Two things are assuredly true in our often fraught, uncertain world: Americans love a good three-row crossover, and Hyundai and Kia are crushing it on the electric vehicle front lately. If you put those two truths together, then the 2024 Kia EV9 seems destined to be a major hit right out of the gate. But how good is it, really? We're about to find out.
This week, InsideEVs' Kevin Williams is in Napa Valley, California (a major sacrifice for the job, I agree) to put the EV9 through its proper paces. While the crossover is actually on sale right now, this is the first time that American journalists have had lengthy seat time with the electric people-mover. I drove it briefly in Korea last year and was impressed, but Seoul's traffic-choked streets aren't exactly the same as the test Kevin's about to conduct.
Since this is such an important vehicle—and one destined for mass-market appeal—we're asking you what matters to you here. Tell us: what do you want to know about the Kia EV9?
To recap, this is the latest and biggest car on the Hyundai Motor Group E-GMP platform, a critically acclaimed vehicle architecture that also underpins the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 while also offering specs that outclass much more expensive EVs. It's nearly identical in overall size and cargo space to the Kia Telluride, the massively popular gas-powered crossover that arguably put modern Kia on the map in the U.S. Kia's clearly looking to capitalize on the success of that vehicle by offering something remarkably similar in concept and design, without the gas engine.
It is, however, more expensive than a Telluride by almost $20,000. The EV9 starts at $54,900 for the base Light RWD trim and goes all the way up to the loaded GT-Line AWD model at $73,900. The base model offers 230 miles of range; the distance king is the Light Long Range RWD at 304 miles, while the Wind, Land and GT-Line AWD models offer 280 to 270 miles of range. All cars are powered by a 99.8 kWh battery except the Light RWD base model; horsepower goes from 215 HP all the way to 379 HP in top trim. (Also, the GT-Line AWD will scoot from zero to 60 mph in just five seconds, which is not bad for a car this size.)
Like the other E-GMP cars, it's a charging champ too, at least on paper. It can charge at an impressive speed of up to 350 kW (if you can find such a DC fast charger) and go from a 10% to 80% charge in about 20 minutes on the smaller battery and 24 minutes in the 99.8 kWh pack. On top of all that, the interior seems quite upscale for its class.
But specs, photos and brief jaunts only tell us so much. We're about to see what the EV9 is really capable of, at least until we can get a proper week-long test away from California weather or a true range test. Until then, what do you want to know about the EV9?
Get at us here in the comments, via email to team@insideevs.com, on X/Twitter @InsideEVs, on Threads at @InsideEVscom, and Kevin's can be found at @GaytonaUSA on X and @gaytona_usa on Threads. Send us your questions!
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
