The 2024 Kia EV9 Is a Rare, Modern EV
An award-winning car that few would guess is an all-electric vehicle.
The current wave of all-electric vehicles has had a relatively small impact on the world of transportation, particularly when considering that this world began with the invention of the wheel. Nevertheless, in their relatively brief time in the spotlight, there have already been a number of EVs that moved the proverbial needle.
Of course, this short list would need to include something from Tesla, either the original Roadster or perhaps the Model S. The work of Mate Rimac is definitely worth inclusion; his company’s expertise in powering all-electric hyper-cars is well established. The Porsche Taycan has been a fantastic car from the get-go, and the technology on display there is, at last, trickling down to more affordable Porsche models.
To this list, you now need to add the 2024 Kia EV9.
The work of the Hyundai Motor Company over the past few years has been incredible to watch. Through its Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands, it has had a significant effect on establishing the real-world viability of EVs. Accordingly, the conglomerate has landed a seemingly endless string of big awards over this time frame.
In the prestigious World Car of the Year Awards alone, it’s been success after success after success. In 2020, the Kia Soul EV won the World Urban Car award. In 2022, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 captured three WCOTY nods as the first-ever World Electric Vehicle, World Car Design of the Year, and overall World Car of the Year. A year later, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 took home the same three awards.
This year, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N captured the World Performance Car prize, while the Kia EV9 won World Electric Vehicle and overall World Car of the Year. After spending a week with the EV9, it’s easy to see why this three-row EV has been universally lauded.
When you first step inside, it’s clear that the Kia is an honest-to-goodness luxury vehicle. The materials chosen, the layout, the amenities—all fit the description. This is an area where a number of otherwise decent EVs fall by the wayside: too much of the development money has gone into the powertrain, leaving not enough for other important features.
The version tested was the top-of-the-range Kia EV9 Land AWD, enhanced by the optional GT-Line package. This model tipped the monetary scales at a higher price point than that of an average Kia. But the Land AWD has dual electric motors generating a combined 379 horsepower, a heat pump for improved efficiency, and a 99.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack with an estimated 435 kilometres of range. This Kia is also built on an 800-volt architecture. This means that, when hooked up to a DC fast-charger, the EV9 can gain 160 kilometres of range in less than 15 minutes.
To cap it all off nicely, the EV9 is very roomy inside and can transport six occupants in complete comfort. (Other versions of the vehicle feature a second-row bench and seating for seven in total.) The list of interior amenities for the Land AWD with the GT-Line package is extensive. These features include heated/cooled front- and second-row seats, power-folding third-row seats, and a fantastic power leg rest for both the front and second-row seats.
The EV9 also features a wireless phone charger, two high-speed USB ports in each of the three rows, and an expansive digital display—dual 12.3-inch screens that include the instrument panel and the central infotainment screen, which controls the audio system, navigation, and more.
Finally, let’s consider the exterior styling of the Kia EV9. While many EVs dare to be different, the results are often ungainly, nonproportional, and downright ugly. But the Kia designers have given the EV9 a muscular silhouette. It’s got so much stance, few would guess that it’s an all-electric vehicle—most would think it’s just a boxy, off-road-ready SUV.
When you consider all these qualities, it’s no surprise that the 2024 Kia EV9 is a multiple-award winner. It’s also a rare modern EV that demands little in the way of compromise from its drivers. In the final analysis, the brain trust at the Hyundai Motor Company have really nailed the landing with this one.
