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The 2024 Kia EV9 is a three-row electric crossover SUV that launches Kia into the luxury stratosphere. For now, the only true rivals come in the form of legacy luxury such as the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV and Audi E-Tron as well as the Tesla Model X and Rivian R1S.
We won’t know until we drive it, sometime before it goes on sale in the second half of the year. But we’re enchanted with the design and intrigued by the pivoting second-row seats. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
The EV9 is new, and it’s the largest vehicle utilizing parent company Hyundai’s E-GMP electric vehicle platform. In design and intent, the EV9 mirrors the concept that debuted at the 2021 Los Angeles auto show.
The tall, boxy crossover SUV takes the handsome look of the Kia Telluride into the future. The vertical ends seem to defy aerodynamics yet Kia claims a low coefficient of drag of 0.28, thanks in part to an integrated rear roof spoiler and a boattail shape that pinches the rear end. A flat covered underbody also helps. A new take on the brand’s dogbone grille, or “tiger mask,” defines the front end. Daytime running lights step from the bumpers into the fenders like a lightning bolt. The LED headlights feature two stacks of small cubes, like an ice tray of light. An available Digital Pattern Lighting Grille on GT-Line models features pixelated “L”-shaped lights that shine through the body panel on the edges and can be changed in five arrangements.
The stepped pattern repeats itself in back with taillights that climb up the tailgate to the integrated rear roof spoiler. Boxy wheel arches bulge out over wheels ranging in size from 19 to 21 inches. Flat body sides iron out the space between. Chunky overhangs and a ground clearance of 7.8 inches limit its off-road capability. The squat greenhouse wears the roof like a cap, and a kink at each quarter window cuts a sharp line up to the roof spoiler. It’s a dissonant yet alluring look, appearing simultaneously athletic and trucklike.
The interior reaches even further forward than any other Kia vehicle, and most other production EVs. There’s some familiarity to the cockpit, with twin 12.3-inch screens split by a 5.0-inch display under a single pane of glass. The blocky dash stretches horizontally, like the exterior, but under the vents Kia places some key climate control buttons instead of the haptic panel on current Kia models. A hidden panel that looks like part of the dash trim holds other climate functions, similar to that of the 2023 Nissan Ariya. A shift lever attaches to the steering column, and the open top half of the steering wheel looks like the wheel in the Kia EV6.
Don’t look for leather upholstery. Kia is phasing out the animal-based material with the EV9 and sourcing more reusable materials. The EV9 boasts interior plastics composed of more than 70 upcycled plastic bottles.
Two battery sizes and powertrain choices come on the 2024 Kia EV9. A base 76.1-kwh battery pack is offered solely on the single-motor rear-wheel-drive Standard model. A 99.8-kwh battery pack comes on both RWD Long Range and all-wheel-drive models. The Long Range model running on 19-inch wheels has an estimated 300-mile range, but final certification from the EPA is forthcoming.
The 150-kw rear motor makes about 258 lb-ft of torque, enabling a 0-62 mph time of 9.4 seconds in the RWD Long Range grade. The Standard model has a 160-kw motor, and a 0-62 mph time of 8.2 seconds.
All-wheel-drive models add a second motor up front that increases total system output to 283 kw and about 443 lb-ft of torque. Kia expects its big box to hit 62 mph in 6.0 seconds.
A dual-motor GT-Line boosts the output to 379 hp and 516 lb-ft, helping the large SUV accelerate to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds. Or it can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
Later on down the road, Kia says customers will be able to purchase an optional Boost feature via the Kia Connect Store that unlocks even more torque for a 0-62 mph time of 5.3 seconds.
Other feature upgrades can be purchased through the app, and over-the-air updates will keep the feature content fresh. It’s unclear at what prices, however.
Sharing the same 800-volt architecture as other electric cars in the brand’s E-GMP family, the EV9 can DC fast charge at 350 kw to recover an estimated 148.5 miles in 15 minutes. Kia didn’t disclose the max charging capacity or its onboard charger for Level 2 240-volt charging at home. It has vehicle-to-load functionality that lets the EV9 act as a power source rated at 3.68 kw to power appliances, tools, camping gear, family entertainment, and anything else with a 120-volt plug.
Kia EV9 three-row design
The Kia EV9 represents the brand’s largest vehicle. At 197.2 inches long, it’s a quarter-inch longer than the Kia Telluride and just as tall, but the 122-inch wheelbase is nearly eight inches longer, but that doesn’t translate to a much roomier interior. It seats up to seven passengers, and two teens can fit in the third row but tall or leggy adults will need to negotiate with mid-row passengers for suitable seating positions. With both rows folded flat, the EV9 holds up to 81.9 cubic feet.
From the dashboard back is where the 2024 Kia EV9 compels the most, in six- or seven-seat configurations. A floating center console leaves the floor open, but appears to have several storage areas. The second row of seats can be configured four different ways, with a three-seat bench, with captain’s chairs that can recline along with the front seats, or with a swivel-seat option.
True to the concept, the last choice has two seats that can swivel 180 degrees to face the third row seats for a game of Euchre, or for tweens to complain about whose knees should get what space. The second-row captain’s chairs can also rotate 90 degrees for easier ingress and egress, as well as better access to the third row. As of presstime, Kia was awaiting regulatory approval in the U.S. to offer this configuration. The Kia Carnival minivan debuted reclining second-row seats with built-in ottomans, but they were only practical for smaller passengers with no passengers behind them.
Kia EV9 safety and driver-assist technology
Kia debuts its latest hands-free driving system on the EV9, called Highway Driving Pilot. Using 15 sensors, including two lidars, the system targets Level 3 conditional autonomy on highways, with a driver behind the wheel but only needing to intervene when asked by the system. It will arrive later on GT-Line models, and will be available through the app as well. A remote parking feature that requires no driver intervention will also be available.
The EV9 also comes with automatic emergency braking front and rear, active lane control, blind-spot monitors, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and more.
How much does the 2024 Kia EV9 cost?
The 2024 Kia EV9 will start at about $56,000, including destination, for the base Light model. It’s the only model with the smaller 76.1-kwh battery pack, and it will only have a single motor and rear-wheel drive. The other grades, Light Long Range, Wind, Land, and GT-Line have a 99.8-kwh battery pack and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system. Expect pricing for those models late this fall. Expect this most luxurious Kia to also be the brand’s most expensive offering.
In addition to the dash wall of screens and driver-assist features mentioned above, the 2024 Kia EV9 will be available with luxury options such as surround-view camera system, remote parking, massaging seats, 14-speaker Meridian sound system, and interior ambient light.
Where is the 2024 Kia EV9 made?
In South Korea to start, but production is expected to shift to the U.S. in the brand’s West Point, Georgia, factory early in 2024. Some of the U.S.-built EV9s will qualify for the federal EV tax credit, depending on trim level and price.
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