Kia EV9 Review & Prices

Is bigger always better? When it comes to bank balances and widescreen TVs, the answer is yes. Does the same apply to electric cars? The humongous Kia EV9 will provide the answer.

Kia’s new EV dwarves its baby brother, the EV6. At just over five metres long, the EV9 is similar in size to the Tesla Model X and the Volvo EX90.

Bigger is certainly better if you need space for seven. Every EV9 starts life as a seven-seater, just like the EX90, though you can get a six-seat version.

The cabin looks suitably luxurious and high-tech. Twin-screen dashboards are pretty common these days, but the EV9 goes one better with a three-screen layout. There are 12.3-inch screens for the driver display and touchscreen, while a smaller 5.3-inch display manages the climate control.

Kia tends to sweat the details when it comes to building family-friendly interiors, and the EV9’s six USB-C chargers (two per row of seats) should keep everyone’s phones and tablets fully charged. There’s also a three-pin socket in the boot.

The EV9’s eco-credentials go beyond the all-electric drivetrain, with plastics sourced from renewable sources, recycled materials, and non-leather upholstery. In fact, you can’t spec your EV9 with leather even if you want to.

Being big is a good thing when it comes to battery size, and every EV9 comes with a whopping 99.8 kWh capacity. That delivers a range of up to 336 miles if you choose the long range model, or 308 miles if you go for the higher-performance all-wheel-drive version. The Kia sprints to 62mph in 5.3 seconds – quick, but easily beaten by the warp-factor acceleration of a Tesla Model X, which also has the edge for range.

If the Kia’s batteries do run low, you can quickly recharge thanks to compatibility with 350kW charging. There aren’t many of these super-powerful public chargers, but if you do find one Kia claims a 10-80% recharge in as little as 24 minutes.

Three specifications are available, starting with the ‘Air’ model. It comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, gloss black door mirrors and trims, LED headlights, and an eight-speaker stereo. This version is paired with the single-motor rear-wheel-drive powertrain.

The ‘GT-Line’ has the more powerful twin motors and four-wheel drive. Other upgrades include sportier styling, two-tone upholstery, adaptive headlights, and a clever remote parking system.

Range-topping ‘GT-Line S’ cars come with 21-inch alloys, a tilting and sliding front sunroof, a second-row sunroof, a head-up display, and a top-of-the-range Meridian 14-speaker stereo. This model is also available with a six-seat layout, replacing the three middle-row seats with two individual chairs that can swivel through 180 degrees to face the third row.

We’ll bring you a full review as soon as we’ve had a chance to drive this stylish electric SUV, but you can check out the latest Kia EV9 deals right now. You can also shop for a used Kia and sell your car through carwow’s network of trusted dealers.