Kia EV9 review

Driving position

Kias have been available in a variety of sizes over the years, but none have come near being as big as the EV9, and this is evident when you step inside.

In fact, it’s one of the biggest mainstream SUVs you can get. Longer and wider than a petrol-powered Volvo XC90, the Kia EV9 feels its size with its extensive dashboard and long bonnet, adding to the challenge of driving through tight city streets.

It’s not a bad thing though – it has all the credentials of a Range Rover but without the price. Large, sumptuous seats with multiple adjustments, big door mirrors and plenty of glass thanks to its boxy shape make the EV9 more manageable to live with than you might think.

You don’t sit as high as you would in a van, but you look down over many of the cars on our roads – a sensation that SUV buyers often desire.

Tech and features

Kia has been on a roll with its latest models, and the EV9 being its flagship electric model means that this seven-seater (or six-seater, depending on the configuration) is packed with tech.

Twin-12.3-inch displays dominate the dashboard – one for the digital instrument cluster and another for the infotainment system – but they’re stitched together in such a way that it looks like the EV9 has a single widescreen setup.

The standard operating system is a strong foundation because it offers crisp and smooth graphics and plenty of functionality, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity add an extra layer on top of this.

You also get the usual array of USB-C ports, including one in each of the front seatbacks for the rear-seat passengers – a really smart move. Plus, a wireless phone charging pad for easier charging on the go.

Electric motors and power

There are only two motor configurations available for the Kia EV9. We spent a week with the most powerful 383hp model.

Because it has 700Nm of torque, or around twice as much as a standard 2.0-litre diesel family hatchback, it really shifts. It has enough performance to get to 62mph in 5.3 seconds, which is quicker than many hot hatches.

There’s also a 203hp variant, which we were able to drive for a very short period separately. It has half the torque at 350Nm and feels significantly slower.

In smaller EVs, this much power can still pin you to the back of your seat, but when we spent 30 minutes behind the wheel of the lesser-powered 203hp EV9, we were left wanting more. The 0-62mph sprint time of 9.4 seconds is just average.

Handling and ride comfort

This is one big car, and it’s best suited to gentle motorway driving because the mechanical parts, like the suspension, combined with the sumptuous interior, make for a comfy ride.

The suspension strikes a good balance between being soft enough to absorb potholes and firm enough to handle its massive weight and power.

It might be heavy, but because the huge batteries are housed between the wheel axles, it has a low centre of gravity. This helps improve handling in corners and on twisty, flowing roads.

It’s no sports car in the way that it handles, but that low centre of gravity does go some way to addressing the typical lean that large non-electric SUVs suffer from in the corners.

Boot space

This is really the Kia EV9’s party trick. With all seats in place, the 333 litres of boot space is as much as you’d get in a family hatchback.

Seven-seater models with only the two front seats upright have 2,318 litres of space, and six-seater models have a touch more, which is positively van-like.

Cars with the additional motor on the front axle have a 52-litre frunk, which is pretty standard, but entry-level models without that additional motor have a pretty sizeable 90-litre frunk. That’s half of what you get in the entire boot area of a Fiat 500, and certainly enough to swallow a couple of bags.

Rear seats

The Kia EV9’s rear seats are just as important as its luggage space, and all three rows have enough space to accommodate adults.

The high roofline and long wheelbase bode well for space in the rearmost seats, which are relatively easily accessed by folding the middle row.

Three adults can fit side-by-side in the middle row without fighting for space, and they’ll all have their own foot room thanks to the flat floor – a perk almost all EVs benefit from.

For a touch more luxury, the top-spec model is available as a six-seater with three rows of two seats. The middle row consists of two individual seats that can rotate 180 degrees and recline – they also have built-in leg rests, like the front seats, which are great for relaxing at charging stops.

Storage solutions

In a car this big, it would be impossible not to have so much storage.

The EV9 has good-sized cupholders that are adjustable, a large glovebox and space in the centre console. There really is a space for everything.

Towing

The standard Kia EV9 is capable of towing a 900kg braked trailer, which is fine if you’re only intending on taking a small trailer to the tip, but if that’s the case, you’d probably have more space inside the back of the EV9.

All-wheel-drive models can tow loads of up to 2,500kg, which covers most caravans, but expect efficiency to dip considerably due to the added weight.

In our experience, heavy trailers tend to see a range reduced by about half, so be prepared to add more charging stops to longer trips.

Safety

Kia has a solid reputation for building safe cars, and the EV9 is packed with plenty of standard-fit systems to prevent accidents and take the stress out of driving, such as Highway Driving Assist 2.0 and Lane Follow Assist 2.0, which are made up of lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control functionalities.

It was awarded a full five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP in 2023, with strong scores across the four key categories – adult occupant, child occupant, vulnerable road users and safety assist.

Range and charging

Whether you go for the standard model or the all-wheel-drive variant with nearly double the power, you’ll get the same 99.8kWh battery.

You read that right, the EV9 houses a massive battery that weighs more than 560kg – it’s more than twice as big as the smaller option available in first-generation Kia Niro EV crossovers.

Depending on the configuration and wheel size, the claimed range is in the 300-350-mile region. The car weighs north of 2.5 tonnes, which is about a tonne more than a petrol-powered family hatchback, but it can be surprisingly economical.

Sure, you could get a similar range out of a battery two-thirds the size if you’re not bothered about having a big seven-seater SUV, but around town, the EV9 can be nearly as efficient as a Niro thanks to its clever regenerative braking.

The only trade-off with having such a big battery is the charging time – plug it into a three-pin domestic outlet and it’ll take more than 43.5 hours to fully charge. Not that that’s recommended for any EV, because it can put sockets and cables under a lot of pressure for prolonged periods of time.

Thankfully, you can fill it up in just over 14 hours with a standard 7kW wall charger.

It’ll also charge at up to 350kW at a rapid charging station, so a 10-80% charge will take around 25 minutes.

Reliability

Kia has been building electrified vehicles for many years – the Niro, Soul and EV6 have already given the South Korean brand a strong start manufacturing EVs.

Petrol or electric, Kia has also earned the trust of the public with its strong build quality and long-lasting models.

Every Kia is backed by a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, which includes coverage for the battery’s health. It’s worth noting that some manufacturers offer eight years’ cover, but still have the 100,000-mile limitation in place.

Insurance groups

It might come from an affordable brand, but insuring the EV9 can get costly. The rear-wheel-drive model is in insurance group 45, and the more powerful variant is in group 50 – the most expensive group.

Don’t let that put you off before you get a quote, though, because there are plenty of factors that play into your insurance premium. Plus, any extra costs might be offset by this large SUV’s comparably cheap running costs.