The Kia EV9 is exactly what buyers wanted. Take the concept behind the excellent and very popular Telluride, sub in the Hyundai Motor Group’s world-class electric platform, and you get perhaps the best zero-emission family-mover on the market. However, unlike the Telluride which often retailed for well over sticker price within its first few years, the EV9 can be had with serious discounts only months after launch.
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The Kia EV9 is a hit
Americans love three-row crossovers, but few exist right now and arguably none match the Kia EV9's utility. It is currently built in South Korea, but U.S. production is set to begin soon in Georgia, which may bring its prices down even further.
It’s no secret that the supply and demand dynamics in the EV market are more favorable to buyers, which means that most brands are putting heavy rebates and discounts to move units.
Currently, Kia is offering competitive lease specials across several trims. The most compelling lease deal offers $399 for 24 months on a Light Long Range with $3,949 due at signing.
This works out to an effective lease of $564 per month before tax on a model with an MSRP of $60,695. Since the Kia EV9 is made in Korea, it does not qualify for any EV tax credits unless it is leased; doing so will apply a $7,500 incentive.
For those who prefer to purchase instead of lease, there are factory discounts up to $9,000 off MSRP which includes $7,500 customer cash (a discount included to offset the lack of tax credit) and $1,500 for specific units. Just note that not every car will qualify for that discount.
Buyers can also get zero percent financing, but you lose out on the big customer cash rebates.
According to AutoTrader, there are more than 3,300 brand-new EV9 units for sale, almost half of which are Land trims. Advertised discounts range from $10,000 to $16,000 off the MSRP.
Naturally, shoppers will be tempted to chase down the bottom-dollar prices, but remember these are Kia dealers, and some of them are still stuck in the old ways of playing games. Always be cautious about prices that seem too good to be true. For example, this car in Florida has an advertised discount of $14,673:
When you examine the fine print, some caveats neutralize a good chunk of that discount. Emphasis mine below:
Price is plus tax, tag, title, registration, any dealer-installed accessories and dealer-provided benefits, and a pre-delivery service fee of $1,198.00, Private Tag Agency Fee of $189, and Electronic Registration Filing Fee of $559.55, which charges represent costs and profits to the dealer for items such as inspecting, cleaning, and adjusting vehicles and preparing documents related to the sale. New vehicle pricing excludes the $2,695 Kia of Port Charlotte Essentials package… Price includes $1,500 discount for obtaining financing through Kia of Port Charlotte.
So beyond the typical documentation and registration fees, this dealer is adding $3,893 in charges. And you have to finance with the dealer or you lose an additional $1,500. That works out to a net discount of $9,280, or only about $280 better than the factory programs.
This isn’t to say you can’t score a discount beyond the factor rebate programs, but it pays to shop around. Here are three EV9 offers that I sent one of my clients in Florida on a recent case, including any and all discounts involved.
As you can see, one dealer was only applying the $7,500 rebate and nothing more, while the best offer was over $13,000 off the MSRP.
Scoring a great deal on an EV9 requires some work. As always, it's important to remember that discounts don’t always tell the whole story, and buyers should focus on the best out-the-door price. But if you’re willing to hunt around, you can bring home this critically acclaimed electric crossover for less than you’d probably think.
Tom McParland is a contributing writer for InsideEVs and runs AutomatchConsulting.com. He takes the hassle out of buying or leasing a car. Got a car buying question? Send it to Tom@AutomatchConsulting.com.
