REVIEW : Kia EV9 – Unbelievable Interior Space and Luxury

September 12, 2024

This Kia EV9 is a behemoth with enough boot space (despite three rows of seats) to accommodate all the awards it’s been winning! But is it a worthy winner? This huge electric SUV, available in rear-wheel drive as well as all-wheel drive, seems to think it’s an MPV (people carrier) when it comes to the inside.
Behold the new Kia EV9. It’s hard not to be impressed when you encounter it in person. Its mass may take you by surprise, but its crisp, sharp-edged styling impresses, especially in the alluring matte finish. It has a commanding presence on the road, featuring a particularly striking front end with a wide expanse flanked by a rakish headlight design.
The beast packs a punch too. The GT-Line S variant I tested comes with 378bhp and a whopping 700Nm of torque. This powerhouse will get you from 0-62mph in just 5.3 seconds, which is quite impressive for a colossus of this ilk. The driving range is a respectable 313 miles, although the city range is given as even more impressive at 415 miles. Efficiency is said to be 2.7 miles/kWh.
Now, let’s talk about the highlight of the Kia EV9 – its interior. This SUV is all about space and comfort. The six-seater configuration, with its second-row swivelling seats, feels like a luxury lounge on wheels. There’s ample legroom and headroom for passengers in both the front and middle rows, although the rearmost seats might be better suited to children. The front seats are powered and heated, but the middle seats can slide and swivel, and there’s a pull-out table and storage bin handy for families lunching on the go.
The EV9 is packed with premium features. Along with a heated steering wheel for those chilly mornings, you get three-zone climate control and a 14-speaker Meridian sound system to get the party started in this mobile disco. The interior is adorned with artificial leather upholstery, giving it a premium look and feel.
Up front, there’s a 12.3-inch instrument display and a 12.3-inch touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also a head-up display, which is always a nice touch for keeping your eyes on the road.
Charging your devices won’t be an issue with six USB-C ports, two 12V sockets, and even a 3-pin socket in the rear luggage compartment. The wireless charger is a handy feature, and the vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging capability means you can even use the EV9 to power other electrical devices.
In terms of practicality, the Kia EV9 doesn’t disappoint. The rear luggage space is 333 litres, which expands to a cavernous 2,393 litres with the seats folded down. There’s also a 52-litre front boot or ‘frunk’, perfect for smaller items or shopping bags.
Safety is a priority with the EV9. It comes equipped with a full suite of driver aids, including trailer stability assist, rear-cross traffic assist, and smart parking assist. The rear self-levelling suspension helps to manage heavier loads.
Driving the EV9 is an interesting experience. Despite its size, it feels surprisingly nimble. The steering is light, making it easy to manoeuvre, and the suspension does a great job of soaking up bumps and rough patches. Even when tackling rumble strips, the EV9 remains composed, offering a smooth ride throughout.
On the road, the Kia EV9 is surprisingly keen to drive. The various driving modes, including a sporty option, allow you to tailor the driving experience to your liking. In sport mode, the throttle response is noticeably sharper, making it feel more dynamic.
Having said that, keep in mind this is not meant to be a sporty machine, nor does it aspire to be. But it acquits itself in a manner that won’t embarrass you at the traffic-light grand prix or even on the back roads. It’s smooth and composed, manages to resist understeer – to an extent – and whilst it feels like a big car, the drive isn’t as cumbersome as you might expect.
So is the Kia EV9 deserving of the various accolades it’s accumulated? Just for its cavernous and configurable interior, performance, and range, it would have earned a gong or two. Combine that with extensive features and a handsome visage, and Kia has indeed got a bona fide winner in the ‘eff-me it’s big’ category.
Beware though, it’s not cheap. This range-topping GT-Line S with all-wheel drive and 378bhp has a new price tag of £77,025. Admittedly the range starts with a 200bhp rear-wheel-drive entry-level model, though that’s still about £65k. If you do fancy one, check out the classifieds as well. I found one exactly like this on Autotrader, under a year old with 11,000 miles on the clock for £14k less than the new price