2024 Kia EV9 Evaluation: The Electrical Household Hauler Has Arrived

If you happen to consider battery-electric autos as quirky little crossovers like the unique Nissan Leaf, you’re prone to be stunned by the flood of all-new EVs coming to market over the following yr. That’s very true on the subject of the 2024 Kia EV9. Following up on the Korean carmaker’s unique EV6, it’s a three-row SUV that serves because the all-electric various to the Kia Telluride.

Just like the EV6, the 2024 Kia EV9 adopts a particular tackle the model’s “Opposites United” design language — beginning with the pixelated lighting up entrance. Although it falls into the midsize class, Kia’s new entry is surprisingly spacious. Whereas roughly the identical total size because the Telluride, its wheelbase is sort of 8 inches longer, translating into expansive head and legroom for as much as seven passengers.

Relying upon the trim bundle, EV9 will ship as much as 379 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, sufficient to launch the GT-Line bundle from 0 to 60 in exactly 4.5 seconds.

Vary, in the meantime, is anticipated to run as excessive as 300 miles per cost, relying upon the trim. And, homeowners may have the power to make use of EV9’s Car-to-Lead and Car-to-Residence capabilities to energy up a piece or campsite, even hold the lights and home equipment working at dwelling within the occasion of a blackout.

In brief: The 2024 Kia EV9 is a visually placing three-row electrical crossover that may supply loads of room for as much as seven passengers. It gives stable efficiency, cheap vary, and a wide range of helpful tech options, together with the power to function a cellular generator. You’ll, nevertheless, pay a big premium over a comparable gas-powered automobile, and AWD variations will supply a a lot decrease vary.

Kia EV9 Evaluation

Kia made its first foray into power-electric energy with an EV model of the little Niro crossover launched in 2018. It adopted with the devoted EV6 SUV, which, final January, was named North American Utility Car of the 12 months. Subsequent in line among the many seven completely electrical fashions deliberate by mid-decade is the EV9.

Whereas it shares the identical underlying E-GMP “structure” because the EV6, the brand new, midsize mannequin is decidedly larger, measuring 197.4 inches in whole size, 77.9 inches in width, and with a top of 70.1 inches. The three-row mannequin is roughly the identical size, total, because the gas-powered Kia Telluride, however has an almost 8-inch longer wheelbase at 122 inches. That interprets right into a surprisingly roomy cabin and cargo compartment.

Patrons can be provided a wide range of totally different configurations, from a single-motor, short-range Kia EV9 Mild, to the muscular, twin-motor EV9 GT-Line. In the meantime, the midsize SUV will supply a wide range of high-tech options, together with the power to function a cellular generator, and even a backup energy provide for a house within the occasion of a blackout.

Kia EV Exterior Styling

EV9 doesn’t stray removed from the model’s “opposites united” design language, beginning with its blunt, upright nostril and contrasting curves and sharp creases.

The three-row mannequin does undertake a distinctively pixelated entrance lighting scheme. Patrons will be capable of order a wide range of totally different lighting patterns utilizing EV9’s smartphone-style over-the-air, or OTA, replace know-how.

The utility automobile is way extra aerodynamic than one may anticipate — one thing crucial for maximizing vary and efficiency — with a drag coefficient of simply 0.28. To attain that concentrate on, designers went with a steeply raked windshield, easy underbody, and pop-out door handles.

However they did make a couple of concessions, together with the provision of wheel choices starting from 19 to 21 inches. And, not like most different electrical utility autos, the 2024 Kia EV9 does get a rear windshield wiper.

EV9 Inside Styling

The midsize EV9’s cabin makes good use of the SUV’s skateboard-like platform. That begins with a flat load flooring. Patrons also needs to respect the stunning quantity of inside house, head, shoulder, and legroom pushing nearer to many full-size utility autos. These seated within the third row will not really feel like they’ve been caught in a penalty field.

A floating heart console, in the meantime, gives loads of cupboard space. There’s additionally a sliding storage bin for the second row.

Total, the EV9 delivers 20.9 cubic ft of storage with the third row up, greater than many comparable three-row fashions. And that jumps to 81.7 cubic ft when the second and third rows are folded down.

Considered one of Kia’s objectives was to maximise using sustainable materials and different inside supplies. There can be no leathers, for one factor. As a substitute, Kia has provide you with a cloth utilizing corn and different sustainable supplies to create the same appear and feel. Recycled supplies from pop bottles and fishing nets are also used.

Tech-Laden Kia EV

Inside, designers picked up on the geometric look of the outside. However additionally they went for a decidedly high-tech look, beginning with twin 12.3-inch digital shows, the touchscreen on the suitable working the EV9’s infotainment system.

A 3rd display screen, mounted in the midst of the middle stack, controls the utility automobile’s local weather management system. Kia additionally will supply an optionally available head-up show, in addition to a digital camera mirror that might show very helpful when the cabin is totally occupied.

There are many helpful, high-tech options, from the array of USB ports to the built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. The 4G know-how serves a crucial objective in EV9, linking the EV to the cloud for such features as real-time site visitors steerage, in addition to the power to routinely improve onboard software program, energy the infotainment system, and obtain new digital options. The navigation system helps a driver plot out when and the place to cost up.

Wanting ahead, stated advertising and marketing chief Russell Wager, Kia will embody these new lighting schemes, in addition to potential enhancements to EV9’s efficiency and vary.

Kia plans to start providing a completely hands-free drive system, Freeway Driving Pilot, on some variations of the EV9 in 2025. Sadly, that system — just like Ford’s present Blue Cruise know-how — would require using Lidar, a 3D type of laser imaginative and prescient. Meaning early variations of the utility automobile received’t be capable of improve till a Lidar sensor turns into accessible.

Kia EV9 Powertrain Choices

As with the sooner EV6, Kia will supply a broad vary of powertrain packages.

This begins with a single-motor rear-wheel-drive EV9 Mild with a modest 76.1kWh lithium-ion battery. It’s at the moment rated at 215 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It’s anticipated to ship an EPA-estimated 225 miles per cost.

That drops to 201 horsepower and 258 pound-feet with the Mild long-range mannequin. It’s bumped to a 300-mile vary utilizing a 99.8kWh pack.

The mid-range Wind goes all-wheel-drive, with a mixed 379 horsepower and 449 pound-feet — although torque briefly jumps to 516 pound-feet while you use Increase Mode. The vary is available in at an estimated 285 miles.

The AWD Land bundle boasts comparable energy rankings however will get 10 mpg much less vary. Kia added a handful of options supposed to present the EV9 Land a little bit of modest off-road driving capabilities.

Lastly, the GT-Line matches the Land’s rankings however is tuned for extra aggressive efficiency, right here dipping to an EPA ranking of 270 miles per cost. The GT-Line will launch from 0 to 60 in roughly 4.5 seconds, Kia claims, which is in keeping with what I skilled throughout my take a look at drive.

Charging & V2L

Given entry to the quickest public fast chargers, the short-range battery pack can go from a ten% to 80% state-of-charge in 20 minutes. That rises solely barely, to 24 minutes, with the bigger battery pack. Plugged right into a degree 2 240-volt dwelling charger, that climbs to six:45 for the short-range pack, and eight:45 for the bigger pack.

When Kia launched its EV6 it added a characteristic that many motorists may discover helpful, the power to faucet into the EV’s pack and use it as a cellular generator. EV9 is able to offering as much as 1,900 W of 120V present, which might be accessed both via a plug within the cargo bay or through the use of an adaptor plugged into the EV’s charging port.

There are a number of phrases that you simply’ll hear utilized to this characteristic: vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-home, or V2L and V2H, respectively. What issues is which you can energy up a campsite or a worksite, even present energy to a house hit by a blackout.

Wallbox

As a part of its gross sales promotion, Kia is providing preliminary EV9 consumers a free dwelling charger from Wallbox.

For individuals who need to improve, nevertheless, Wallbox has an optionally available charger that may routinely reverse the move of electrons, very like a gas-powered dwelling generator. If it senses a blackout it should, in lower than 20 seconds, begin drawing energy from the EV9’s pack.

You’ll be able to set particular limits to make sure that it doesn’t utterly drain the battery. You can also set the system up in order that it shuts off energy from the grid, say, throughout peak vitality pricing instances, drawing battery energy. It’s going to subsequently recharge the battery at a decreased charge.

2024 Kia EV9 Driving Impressions

I spent an extended day with the 2024 Kia EV9 on the automaker’s proving grounds out within the parched Mojave Desert. Most of that point was spent with the GT-Line version, although I additionally had a run via the desert within the EV9 Land bundle.

For a automobile weighing in at as a lot as 5,714 kilos — with a GVR of seven,099 kilos — the EV9 GT-Line proved pleasantly fast and way more nimble than the numbers would counsel. I used to be in a position to flog the SUV round a dynamic course, weaving out and in of a sequence of coned-off traps, with solely a uncommon grievance from the suspension. Even after I overcooked issues, lastly inflicting the again tires to interrupt free, I used to be in a position to shortly and confidently regain management.

Credit score some refined suspension tuning, in addition to the placement of the battery pack, which interprets right into a decrease heart of gravity than the comparably sized Kia Telluride.

On a 6-mile high-speed oval, the GT-Line comfortably ran loop after loop at greater than 100 mph with out even climbing the steeply banked partitions.

As for the EV9 Land, we took it out via a well-worn desert course, the EV absorbing all however the worst ruts and bumps with out slamming my kidneys. A number of helpful options, together with Kia’s model of Hill Descent Management, allowed me to each climb a steep hill, after which slide again down, with out having to flutter forwards and backwards from throttle to brake.

No, you’re not going to take the SUV out to Moab, however it should greater than readily deal with the form of modest to reasonable trails the common motorist may expertise.

2024 Kia EV9: Pricing & Availability

Sadly, we’re nonetheless a bit too removed from the general public rollout of the 2024 Kia EV9 to have the ultimate phrase on pricing. However we’re anticipating to see the electrical SUV begin at someplace within the mid- to excessive $50,000 vary. The EV9 GT-Line, if the EV6 is any indication, will push near $70,000, maybe above that totally loaded.

Like dozens of different new EV fashions, the EV9 acquired caught by the home manufacturing language of the Inflation Discount Act handed in August 2022. Meaning it’s not eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit score. That’s, for those who purchase one. As a consequence of a loophole within the IRA, Kia will cross that incentive on to those that lease — because it now expects 50% of shoppers will do.

As with pricing, Kia has not confirmed the EV9’s on-sale date, although I used to be instructed by a Kia consultant that may occur someday “between Thanksgiving and the tip of the yr.”

Is it well worth the cash? If you happen to’re significantly contemplating an EV and want most house and seating, the 2024 Kia EV9 is greater than price trying out. Primarily based on early buzz, the three-row SUV may very well be one other Kia contender for North American Utility Car of the 12 months.