2024 Kia EV9

2024 Kia EV9 First Look Review: Advancing The Art Of The SUV
When Is The Kia EV9 Coming Out?
2024 Kia EV9 Price And Competition
New Kia EV9 Exterior And Colors
Kia EV9 Dimensions
Kia EV9 Engine And Performance
Range, Charging, And Battery Life
Kia EV9 Interior And Cargo
Kia EV9 Popular Comparisons
Kia EV9 News

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2024 Kia EV9 First Look Review: Advancing The Art Of The SUV

by Karl Furlong

Over the years, we've often been disappointed when an adventurously styled concept emerges as a far more timid prospect by the time it reaches production. Fortunately, this has not been the case for the three-row Kia EV9 electric crossover, which largely stays faithful to the bold lines of the Concept EV9. Three-row electric crossovers are rare, with the Tesla Model X being one of the few, but the EV9 will have a much more appealing price tag than that does. Built on the same Electric Global Modular Platform as the EV6 and with dual motors, the EV9 should also be good to drive with far swifter acceleration than the brand's popular three-row Telluride. Here's a closer look at Kia's new flagship SUV.

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When Is The Kia EV9 Coming Out?

Officially revealed in March 2023, the electric SUV will soon have its global debut. We expect the release date for the Kia EV9 in the USA to follow later in 2023, when it will be coming out as a 2024 model.

2024 Kia EV9 Price And Competition

This information remains speculative as the 2024 Kia EV9's price hasn't been revealed yet. We can make a few calculated guesses, however. The EV9 will be more luxurious and larger than Kia's other electric model, the EV6, and the same applies to the Telluride. As the EV6 starts at $48,700, we expect the EV9 to begin at around $55,000, and that correlates with information gleaned from a customer survey leaked earlier this year. However, a hot EV9 GT could be considerably more expensive, possibly getting close to a cost of $75,000 MSRP.

Rivals in the USA will include mid-sized electric SUVs with premium badges on the nose such as the Cadillac Lyriq and BMW iX, although the EV9's size – based on the Concept EV9, at least – straddles both the mid- and full-size segments. It should, therefore, also prove to be a worthy alternative to the likes of the Mercedes EQS SUV, BMW iX7, and even base versions of the Hummer EV.

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New Kia EV9 Exterior And Colors

There is nothing shy about the exterior design of the new Kia EV9 SUV, which successfully carries over many of the styling cues from the concept. Like the concept, the production model has chunky, boxy lines and a polygonal design theme; if the Kia Soul was a middle-school student with a cool dad, the EV9 would be that dad.

The distinctive profile is complemented by intricate lighting front and rear. That includes the Digital Tiger Face with dual clusters of small cube lamps which are embedded in the bodywork alongside each headlamp. Most of the good stuff is still there, including the beltline that sweeps up in the vicinity of the third row. Substantial fenders and flush-fitting door handles define the side view, but the rear-hinged rear doors of the concept are unsurprisingly replaced here with more traditional rear doors.

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Futuristic 21-inch wheels are wrapped in Michelin tires, and these wheels have off-center Kia logos, another quirky touch that somehow works on the EV9. The blacked-out A-pillars give the EV9 a floating roof effect, and there is a sporty spoiler at the back. From the side, it's also notable how short the overhangs are, leaving as much space as possible for the passenger compartment. Two models – one with a conventional closed roof and one with dual sunroofs – have been pictured.

Many details are yet to be confirmed, however, including the colors that'll be available for the Kia EV9. EV6 colors that could be carried across include Snow White Pearl, Interstellar Gray, and Aurora Black Pearl.

Kia EV9 Dimensions

While the production Kia EV9's dimensions are unknown, it's bound to be close to the Concept EV9 in size. That dictates a length of 194 inches, a width of 80.9 inches, and a height of 70.5 inches. The wheelbase, meanwhile, measures 122 inches. Interestingly, it's slightly shorter than the Telluride, but both taller and wider, and the use of an EV skateboard chassis will translate into a massive interior.

Curb weight figures are unknown but considering its fully electric powertrain and size, this is likely to be the heaviest Kia model yet. Considering that the Telluride already weighs almost 4,500 pounds in its heaviest guise, the 2024 EV9 is likely to come in at over 5,000 lbs quite easily.

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Kia EV9 Engine And Performance

Although confirmed to ride on the same Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) as the smaller EV6, Kia has not yet divulged official powertrain specs. However, leaked information from earlier in 2023 has given us an idea of what to expect.

It's been suggested that base models will have rear-wheel drive, so they will very likely make do with a single electric motor. At this level, outputs will be 200 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque, allowing for a 0-60 mph time of 8.5 seconds. While that may sound a little disappointing for an EV, we like that Kia seems to have invested in a base model to keep the starting price somewhat palatable. Besides, this is a family vehicle, not a sports car.

From there, sources suggest that outputs increase to 400 hp and 380 lb-ft, which is where we expect dual motors and all-wheel drive to appear. Here, the 0-60 time drops to six seconds. The priciest model will also have 400 hp, but torque will be boosted to 480 lb-ft to allow for a 5.2-second 0-60 time.

The base model appears to be unrated for towing, but the rest can tow between 2,000 and 4,500 lbs. The latter figure matches the Telluride, but will require owners to spend a lot more for the most powerful model.

Range, Charging, And Battery Life

The Concept EV9 promises a range of up to 300 miles and the ability to charge at speeds of up to 350 kW. At that rate, its battery can be replenished from 10 to 80% in 20 to 30 minutes. The EV6 has the same maximum charging speed but takes a quicker 18 minutes to get its battery from 10-80%; unsurprisingly, this is because the EV9 will have a larger battery, although its size is unknown. Recently leaked information indicates that the production EV9 will have a range of between 220 and 290 miles.

The Concept EV9 has a hood vent duct area with a solar panel that can recuperate a small amount of energy, but it's unclear if the production version will retain this functionality. EPA ratings remain some way off, so the MPGe specs are unknown. That said, heavy electric SUVs aren't especially efficient, as evidenced by the BMW iX's best mpg figure of 86 MPGe combined. The three-row Tesla Model X is a better benchmark for Kia to aim for with its 102 MPGe combined.

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Kia EV9 Interior And Cargo

The changes to the interior of the production Kia EV9 are more substantial than the exterior, but this is no surprise since the concept was quite bare inside. Seats in the Kia EV9 will be able to accommodate six or seven occupants depending on the trim or how it is configured, and the manufacturer promises lounge-like space in every row.

Unlike most other three-row vehicles, there is more versatility here in terms of how the seats can be arranged. This capability is buoyed by the E-GMP platform which enables a flat floor and long wheelbase. Occupants in both the first two rows can recline their seats simultaneously, or those in the second row can swivel their seats to face those in the third row, creating a truly lounge-like atmosphere.

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The floating dashboard design is modern and clean, and the tasteful neutral colors used in the model pictured here create an upmarket look. Kia says there are dual 12.3-inch touchscreens, which is unusual since the display ahead of the driver is typically not a touch display. These screens are integrated with a five-inch segment display. There are hard controls for the climate control and volume adjuster below the air vents, though.

No Kia EV9 cargo space specs were shared, but this is a large vehicle, so it is unlikely to fall short in this regard. For reference, the similarly long Telluride has 21 cubic feet of volume behind the third row and 46 cubes if this row is folded. With a flat floor, we expect more than that from the EV9 and the possibility of a frunk. Kia also made mention of the spacious center console storage space.