Name: New Kia EV9 models and Specifications
Brand: Kia

149kw-air-998kwh-5dr-auto

149kW

Four-wheel-drive versions are seriously quick with 0-62mph taking just 5.3 seconds. They cost more, though, and the official range between charges drops to 313 miles.

282kW

This is the entry-level trim, but still comes with lots of kit including three-zone climate control, electric front seats (heated and ventilated in the first two rows), a powered tailgate and a heat pump. The 19in alloys look pretty small on a car this big, though.

You’ll need to go for at least this trim level if you want four-wheel drive, but on top of everything that comes with entry-level Air, GT-Line adds 21in alloys, sportier styling, more comfortable front seats and adaptive headlights.

GT-Line

This range-topping trim is too pricey to recommend, but adds a sunroof, a head-up display, and a 14-speaker Meridian sound system.

GT-Line S

Estate

Buyers seeking value for money should have Kia towards the top of their shopping list.

Although once a niche brand in the UK, today Kia outsells many more established brands, helped by its market-leading seven-year warranty and a strong reputation for reliability; in fact, Kia regularly finishes towards the top of our reliability surveys.

There are plenty of models to choose from, too, ranging from the small Picanto city car to the Ceed family hatchback and the Sorento large SUV. The Picanto was the first Kia to win its class at the What Car? Car of the Year awards.

282kW GT-Line S 99.8kWh AWD 5dr (6St) Auto

282kw-gt-line-s-998kwh-awd-5dr-6st-auto

149kW Air 99.8kWh 5dr Auto

282kW GT-Line 99.8kWh AWD 5dr Auto

282kw-gt-line-998kwh-awd-5dr-auto

282kW GT-Line S 99.8kWh AWD 5dr (7St) Auto

282kw-gt-line-s-998kwh-awd-5dr-7st-auto

Kia EV9

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Kia EV9 is probably more expensive than you might expect, with a starting price that’s similar to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi Q7</a>, and above that of an&nbsp;entry-level <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n21198">Land Rover Defender 110</a>.

Against its electric rivals, though, the EV9 is actually fairly well priced, costing more than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/eqb/estate/review/n24403">Mercedes EQB</a>, but around the same as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id-buzz/mpv/review/n24946">VW ID Buzz LWB</a> and less than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q8/4x4/review/n18397">Audi Q8 e-tron</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/ix/4x4/review/n23569">BMW iX</a>.

Depreciation isn't predicted&nbsp;to be especially heavy, either, although&nbsp;the EV9 is likely to lose its value faster than an equivalent&nbsp;Defender. And because monthly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/pcp-or-hp-which-car-finance-option-makes-most-sense/n1163">PCP finance</a> payments are fairly hefty, the EV9 makes most sense to company car drivers who instead pay benefit in kind (BIK) tax through a monthly salary sacrifice.

Our preferred entry-level Air trim – which is only available with rear-wheel-drive (RWD) – comes with three-zone climate control, electric front seats (heated and ventilated in the first two rows), a heated steering wheel, a powered tailgate and a heat pump for more efficient warming of the interior in cool conditions. The standard 19in alloys look pretty small on a car this big, mind.

Stepping up to either GT-Line or GT-Line S trim adds all-wheel drive, along with 21in alloys, sportier styling, more comfortable front seats and adaptive headlights. On top of that, top-spec GT-Line S also gets a sunroof, a head-up display and an upgraded stereo.&nbsp;

The EV9 impresses when it comes to charging, because it can accept a maximum of of 210kW. In ideal conditions, and if you can find a fast enough <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/electric-car-charging-networks-rated/n23269">public charging point</a>, a 10-80% top-up can be taken care of in just 24 minutes. That’s quicker than a Q8 e-tron, iX or EQB can manage.

We can’t give you much of a steer on reliability because the EV9 is still quite new. However, we can tell you that <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/kia">Kia</a> finished 11th out of 31&nbsp;brands in the overall manufacturer league table in the 2024&nbsp;What Car? Reliability Survey – that’s above Tesla, Mercedes and Land Rover, but below BMW.

You get a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty with the EV9, which is longer than the three-year cover that comes as standard on a BMW or Mercedes.

The EV9 was awarded the full five-star rating when it was tested by the safety experts at <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a>. All models come with lots of safety kit, including blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic emergency braking (<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">AEB</a>).

<h2 dir="ltr">“For me, spending extra on GT-Line or GT-Line S trim makes little sense – especially since the cheaper Air model has a longer range.” –<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/neil-winn/n1101"> </a><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/will-nightingale/n1020">Lawrence Cheung, N</a><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/lawrence-cheung/n23691">ew Cars Editor</a></h2>

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All versions of the Kia EV9 have the same&nbsp;96kWh (usable capacity) battery, but the maximum range between charges depends on whether you want two or four-wheel drive.

The entry-level RWD version is driven by its rear wheels and has an official range of 349 miles. In our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/range-test-how-far-can-electric-cars-really-go/n24836">2024 summer range test</a>&nbsp;it managed an impressive 314 miles on a full charge – although efficiency wasn't brilliant at 3.3 miles per kWh. Blame the EV9's tall and boxy silhouette for that.

Meanwhile, the heavier <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/4x4s-for-off-roading/n26188">four-wheel drive</a> (AWD) version has an official range of up to 315 miles (it varies a little depending on the size of wheels fitted).

In short, the EV9 can go further than the longest-range version of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/5008/estate/review/n26918">Peugeot e-5008</a>&nbsp;currently on sale (although a longer-range version is due later), as well as equivalent versions of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q8/4x4/review/n18397">Audi Q8 e-tron</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/ix/4x4/review/n23569">BMW iX</a>.

The 200bhp EV9 RWD isn't quick, but there’s still an adequate&nbsp;amount&nbsp;punch for everyday driving. Its 0-62mph time is a respectable 9.4 seconds&nbsp;so it's fractionally quicker than an e-5008.

The EV9 AWD – which was a category winner at our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/awards/tow-car-awards">2024 Tow Car Awards</a> – adds a second motor for lots more power and drops the 0-62mph time to just 5.3 seconds. That’s quick by any standards, and it feels it&nbsp;as the car deploys its power instantly, pinning you and your passengers back in their seats.

However, this is an enormous <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/7-seat-cars/n2344">seven-seat SUV</a> with relatively soft suspension, so it doesn't really like being driven in anger. The EV9's nose rears up during hard acceleration before pitching down again when you hit the brakes.

You're far better off taking it easy, especially around corners: if you tackle a tight bend too quickly there's a noticeable amount of body lean. The light steering is useful when manoeuvring at low speeds, and switching into Sport mode adds a bit of extra weight to to give you more confidence at faster speed.

The pay-off for that softer suspension is a largely comfortable ride. The RWD EV9 lopes along smoothly on the&nbsp;motorway and does a reasonable&nbsp;job of taking the sting out of bumps and potholes in town.&nbsp;

However, unlike some SUVs in its price bracket, the EV9 isn't&nbsp;available with air suspension to help manage its hefty kerb weight. As a result, it misses out on that extra layer of suppleness against sharp-edged intrusions that a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/ix/4x4/review/n23569">BMW iX</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n21198">Land Rover Defender 110</a> provides.&nbsp;The lack of air suspension also means you can’t adjust the ride height.

Aside from some wind noise – no doubt generated by that boxy silhouette – the EV9 is fairly hushed on motorways with little road noise to bother you or your occupants. True, it doesn’t isolate you from the outside world as well as the Q8 e-tron and iX, but then few cars in any class do.

<h2 dir="ltr">“I found the EV9 very competent at towing when testing it for our Tow Car Awards – although pulling a caravan puts a big dent in the range.” –<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/neil-winn/n1101"> </a><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/dan-jones/n23433">Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer</a></h2>

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

149kw

378bhp AWD

282kw

The Kia EV9 is a bit of a trailblazer because&nbsp;when it first arrived&nbsp;it was unrivalled for practicality&nbsp;in the electric SUV class. Even now, if you want to go fully electric and need to carry six passengers in comfort, your options are quite limited.

As well as the EV9, you could consider the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/eqb/estate/review/n24403">Mercedes EQB</a>&nbsp;– but adults really won’t fancy a trip in its third row of seats. The much larger <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/eqs/estate/review/n25731">Mercedes EQS SUV</a> solves the issue of space and throws a luxurious interior into the mix,&nbsp;but it's very expensive.

Excluding electric-van-based MPVs, your other options at the moment are the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/5008/estate/review/n26918">Peugeot e-5008</a> and the long-wheelbase version of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id-buzz/mpv/review/n24946">VW ID Buzz</a>&nbsp;– although we've no doubt there will be more electric <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/7-seat-cars/n2344">seven-seaters</a> on sale in the future.

<iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hA3ZywwdHR0?si=Z31mlYAkq_ziYv4n" width="560"></iframe>

The question is, should you choose an EV9 over one of those rival car models? What’s more, should you choose it over non-electric seven-seat alternatives, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi Q7</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n21198">Land Rover Defender</a>?

Read on to find out how well the Kia EV9 performed in our testing, and how we rate it against its main rivals...

Kia’s interiors have been getting better and better over the years and we’d go so far as to say the EV9 is the brand’s best effort yet.

Not by much&nbsp;though, and the materials don’t impress compared with those in premium five-seat <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-suvs/n23038">electric SUVs</a> – including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q8/4x4/review/n18397">Audi Q8 e-tron</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/ix/4x4/review/n23569">BMW iX</a> – or petrol seven-seaters such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi Q7</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n21198">Land Rover Defender</a>.

The covering on the steering wheel doesn’t feel very premium, for example, and the soft-touch material on the dashboard isn’t particularly dense or plush given the price bracket the EV9 is competing in. There are no options to personalise the interior with different colour schemes, meaning there’s a lot of grey on show.

The driving position has that elevated feel SUV buyers love, and the front seats are comfortable with a good amount of side support. However, there are some ergonomic irritations, such as the Start button hidden behind the steering wheel on the gear selector, and the fact that the wheel blocks your view of the 5.3in air-con touchscreen behind.

Fortunately, there are some physical switches for the most commonly used air-con controls (temperature and fan speed), and these are easily visible in the middle of the dashboard. Above those you’ll spot some text that marks out haptic shortcut buttons for the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-car-infotainment-systems-tested-and-rated/n21269">infotainment system</a>. If you prod these&nbsp;hard enough, they vibrate so you know your request has been registered.

The infotainment system is controlled using a 12.3in touchscreen, similar to the one in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ev6/estate/review/n23462">Kia EV6</a> but with a slightly different layout. The screen doesn’t have the clarity or response times to compete with Audis and BMWs in this price range, but it’s still easy enough to use and comes with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> smartphone mirroring.

The driver gets a 12.3in digital display behind the steering wheel, which is clear and positioned high enough to negate the need for a head-up display – something that only top-spec GT-Line S versions get. The only slight issue for some drivers is that the top of the steering wheel can obstruct&nbsp;the top section of the display.

In most respects, visibility is good wherever in the car you’re sitting – even on the two third-row seats, thanks to the EV9's big windows. Our only criticism is that it can be difficult to judge the projection of the bonnet from the driver’s seat, and that's not a major problem because you get front and rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree bird’s eye view camera.

<h2 dir="ltr">“Upgrading to range-topping GT-Line S trim swaps the standard eight-speaker sound system for 14-speaker Meridian equivalent, which is really punchy and I found great&nbsp;for carpool karaoke.” –<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/neil-winn/n1101"> </a><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/neil-winn/n1101">Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor</a></h2>

The EV9 is a rare example of a fully electric seven-seat SUV – but it's not cheap

The biggest draw of the Kia EV9 is how big and practical it is. Indeed, no other <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-suvs/n23038">electric SUV</a> comes close. Third-row passengers benefit most from the EV9’s sizeable dimensions, because unlike in some seven-seaters&nbsp;six-footers have plenty of head room.

There’s more than enough knee room too, as long as those sitting on the row in front don't slide their seats all the way back. And they shouldn't need to: knee room on the second row is, frankly, ridiculous.

That's the case whether you go for the standard EV9&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/7-seat-cars/n2344">seven-seater</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;with its 2-3-2 seats layout – or the six-seat configuration, with three pairs of seats. In the six-seater, you get two individual chairs in the second row, and they can swivel 180 degrees to allow passengers to face backwards if desired.

The swivelling chairs also make it easy to load and unload kids into <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/best-car-seats-the-safest-child-seats-for-newborns-and-toddlers/n26320">child seats</a>. The EV9 has four Isofix child-seat mounts – two on the second row and two on the third. However, to have the six-seater version you’ll first need to choose range-topping GT-Line S trim then fork out extra, which means you’ll be spending a lot of money.

With all the seats in use, the EV9 has slightly more <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/the-cars-with-the-biggest-boots/n18791">boot space</a> than a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id-buzz/mpv/review/n24946">VW ID Buzz LWB</a>&nbsp;– in fact, there’s more space than in the boot of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris/hatchback/review/n31">Toyota Yaris</a>, which is quite impressive. For even more space, you can fold down the second and third row seatbacks electrically to create much more luggage space. In two-seat mode, the EV9 is essentially transformed into a funky-looking van.

There's also some storage under the bonnet, although in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/4x4s-for-off-roading/n26188">four-wheel-drive</a> versions you’ll fit the charging cable there but not a lot else. Rear-wheel-drive EV9s have slightly more under-bonnet stowage, but not enough for a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/the-cars-with-the-biggest-boots/n18791">carry-on suitcase</a> like you can in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-y/hatchback/review/n23624">Tesla Model Y</a>.

Interior stowage is impressive, with a huge tub under the floating centre console in the front, and a cubby under the central armrest. In the second row, there’s a pull-out drawer at floor level in front of the middle seat, plus two cupholders a little higher up. Third-row passengers get their own cupholders.

<h2 dir="ltr">“Although the EV9 has Isofix mounting points on four of its seats, I think it's a shame there isn't one one on the front passenger seat.” –<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/neil-winn/n1101"> </a><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/will-nightingale/n1020">Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor</a></h2>

OUR PICK

gt-line

gt-line-s

The Kia EV9 electric seven-seater is a tempting – and very practical – proposition. However, if you can live with five seats or are prepared to consider petrol and plug-in hybrid alternatives, it doesn’t stack up quite so well because of its high price. The cheapest EV9 RWD Air model comes with plenty of standard kit and has the longest range, so it's our pick of the range.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals.

The best of the breed offer sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test cycle.

Electric

7-seater

This class is all about SUVs that run purely on electricity. No petrol, no diesel and not even any hybrid technology.

Relatively low-cost options include the MG ZS EV, but you can easily spend three times as much on more luxurious alternatives, such as the BMW iX.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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