There is an increasing appetite for large cars in Australia, and so the EV9 arrives on its shores with big expectations. And big is the word you use a lot when talking about Kia’s new flagship electric vehicle.
It’s a big car. Weighing in at approximately 2.5 tonnes, the EV9 compares to other large SUVs such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Land Rover Defender. The difference being of course that the EV9 is fully electric, joining the Mercedes EQB as the only other 7-seater electric SUV available in the Australian market.
It also has a big price tag – some will argue. The entry level EV9 Air will start at $97,000 before on-road costs, taking it into the six-figure region when on road costs are included. The top of the line GT – which will get you and your family from 0 to 100 kmh in five seconds if that is your thing – will set you back up to $121,000 before on-road costs.
It’s a big test for Kia. The brand which has done a remarkable job over the past decade of repositioning itself from cheap and cheerful to become the more energetic and luxury sister brand to Hyundai. The EV9 will be a big test of how far they have come.
Test driving the EV9 at Kia’s launch event, we drove from Sydney to Bowral in the Southern Highlands and back. We started in the top GT-Line model which is an all-wheel-drive with a 99.8kWh battery pack and dual motors producing a combined 283kW and 600Nm.
During the drive we switched a couple times between the GT and the base Air model which features a single motor up to 160kW of torque and 350Nm. Missing in action was the mid-tier Earth model which due to logistical reasons hasn’t yet landed on Australian shores, but should do by early 2024. You can find the full list of features across the models here.
The interior of the cabin features an integrated panoramic display with a 12.3” Driving Cluster, 5” Climate Monitor, and a 12.3” Infotainment Display.
Over The Air (OTA) updates will allow EV9 owners to update software without having to visit a dealership. While I often found it hard to see all of the climate monitor information through the steering wheel, I liked the overall look and ease of use of the display. In terms of software, it offers good customisation and doesn’t lag.
Digital sideview mirrors and a digital centre mirror feature in the GT-Line model. While I appreciate the advantages of digital sideview mirrors at night and in bad weather, it’s still something I’ve never really gotten that comfortable with just yet.
Kia also added fingerprint ID, so users can unlock their own personalised profile settings, as well as start the car without a FOB key as long as you have the Kia Connect app on your phone.
As part of Kia’s phase out of real leather in all vehicles, the EV9 features bio-based materials across the cabin. The cabin feels spacious, but leans more to the practical side than the luxury side.
That is understandable considering this is almost a people mover, but some elements perhaps fall short of my own personal expectations for a cabin of this price.
As an example while the dials on the steering wheel felt heavy-duty and luxury, some of the buttons in the centre console felt cheap. Storage was decent but maybe not as good as I was hoping for such a giant vehicle.
I will say I absolutely loved the mesh headrest, and ventilated and heated seats standard on all 3 models. While cabin overall won’t knock your socks off, it definitely feels spacious and polished and is unlikely to disappoint.
In the EV9, it’s the second row where the value really lies. The amount of space is impressive. As someone who stands at 6’5″, it’s not often I can get into the back of any vehicle without feeling like I’m climbing into a small cardboard box.
Independent climate controls, diffused air vents, and USB-C ports all feature in the second and third row, with the latter offering less leg-room as expected.
In terms of boot space, Kia says 333L is available with all seats in use. For comparison that’s a similar boot space found in a Hyundai i30. Put the third row down and you’ll get 828L. Both seating rows down will offer 2318L of space.
Frunk storage comes in at 90L for RWD models and 52L for AWD models. Strangely but also increasingly commonly in new EVs, a spare tyre is not provided, rather a tyre repair kit.
As we started off on our journey, we were able to give the regenerative braking, and the brake pedal itself a workout (it depends on your settings) as we worked through Sydney’s congested traffic. Once we made it to out to some more open road though, we finally start to get a sense of the ride.
For a 2.5 tonne vehicle, the vehicle hugs the road around kerbs surprisingly well. Acceleration benefits from the electric torque but is still surprisingly sharp despite the weight, particularly in sports mode where acceleration is sharpened.
If torque is what you need, then the GT-Line will be your model of choice. The single motor Earth and Air models while quick enough for most, but won’t give you any sense of exhilaration.
All EV9s are tuned to Australian roads, so we’re unlikely to see a repeat of the suspension issues experienced by many picking up their Tesla Model Y in 2022. The AWD GT-Line offers a slightly more firm ride than the RWD, but handles corners better.
For such a boxy design, the EV9 matches Audi E-Tron and Jaguar I-Pace on the aerodynamic performance scorecard. There is also a surprisingly low amount of wind noise in the cabin. Road noise also was noticeably good, and Kia claims performance metrics outscoring the Model Y, E-Tron, and I-Pace.
Safety features on the EV9 vary on the model. And while the base Air model comes with enough, you might be forgiven for feeling shortchanged after spending six figures and missing out on features found on the Earth and GT-Line models such as Parking Collision Assist, Blindspot View Monitor, and Surround View Monitor. The GT-Line comes exclusively with Remote Smart Park Assist and Augmented Reality Head Up Display.
The EV9 probably does enough to warrant the price tag, and compare it to other electric SUVs and it doesn’t look so out of place. You also won’t have to look far to find smaller, non-electric SUVs on the market for not much less.
The EV9 does stand alone as the largest 7-seat electric SUV on the market, and so you’re getting quite a lot of car in return for your hard earned. You also get Kia’s 7-year unlimited km warranty, although the battery and high voltage kit is capped at 150,000kms.
If you have a big family, or you just like big (like an increasing amount of Australians), then the EV9 deserves a spot on your shortlist. Kia have certainly come a long way in the last 10 years, and in the EV field they’ve already already shown their stripes with the highly acclaimed EV6. How the EV9 sells will be another great test of its market position.