It was shown as a concept vehicle less than two years ago, and now the Kia EV9 is almost here.
On Tuesday, a new flagship took shape with the Kia EV9’s design reveal. Slim on details and flush with photos, the automaker said more with less by showing off known features.
2024 Kia EV9
2024 Kia EV9
Set to formally debut in late March, the EV9’s design remains true to the concept that debuted at the 2021 Los Angeles auto show. The big, boxy exterior has some Telluride vibes but cuts its own path with punched out panels and strong lines. The upright greenhouse features a distinct uptick at the rear with a D-pillar design all its own. As executives told Motor Authority, it’s 90% of what the concept showed. Even the four double-spoke wheel design is similar but not quite the same.
LED lighting front and back anchors the signature look. The front daytime running lights create an animated lighting pattern that will set the stage for future Kia EVs, according to Kia.
2024 Kia EV9
2024 Kia EV9
2024 Kia EV9
2024 Kia EV9
Inside, the EV9 feels familiar yet different, with elements from the electric EV6. The dashboard features a 5.0-inch display flanked by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen, all housed under a single pane of glass. Kia says the small screen is a display to “improve the digital experience.” We see it used for driver profiles and climate controls. A few hard buttons are retained, but most functions seem relegated to the screens, which are augmented by touch-sensitive buttons.
Kia said the EV9 will be offered with seating for six or seven with a second-row bench seat or available captain’s chairs. The captain’s chairs can swivel up to 180 degrees to allow second-row passengers to interact easier with those seated in the third row. Twisting the second-row 90 degrees will create easy ingress and egress, judging by photos.
The first- and second-row seats can recline so passengers can relax while the EV9’s charging, according to Kia. Both the second and third rows fold flat to create immense cargo space, but no measurements are available yet.
Hyundai Motor Group E-GMP platform
The EV9 will be based on the E-GMP platform. The dedicated EV platform features an 800-volt electrical architecture capable of bi-directional charging, vehicle-to-grid functions, and really fast charging times.
At the 2022 New York auto show, Kia America’s Chief Operating Officer Steven Center told MA the EV9 will need about 300 miles of range as that’s the “sweet spot or minimum entry for a larger vehicle.”
Center said the EV9 and Telluride will have a price gap similar to that of the Niro EV and Niro hybrid, or the EV6 and Sportage. That will likely give the EV9 a $15,000 price differential between it and the Telluride, putting the EV9 price at about $50,000 to start.
