EV9. It's not hands-off driving, but Hyundai Motor Group's technology is well on its way.
Pricing for the SUV has yet to be released but Kia team members expect U.S. customers to pay around $60,000 to get into it. Opting to lease instead of buying a new vehicle may make an electric vehicle eligible for an Inflation Reduction Act tax credit of up to $7,500.
EV9 isn't all pluses. There's a few minuses as well. It takes too long to recognize a lane is clear once the car in front has exited while using adaptive cruise control, the climate control screen is unable to be easily seen and used by the driver, the second-row seats take two hands to lock into a rearward position post third-row climb in, and bucket-style child safety seats cannot stay in place while the second row moves forward. But really, that's it.
The 2024 Kia EV9 is very nearly a home run.
