Photos by J.G. Pasterjak
The Kia EV9 sits atop Hyundai and Kia's shared Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) which it shares with the EV6, Genesis GV60 and the Hyundao Ioniq 5 and 6. So that's already starting out with a plus in the column because everything we've driven on that platform we like a lot.
Parked next to my wife's Ioniq5, it's clearly larger and more traditionally shaped like an SUV (albeit a very futuristic one). Inside the taller seating position gives you a bit more view but a higher hoodline compared to the Hyundai takes some of that view away, so there's a bit of false economy there. The Kia's interior is basically a reskin of the Hyundai's, and while it looks like they took steps to make it look more conventional—more traditional colors, textures and fonts for example—they also took away a few tactile buttons and replaced them with poorly delineated touch pads for a few key functions. Hard to say it's an upgrade or a downgrade from its platform mate, but we definitely like Hyundai's use of a few more actual buttons.
Interestingly, I've been seeing roughly the same 325-mile indicated range and actual energy use numbers in the Kia that we see with the smaller Hyundai—at least around town. On the highway I'd imagine the increased frontal area of the Kia is going to run into the laws of physics, but as a local workhorse, there doesn't seem to be much penalty for having the third row and more cargo space.
So overall it's a slightly larger, just as efficient Ioniq 5, which is a good thing... until you see the sticker price. The EV9 stickers out for about $16,000 more than a comparably equipped Ioniq 5, and aside from the third row there's not alot of difference in the cars to justify the additional spend. But if you gotta have that third row, I guess you gotta pony up.
Overall it's cool to see a truly full-size electric SUV that doesn't seem to have the efficiency penalty as other larger EVs. And it's built on a platform we already like, so there's not a lot to complain about here. well, except the public charging infrastructure, which continues to be hot garbage, but that's not Kia's fault (although it is their problem, but that's another story)
