The all-new Kia EV9 will fill a spot that desperately needs filling: the all-electric, three-row, mass-appeal SUV that has somehow not yet arrived. Sure, there are electric three-rows from Tesla, Mercedes, and Rivian, but one that regular buyers with regular checkbooks would be interested in? This will be the first. And it looks fantastic.
Kia’s doing that slow burn thing where it doesn’t reveal its whole hand at once, so we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out how much the EV9 will cost and its power and range figures, but a recent and exclusive first look at the vehicle in Seoul yielded insight into exactly which aspects of the stunning EV9 concept from 2021 will make it to production. Kia spokespeople would like us to tell you what you’re seeing today isn’t quite the production version just yet, but it’s very, very close.
Tiger Mask
The EV9 Concept that wowed audiences in November 2021 did it via its overwhelming presence, triangle-shaped wheels, and rear-hinged coach doors. To set expectations right off the bat: The coach doors will not make it to production. Sorry. (However, Kia lead production car designer Teckkoun Kim says the company’s R&D and engineering departments are “working on” such doors in hopes they might become reality for some future vehicle.) But did everything else from the concept make it? Pretty much.
To start, the front fascia is still somehow recognizably Kia despite lacking a traditional grille. There are still hints of the now-familiar “tiger nose” front, but here Kim called it a “tiger mask.” Chiseled into either side of the EV9’s face are S-shaped constellations of headlights along with a visually interesting series of three-dimensional, square-shaped lighting elements arranged in a pattern. The entire lighting layout apparently changes depending on trim.
In profile, however, the EV9 is the most commanding. Riding on a stretched version of Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP dedicated EV platform, the EV9 is upright, boxy, and imposing; its low beltline, precise edges, and clean lines draw the eye. Adding to the restraint and tidiness of the design are the blacked-out A-pillars that give the side windows and front windshield a wraparound look. A 20-inch version of the triangle-shaped wheels seen on the concept will be available; they’ll be the smaller option, though, as the top choice will be the 21-inch pieces seen here.
Around back, the constellation-shaped lighting theme continues with vertically oriented taillights and 3D elements that beg you to lean in and examine them more closely. There’s a lot of Cadillac Escalade and Volvo XC90 going on here, and that’s no bad thing.
To give you a sense of its size, the EV9 is a bit longer and wider than the Kia Telluride. It’s certainly large to behold in person, but the design is likely to age gracefully thanks to a gratuitous use of straight lines and right angles. Kim said he and his team didn’t want to create the typical “tough” SUV that’s become so prevalent today. Instead, it’s been penned to project more softness—well, as much as something the size of a small building can, anyway.
Seating for Six
Inside is where the EV9 perhaps deviates the most from the concept.
Rather than an oblong steering wheel, the EV9 will sport a regular steering wheel, and the dashboard is far busier, being populated with actual HVAC vents and a glovebox. The headrests maintain the mesh texture, though, because they provide an airier feel, according to Jochen Paesen, Kia’s vice president of interior design.
From the driver’s seat, the EV9 offers a commanding view of what’s ahead and all the controls are easy to read and reach. The extra-long single panel that houses both the driver information cluster and main infotainment touchscreen ought to be a familiar sight if you’ve looked in the newest Telluride. Below that are a series of menu buttons that respond with haptic feedback, and below those are physical climate control switches and a volume scroll. Bless.
The model we viewed sports second-row captain’s chairs—comfortable, as you’d expect—but these have an extra trick up their sleeves: They swivel 180 degrees to face the third row. Getting them to do so took some finagling on the Kia PR team’s part, but once they were finished, you had what was essentially a mobile social pod. It’s unclear if the swivel seats will make it to the U.S. market, although here’s hoping they do.
Interestingly, and perhaps disappointing to some, the EV9 will have two third-row seats instead of three, but they are wide and spacious, so these passengers won’t feel too cramped, and owing to the electric platform’s flat floor, your knees aren’t raised as if you were riding in the third row of a Telluride or Kia Sorento. The cargo area is decently sized, even with the third row upright.
There is no leather in the EV9, Paesen confirmed, and none will be offered.
Follow the Leader
Beyond what was on display that day in Seoul, Kia refused to reveal any stats relating to the EV9—but we can guess. Seeing as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Genesis GV60, and Kia EV6 all use the E-GMP platform and a 77.4-kWh battery, it’s probably safe to say the EV9 will make use of that battery as well. We’ve estimated before there could be two power configurations, one with 200 hp, 250 lb-ft of torque, and 220 miles of range, and the other with 400 hp, either 380 or 480 lb-ft of torque, and 260 miles of range.
We also estimate the EV9 to cost between $56,000 and $73,000 depending on trim. Based on everything we saw, touched, and experienced, we’d say that’s right on the money, which is also competitive with large three-row conventional SUVs. Despite the display car not being fully production ready, it’s seemingly 99 percent there.
Over the past few years, Kia has quietly captured a growing market share by designing stylish and affordable cars that punch above their weight. The Carnival, Sorento, Sportage, Telluride, Stinger, and EV6 all offer tempting alternatives to cars from Honda, Toyota, and Subaru. Even so, Kia has generally played the role of follower, not leader. It’s improved on existing ideas—wonderfully so—but never really struck out on its own.
When it launches, the EV9 could very well change that. In bringing the first mainstream three-row EV that’s both stylish and (hopefully) priced within reason, Kia’s certainly taking the lead. All the EV9 has to do is stick the landing.
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