Kia

EV9

The Kia EV9 is a six or seven-seat fully electrified SUV that is very big on style, performance handling and practicality. With a choice of trim levels and the option of rear or all-wheel drive, this model will take the Korean carmaker to a whole new level.

The good

Design, technology, practicality and performance

The bad

Expensive for a Kia (but less than rivals)

Tech Specs

Price from

£66,985

Combined Fuel up to

Up to 349 miles range

0-62 from

5.3 seconds

max speed up to

124mph

co2 from

0g/km

Test Drive

Kia EV9 GT-Line S (2025)

Having had the pleasure of test driving the all-new Kia EV9 on an extensive road route through the beautiful Scottish Highlands, I can vouch for how balanced and confident it is when faced with twisting lanes and the faster open road.

But there was little chance to test out its agility and to explore its handling in more confined areas, such as town centres, car parks and narrow roads.

So, that’s what we concentrated on during our recent 10-day loan. Admittedly, the larger-than-life family SUV was booked as friends were visiting from New Zealand and we thought they would arrive with huge suitcases. As it turned out, they turned up with small backpacks while the remainder of their luggage stayed at a relative’s house.

But it was certainly a luxurious train station pick-up for them as they sunk into the two armchair-like second row seats for the journey home. Our test car was the high-end GT-Line S version of the all-electric EV9, but it can also be specified with seven seats too.

With an on-the-road price of £77,035, this Kia is most definitely the Korean carmaker’s flagship model – who would have thought that a company that was once regarded as quite bargain basement could develop such a show-stopper.

With all-wheel drive thanks to electric motors on both axles, the car features a 99.8kWh battery and produces 378bhp and a whopping 700Nm of torque. That translates into some very impressive performance stats with a 0-62mph sprint time of just 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 124mph.

But like all EVs, the most important figure for buyers is the driving range of 313 miles. However, as I mentioned, the majority of our miles involved plenty of stop, start driving and that means extra energy can be captured whilst braking, which in turn helps to boost the battery range. In fact, the WLTP-tested range for city driving increases to 415 miles.

There are drive modes called Eco, Normal, Sport and MyDrive, along with Terrain settings to help the AWD vehicle combat Snow, Mud and Sand. But more important to us were the steering wheel paddles that alter the level of the regenerative braking. This makes life so much easier in congested traffic and a hard pull on the left paddle will see the maximum regenerative strength reached which will bring the EV9 to a complete stop without having to touch the brakes.

But for me it was the manoeuvrability of the EV9 that really impressed. The light steering makes sharp turns extra easy and the all-round driver visibility is excellent. Using the paddles for slowing and braking becomes like second nature after a few minutes and it’s really hard to believe this vehicle has a kerb weight of 2,674kg.

There’s no denying the EV9 gained plenty of attention wherever it went and there were also admiring glances at traffic lights that I was pretty certain were directed towards the car. Despite its boxy styling, there is a futuristic appearance with the blocked off front end that is flanked either side by L-shaped lights. The square rear end also has distinctive light clusters. Factor in flush door handles, privacy glass, tough body cladding and 21-inch alloy wheels, and this car will stand out in any crowd for its great looks as well as its size.

I mention size because the EV9 is just over five metres in length, almost two metres across and 1.78 metres tall. The interior is certainly spacious enough and six (or seven) adults can fit comfortably without any arguments about being relegated to the pair of rear seats. For added convenience, these two seats can be lowered or raised via buttons inside the boot and there are extra controls to drop the second row seats too.

Parking can be a tad difficult in areas with smaller bays but the EV9 boasts all manner of cameras and sensors to make squeezing into a tight gap that much easier. Once again that light steering in Eco mode is a real bonus.

There is a thoroughly modern feel to the EV9’s interior with all the mod cons we demand these days. The main focal point is a 12.3-inch touchscreen navigation system offering access to functions such as smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, Bluetooth with voice recognition and lots more besides.

The important data such as speed and driving range can be viewed on a 12.3-inch driver display screen, while a head-up display is also a nice feature. There is a separate panel for all the climate control functions with proper physical switches and the powered seats can be heated or ventilated. The second row seats offer the same climate functions and there is a heated steering wheel for those cold, winter mornings.

With all manner of seating configurations, storage bases are covered well. It’s worth mentioning that the pair of second-row seats can be swivelled 180 degrees to face passengers in the rear seats. The storage capacity ranges from 333 litres to 2,393 litres with just the front seats upright and there is an additional 52 litres of space beneath the bonnet.

Elsewhere there are numerous practical areas, including front and rear cup holders, a huge cubby beneath the centre console, a pull-out box with tray for second-row passengers, door bins, a wireless charging pad and six USB ports.

And speaking of charging, the 99.8kWh battery can be boosted from 10 to 80 per cent in 1 hour, 23 minutes if using a 50kW charger or in just 24 minutes via a 350kW fast charger.

When you also factor in the plethora of safety features and driver assistance aids, it’s clear to see why the EV9 has scooped global awards galore since its launch. It’s big in size and very big on style and performance. As for our Kiwi friends – they were truly impressed by the car and went away with a bundle of somewhat unusual holiday snaps.

Test Drive

Kia EV9 – First Drive (2023)

Every once in a blue moon a car comes along that triggers real excitement by daring to move away from the norm. And the latest model to send a wave of anticipation through the industry comes from Kia.

It’s called the EV9 and is a six or seven-seat, fully electrified SUV that boasts an imposing design that wouldn’t look out of place as a concept car at a motor show.

Prices starting from £64,995 for the entry-level EV9 Air model, rising to £73,245 for the GT-Line specification and up to £75,995 for the range-topping GT-Line S. For an extra £1k the EV9 GT-Line S can be specified with six seats rather than seven.

All cars have a 99.8kWh long-range battery pack with heat pump, and while the EV9 Air is rear-wheel drive and has a driving range of 349 miles, the top two models are all-wheel drive with a range reduced slightly to 313 miles between charges.

We opted to test the EV9 in GT-Line S specification with the seven seats on a lengthy road route around the Scottish Highlands to see just how well it could cope with narrow lanes, pitted roads and the Scottish weather of course.

When viewed from any angle, there’s no denying the strong road presence of the EV9 which stretches more than five metres in length and almost two metres across.

It has quite a box-like design, but not in a bad way. For example the blocked off front end is flanked by slim L-shaped signature lights and the squared off rear end also boasts distinctive light clusters. There is GT-Line styling which brings extra cladding to the mix as well as roof rails, door handles that are flush to the body, privacy glass and 21-inch alloys wheels.

Moving inside, the interior is quality through and through featuring high-end fixtures and fittings with a nod to sustainability. Seventy plastic bottles have been used in each vehicle and the use of Bio PU upholstery and interior coverings has phased out the necessity for any leather.

The seats are powered and can be heated or ventilated and the steering wheel can also be warmed against the winter chill. Passengers in the second row also benefit from heated and cooled seats.

There is a three-screen layout that sees a 12.3-inch driver display, a 5.3-inch climate control touchscreen (with physical switches to adjust the temperature) and a 12.3-inch touchscreen navigation system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Our range-topping GT-Line S test car had a 14-speaker Meridian premium sound system, head-up display, Bluetooth with voice recognition, a digital key, fingerprint recognition, ambient lighting and plenty more besides.

All controls, dials and readouts are perfectly positioned for ease of use on the fly and the elevated driving position results in good all-round visibility apart from the numerous headrests slightly blocking the vision through the rear window.

While the EV9 Air has a single motor and develops 200bhp and 350Nm of torque for a 0-62mph sprint time of 9.4 second, the higher grades gain that extra motor for AWD and they boast 378bhp and a whopping 700Nm of torque. That sees the sprint time slashed to just 5.3 seconds with a top speed of 124mph. Not bad performance stats for a family SUV that weighs in at 2.6 tonnes.

On faster-moving dual carriageways, the EV9 is a confident cruiser effortless eating away at the miles. And in busy town centres the four levels of regenerative braking can be controlled via the steering wheel paddles to achieve single-pedal driving at the strongest setting. This is perfect for stop, start driving and the wealth of parking assist systems help make light work of squeezing into tight gaps.

But the real surprise is the EV9’s performance when faced with twisting country lanes. The acceleration through the single-speed automatic transmission is both smooth and responsive with a constant stream of power on tap for sharp bursts of pace to overtake.

It’s agility through tight corners really impressed with confident grip, minimal signs of body sway and well-weighted steering offering ample driver feedback. It actually handles like a normal family car rather than the large-than-life people mover that it is.

You will notice a real change to the throttle reaction as you shift through the drive modes called Eco, Normal, Sport and My Drive. And, in addition, there are modes to tackle more challenging terrain aptly named Snow, Mud and Sand.

So the EV9 looks the business and has the dynamic handling to match. But what about covering practicality basis for an active family? Once again, this car ticks all the right boxes. Our seven-seat model featured a trio of second row seats that can slide on rails and tilt forward at the press of a button to offer easy access to the rear seats.

Alternatively, you can opt for a six-seater that has two individual second row seats. These can be rotated 90 degrees to face outwards which would be ideal if carrying young children in a child seat. They can also be swivelled a full 180 degrees to face the rear seats.

With all seats occupied, there is still space for 333 litres of luggage in the boot, which is accessed via a powered tailgate. And there is space for an extra 52 litres of goodies beneath the bonnet, which is an ideal area to store the charging cables.

In addition, throughout the cabin are numerous practical compartments to store bits and pieces, including wide door bins, a huge glovebox, a central cubby box, cup holders for all occupants, trays, seat back pockets, along with a large storage area between the front seats.

Six USB ports (two in each row) along with a wireless charging pad up front mean smartphones and the likes can stay charged and second row passengers also benefit from window blinds.

When it comes to charging the 99.8kWh battery, it can be boosted from 10 to 80 per cent in 1 hour, 23 minutes if using a 50kW charger or in just 24 minutes via a 350kW unit.

Safety features are plentiful and helped the EV9 secure a maximum five stars when tested for its Euro NCAP rating. Systems include the likes of blind sport collision warning, rear cross traffic alert, dynamic brake control, trailer stability assist, forward collision avoidance assist, parking collision avoidance and a list that seems almost never ending.

And with family breaks in mind, the Kia EV9 can tow a caravan or trailer weighing up to 2.5 tonnes with the added reassurance that AWD brings to the mix on the top two trim levels.

All in all, the Kia EV9 is a real statement from the Korean carmaker. It’s a flagship model that oozes character when others have become quite bland and it is packed with all the latest technology. It’s practical, fun to drive, has an excellent range between charges and takes what was once a budget brand to a whole new level entirely.