The EV9 is Kia’s most modern electric car, as well as the most spacious: with capacity for up to 7 passengers, it is an electric SUV ideal for families. It is the first electric SUV with three rows of seats from the Korean brand, a vehicle with a lot of space on board, technological sophistication, and a design that will not go unnoticed. Not only that, but its 800-volt electrical technology allows it to recover a good part of its 505 kilometers of range in a short time. But its qualities go much further, including a very competitive price within its category.
The exterior of the EV9 is characterized by a robust presence, with clean and well-sculpted lines, which together with its 5.01-meter-long body result in a truly imposing image. Kia’s ‘Opposites Meet’ design philosophy reaches a new level in this model.
On the front, the EV9 features the latest generation of the brand’s ‘Digital Tiger Face’. The small cubic LED projectors in the vertical headlights define an instantly recognizable ‘look’, as do the star map-shaped taillights.
In addition to an imposing design, functionality has been sought. The door handles are flush with the body, providing a more modern appearance and better aerodynamics at the same time. The EV9 also uses active aerodynamics, like the best supercars, and features ‘Air Curtain’ active air deflectors to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Most of the time they are closed to reduce aerodynamic drag and are only opened when cooling is needed.
Kia’s most advanced electric drive
To achieve the best possible range, aerodynamics goes hand in hand with the battery and the efficiency of the propeller. In that sense, the EV9 has to do (and does) a good job. It is a large car with imposing lines, and yet it achieves 505 kilometers of WLTP range thanks to a 99.8 kWh capacity battery with Kia’s fourth-generation technology.
In the case of the EV9 GT-line sold in Europe, we are looking at an electric SUV with an all-wheel drive powered by two electric motors with 192 HP (141 kW) of power each. The result is 384 HP of maximum power and 700 Nm of torque which allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds.
It can also be charged ultra-fast thanks to 800-volt technology. Just 15 minutes of charging is enough to achieve 223 kilometers of range at a high-power charging point. The vehicle has a built-in intelligent route planner that automatically calculates and recommends where to stop on the planned route.
Not only that: the EV9 has bidirectional charging capability, making it a kind of large portable battery. This allows electrical devices to be charged with energy from the vehicle (V2L) and in the future will also allow electricity to be supplied to homes or buildings (V2B/V2H) and to the electrical grid (V2G).
The most spacious Kia of all has a sustainable interior
Let’s now go inside. Available with six or seven seats, it combines a minimalist style with all the connectivity you may need and a truly intelligent distribution of the interior space so that all occupants travel comfortably. It has plenty of space and a completely flat floor for greater comfort. In addition, with brutal versatility it allows you to ‘play’ with the seats to have more space in the second row, in the third, or the trunk, as needed.
All this makes it an ideal car for families. You may be wondering about the space in the third row: its rear seats are real. Thanks to the longitudinal adjustment of the second-row bench, the space in the last row can be expanded so that two adults can travel perfectly. These end seats even have armrests, bottle holders, and USB-C sockets.
The trunk is huge: 828 liters in a 5-seat configuration, and up to 333 liters in a 6 or 7-seat configuration. To this, we must add a second smaller front trunk, with 52 liters, but enough to store the charging cables, for example.
Not only is it spacious, but it is designed to be ultra-comfortable. The ‘Relaxation’ seats with integrated footrests allow you to recline almost completely when the car is stationary. The front and center row seats are heated and ventilated as standard on the GT-line trim. The front seats even have a massage function.
But perhaps the most innovative aspect has to do with the intensive use of sustainable materials, more than in any other model of the brand. Kia has defined a sustainability strategy to integrate more ecological materials into its vehicles and the Kia EV9 represents the first stage of this initiative.
The leather of animal origin is replaced with ‘polyurethane’, obtained partially from corn. The dashboard, door trim, and pillars are made from recycled plastics, specifically PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and TPO (thermoplastic olefin), as are the interior trim.
The mats are made from recycled plastic and fishing nets recovered from the sea, while the trims, buttons, and interior moldings use paint without BTX (Benzene Toluene Xylene), a byproduct derived from petroleum widely used in the manufacture of plastics. Additionally, the yarn and felt throughout the vehicle are made from 100% recycled PET.
The connected car of the future is here
The first thing that catches your attention from the EV9’s cockpit is the triple panoramic screen with 12.3-inch digital instrumentation in front of the driver, a screen for the infotainment system (12.3 inches), and a third with 5. 3 inches for the air conditioning, the latter a first for Kia.
The EV9 will be the first Kia to be able to be updated through the Kia Connect Store with additional (paid) upgrades to be installed on the vehicle via remote updates. These functions will cover all aspects of the vehicle, from safety and comfort features to performance, exterior appearance, and infotainment.
In terms of connectivity, it comes standard with Bluetooth multi-connection to connect two mobile devices at the same time, wireless connection for Android Auto (with Google Fast Pair service) and Apple CarPlay, and improved voice recognition.
The center console is equipped with a wireless fast charger for phones, as well as a module with a USB-C port and charger. The second and third rows also have USB-C chargers. It also has a Head-Up Display (HUD) as standard and, for the first time in a Kia, hidden haptic buttons that only light up when the car is connected.
Driving assistants? All that exists
Being Kia’s technological showcase, logically no safety and driving assistants have been spared. It comes standard with the latest generation of the HDA 2 highway driving assistant, the second generation of the active lane keep assistant (LFA 2), and the automatic lane change assistant, which helps change lanes when the driver turns on the intermittent. Together they make an advanced Level 2 autonomous driving system.
The Kia EV9 has the necessary technology to offer Level 3 autonomous driving when the legislation of each country allows it.
The Blind Spot Assist is capable of braking itself if it detects another vehicle when reversing out of a line parking space or when changing lanes. It also detects if a vehicle is approaching when we are going to open the door to exit; In case of danger, the car activates the child safety locks to prevent a rear passenger from leaving the vehicle at that moment.
It will also be very difficult to collide with obstacles and pedestrians, as it has a front, side, and rear anti-collision system to avoid this. Speaking of parking, it comes as standard with the second generation of remote parking assistant (RSPA 2), which allows the vehicle to park itself perpendicularly, diagonally, and even inside parking lots, whether the driver is in the vehicle or not.
Another curious assistant, perhaps not as sophisticated as the previous ones but also useful, is the car wash mode. With the push of a button, it activates all the settings necessary for entering a car wash, making sure all doors and windows are closed, closing the side mirrors, and checking that the door handles are folded.
How much does the Kia EV9 cost in Europe?
In Europe, the EV9 will be available in six metallic colors: Snow Pearl white, Aurora Pearl black, Flare red, Pebble gray, Iceberg green, and Ocean blue. To these six is added the Ocean blue in a matte finish, which provides an even more futuristic look.
For now, there will only be one engine and one equipment level, GT-line, with 6 or 7-seat versions:
- EV9 GT-line 7 seats: 85,100 euros
- EV9 GT-line 7 seats: 86,200 euros
With the same equipment, and with the most similar power and range possible, the EV9 is proposed as the most competitive alternative within the category of large electric SUVs.
