Kia EV9: five reasons why we love it...and five why we loathe it

Kia has stepped up its game for the electric era and so far its future plans to become an all-electric car maker look bright. 

The Korean marque’s first bespoke electric car, the Kia EV6, showcased the firm’s potential arriving with a stylish design, strong range and efficiency and a modern, practical interior. 

But it’s Kia’s latest electric car that has arguably been its most daring.
 

The Kia EV9 arrived towards the end of 2023 as a boldly-styled, five-metre long electric SUV, designed to take on Europe’s most established brands. 

Not only is the EV9 Kia’s first electric SUV, it’s also its most expensive model to date due to its premium billing. But what is the new EV9 like and does it have any drawbacks?
 

We LOVE the Kia EV9 because… 

It has a comfortable ride and handles well for a car of this size. While it doesn’t come with air suspension, the EV9 deals with bumps, potholes and various road imperfections well. The all-wheel-drive GT Line models feel more sure-footed, with the four-wheel-drive versions offering more composure, especially through corners. 

The single-motor Air model, meanwhile, feels softer and more relaxed, ironing out lumps and bumps well. 
 

We LOATHE the Kia EV9 because…

Despite being positioned as a premium SUV, the EV9 doesn’t wear its price particularly well, especially in range-topping GT-Line S trim. 

The top-spec car comes with heaps of standard kit and the option of a six- or seven-seat configuration, but it still costs more than £76,000; opt for the six-seater and you’ll have to pay an extra £1000. 

While the entry-level car comes in at a costly £65,025, it’s arguably the pick of the line-up, offering the longest range, best efficiency and same level of interior flexibility.

We LOVE the Kia EV9 because…

It has a good range and efficiency, especially in entry-level trim. Pleasingly, Kia fitted its lower-spec EV9 Air with the same 99.8kWh battery as its range-mates. But unlike the mid-level GT Line and top-spec GT Line S, the Air has a single-motor mounted on the rear-axle. 

This means it can travel up to 349 miles on a charge, 36 miles more than the dual-motor models, and it has a claimed efficiency of 3.0mpkWh. When we drove it on a mix of rural and town roads, the Air achieved an impressive 2.8mpkWh.

We LOATHE the Kia EV9 because…

While it might have the technology and styling to live up to its premium position, there is a lack of material richness inside. Fiddle with the switchgear and haptic controls on the dashboard and it doesn’t feel as lavishly appointed as a BMW, Mercedes or Volvo.

In fairness, Kia has focussed more heavily on implementing recyclable materials in the EV9’s cabin, forsaking some interior appeal. Overall, material quality is still good, it just fails to match its premium brand rivals from Europe. 

We LOVE the Kia EV9 because…

It is supremely practical and versatile inside, with a choice of six- or seven-seats. Opt for the six-seater and the second-row gets a pair of large ‘captains’ chairs, which can swivel and turn to face the third-row for a lounge-like setup. 

The seven-seater gets a standard three-seat bench in the second-row and two-seats in the third row. Even with all the seats up you get 333 litres of boot space to play with; fold the third row down and capacity grows to 828 litres. And you get loads of cubby holes, storage compartments and large door bins to store your belongings. 

We LOATHE the Kia EV9 because… 

It's a seriously big car, and this does limit manoeuvrability around town and car parks. At over five metres long, the EV9 is 7mm longer than a Land Rover Defender 110, which makes it slightly harder to haul into tight spaces. 

You do notice its size in car parks and around mini roundabouts, and it's a shame Kia didn’t implement four-wheel steering, which would have helped improve turning circles and overall manoeuvrability. 

We LOVE the Kia EV9 because… 

It's one of the best looking electric SUVs you can buy. The EV9 builds on Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy that was first introduced with the EV6. 

With short overhangs, a long wheelbase and big alloy wheels, the EV9 has excellent design appeal, without being too busy on the eye. Its chunky exterior, enhanced by sharp edges and a distinctive headlight design gives the EV9 real presence in an ever-growing electric SUV market. 

We LOATHE the Kia EV9 because…

The climate controls are somewhat ill-configured. The EV9 gets twin 12.3in infotainment and instrument displays integrated into one large panel on the dashboard. Sitting in between the two displays is a small graphic for the climate controls, but its poorly positioned as it’s blocked by the chunky steering wheel.

You can push a button on the touchscreen so that it covers the entire 12.3in infotainment screen, but you still have to look away from the road to do it. There is a physical temperature control button on the dashboard, but overall the controls aren’t as good as the EV6, which has a separate panel of touch-sensitive buttons. 

We LOVE the Kia EV9 because…

Its charging technology is a cut above rivals. All versions of the EV9 can be charged at up to 210kW, which means a 10-80% charge takes around 24 minutes, which is quicker than a Q8 e-tron, BMW iX and Mercedes EQB.

And the EV9 gets the same Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality as the EV6 and Niro EV, which allows owners to power small appliances (like a kettle) using the car’s battery via a special adapter.

We LOATHE the Kia EV9 because…

While it deals with bumps and road imperfections well, its lack of air suspension means it lacks a layer of ride comfort that many of its rivals offer.

The Land Rover Defender 110 and BMW iX do better in this regard, and the Kia's 'smart' adaptive dampers can often be caught out by sharp edges and repeated imperfections, making the ride quite brittle and harsh.