2024 Kia EV9 Is the Household-Measurement EV

As we barrel toward an all-electric future, many EV makers have smartly concentrated on the most popular vehicle classes. There are now plenty of compact electric SUVs, but what if you desire something better suited to a large family? Three-row mid-size SUVs are the go-to choice, but the electric options are decidedly sparse and have been limited to expensive luxury brands.

The 2024 Kia EV9 looks to change all of that. The EV9’s dimensions are very similar to the seemingly unassailable Telluride SUV‘s, though the EV’s wheelbase is almost eight inches longer. We had the opportunity to drive a Korean-spec EV9 from Seoul to the east coast of the peninsula and back. After this first experience with Kia’s family-size EV, we anticipate it will be as successful as its gasoline-powered sibling.

Three EV powertrains

Of course, specs are vitality important here, so let’s jump in. The EV9 will be offered in three guises. The entry-level standard battery has a capacity of 76.1 kilowatt-hours and is estimated by Kia to deliver 223 miles of range. Output from the single rear motor comes to 215 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. That should get the EV9 to 60 mph in 8.0 seconds or so.

The Long Range models upgrade to a 99.8-kWh battery and are offered in either rear- or all-wheel-drive. The most recent information suggests that the long-range rear-drive model will deliver the same power as the standard-battery version, but range increases to 300 miles. The added weight of the larger battery slows 60-mph acceleration to around 9.2 seconds, which is comparatively pokey for a modern EV.

We drove the Long Range with a second motor powering the front wheels. Combined with the rear motor, it churns out 379 horsepower and up to 516 pound-feet, although range drops to an estimated 270 miles. It should hit 60 mph in a much more respectable 5.0 seconds.

EV9 initial driving impressions

Kia is still finalizing how the North American models will differ from Korean-spec ones, but it’s a fair assumption we’ll get sportier tunings for the suspension and throttle mapping. Considering this is a mid-size, three-row family SUV, we really don’t see the need for a different tuning, since our K-spec EV9 was a pleasure to drive. Off the line, power delivery is as immediate as most other EVs and will easily exceed most drivers’ expectations. On the highway, the ride quality is appropriately soft while not being floaty over undulations. One-pedal driving is available by adjusting the steering-wheel paddles, and it’s easy to roll the EV9 to a complete stop smoothly. For more urgent deceleration, the brake pedal has a familiar feel and gets the job done, but you will feel the vehicle’s substantial weight shift forward.

That mass factors in far less prominently on the few sections of curvy mountain roads, thanks to the underfloor battery that gives the EV9 a low center of gravity. It’s poised and very controllable when driven harder than is prudent. This instills confidence that you’ll be able to swerve around unexpected obstacles when you’re just cruising. We’re curious how the U.S.-spec EV9 will differ, but as it is, we don’t have any complaints in regard to driving. Well done, Kia.

EV9 interior

In contrast to the EV9’s attractive cyberpunk-like beveled exterior, the interior is softer and more inviting. The horizontal dash stretches from door to door and features what appears to be a single extra-wide display that extends from the instrument panel to the infotainment screen. In reality, there are two 12.3-inch screens, plus a 5.0-inch touchscreen for secondary climate controls.

Despite what initially seems to be a lack of physical switchgear, there are indeed some shortcut buttons embedded in the woodgrain dash trim. You need to give those embedded buttons a serious push, but you get confirmation with a solid haptic tap back. We’re also pleased that there are levers for the temperature and fan controls just below and a volume roller dial in between. The infotainment system exhibits some slow reactions here and there but is easy to use with its numerous but well-organized menus.

The cabin makes liberal use of sustainable materials, with most surfaces getting a grained-leather look. There are lots of attractive elements, and we even like the glossy plastic trim pieces, but many of the coverings we expect would be well padded are noticeably firm. As a result, they’re not as enjoyable to the touch.

We’re especially thrown by the awkward van-like hump that supports the center of the dashboard. Its hard plastic shroud seems more at home in an airliner’s economy-class seatback, but we’re glad there’s at least something to interrupt an otherwise flat floor. It should keep errant objects from rolling from the passenger side to under the pedals, but we think it could have been styled to better blend in with the rest of the cabin.

The front seats are firmly cushioned, and after an hour we began to feel some hard points. The synthetic upholstery looks and feels as downmarket as what you’d get in a rental-spec sedan. We’re hopeful that the U.S.-bound models will have other options and perhaps a textile covering similar to some of the interior trim elements. The driver seat has all of the necessary power adjustments to get comfortably situated, but we had to scoot the seat forward more than we preferred because the steering wheel doesn’t telescope far enough back.

The seats have a recline feature with a powered leg rest for when you’re waiting while the battery recharges. There’s also a unique mesh headrest and a small lip behind it that you can hang your coat on. The floating center console has a roll-top cover, a wireless charger in the middle, and a large armrest bin. Underneath is a deep tray for larger objects.

The second-row captain’s chairs are similar in appearance and comfort to the front seats. On our sample vehicle, they had heating, ventilation, and an oddly aggressive massage function. The seat vibrates and also kneads your back and bottom, but even in its lowest setting, it tended to scramble our innards. The seats slide forward and back quite a ways, but sadly we won’t get the 180-degree swivel function other markets will enjoy. A second-row bench is available and increases passenger capacity from six to seven.

The twin third-row seats have enough headroom to accommodate adults, but second-row passengers will need to slide forward to give back-benchers enough legroom. Fortunately, there’s ample legroom for both rows in this configuration. Behind the third row, the cargo area can hold up to 20 cubic feet, which nearly equals the Telluride’s capacity. With both rows stowed, cargo space expands to 82 cubic feet. We’ll have to wait until later for the intermediate number that relates to stashing the third row while the second row is occupied.

EV9 charging

Kia fits the EV9 with an 11-kW on-board charger, which is sufficiently large to get the max out of most 240-volt Level 2 home- and public-charging setups. DC fast-charging capability, on the other hand, tops out at 230 kilowatts when plugged into 350-kW charging equipment using the CCS connector. Kia says says that should replenish the standard battery from 10 to 80 percent in only 20 minutes, with the larger long-range battery needing 24 minutes. Our earlier EV6 testing largely validated Kia’s claims in the past, so we don’t doubt their estimates here.

On the whole, the 2024 Kia EV9 managed to exceed our admittedly high expectations based on the overall excellence of the smaller EV6. While some interior materials are somewhat disappointing, it doesn’t sour the overall experience.

Pricing hasn’t been announced, but we would be shocked if it were anywhere as expensive as the limited batch of three-row electric SUVs already out there: the Rivian R1S, the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, and the Tesla Model X. That means, when it arrives late this year, the EV9 will have few if any direct rivals. And a higher-performing GT model also is in the works, which should further set the EV9 apart.