It’s our 3-Row EV Best Buy of 2024. It’s the 2024 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. It just earned the 2024 World Car of the Year award. The Kia EV9 is amassing one of the most impressive trophy cases of any new vehicle in recent memory, but what’s it like to drive? We put one through its paces in Northern California to find out if it is the electric family SUV we hoped it would be.
Just Look at It
The EV9’s design warrants a little discussion before we dive into how this SUV drives. If you remember first seeing the Kia EV9 concept in 2021, you might not have imagined the production model looking like that. Of course, the production model isn’t identical to the concept. Some crazier stuff, like the swivel seats, coach doors, and oval steering wheel, didn’t reach the street. However, upon seeing the EV9 in person, I’m impressed by how much the finished product imitates the concept car that looked futuristic just a few years ago.
While the interior deviates from the concept more than the exterior, it’s a tremendously nice place to be in the top GT-Line trim. We know it’s a cliche to say this about a Kia, but it feels like a more expensive car inside.
I was impressed with the 3-row accommodations of the Kia EV9. As I climbed around inside to test all three rows and folded down some seats to examine the cargo space, my high standards for family-friendliness were satisfied. I couldn’t help but think, “This is a lot like the Telluride.”
Many side-by-side interior dimensions for the electric Kia EV9 and V6-powered Kia Telluride are within a couple of inches of each other. The EV9 has 30.8 inches of third-row legroom; the Telluride has 31.4 inches. The EV9 has 20.2 cubic feet of room behind the third row, and the Telluride has 21 cubic feet.
Kia has done an outstanding job translating some of the Telluride’s strengths into an all-electric SUV with a different personality.
Driving the Kia EV9
When I drove the dual-motor Kia EV9 GT-Line, it excelled at delivering the performance benefits of an EV without any intimidation. Whether you are an early adopter who has already owned an EV or are making your first leap into driving electric, you’ll be satisfied with how the EV9 drives. It has the characteristically quick acceleration we love about electric vehicles, it’s composed in the turns, and it’s serene on the highway.
EVs are always heavier than their gas-powered counterparts, but this is one electric vehicle that masks its weight pretty well. In regular driving duties, we didn’t find a considerable difference in how the EV9 handles compared to its most obvious benchmark, the Kia Telluride.
The brakes in the Kia EV9 imitate traditional brakes in a gas-powered SUV as much or as little as you’d like. EVs use regenerative braking systems to capture some energy dispelled during deceleration and send it back to the battery. Traditional brakes allow this energy to go to waste, primarily as heat. We scrolled through the different levels of regenerative braking with the paddles on the steering wheel and found the standard setting to feel very natural. Also, the one-pedal driving system is sound. Like the Kia EV6 we’ve tested, it didn’t take very long to get used to controlling the car with just one pedal.
Who Is It For?
With a starting price of $56,395 ($65,395 if you want AWD) and my GT-Line tester’s sticker price of $78,430 (including the $1,495 destination charge), it’s a little hard to call the Kia EV9 an affordable family vehicle. Kia says the EV9 can qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit on a lease but may not be eligible for the full credit on a purchase.
What we can say is that it’s a more budget-friendly alternative to the Rivian R1S, which has a starting price of $74,900 (plus options, taxes, and delivery fees), in the same neighborhood as a fully loaded EV9. Until now, the R1S was arguably the only practical 3-row EV for families, thanks to its comparatively roomy third row. The optional third rows in the EVs from Tesla and Mercedes are for just-in-case purposes and seriously compromise cargo space. But the EV9 and R1S offer more livable accommodations in the way-back and a decent amount of cargo room behind. The third row is standard equipment for the EV9; every example seats six or seven.
The Kia EV9 is for anyone who likes the Telluride but is willing to pay extra for an electric version. This electric SUV is different enough from its gas-powered stablemate to stand out with its own identity. However, it retains many of the Telluride’s virtues, like its interior space, relaxed ride, and Kia’s class-leading warranty.
See this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see EV9 models near you.
