Korean car maker Kia has a significant lineup of models throughout its range but it is the EV9 model that is most praised.
Equipped with seven seats as standard, a long distance range of up to 349 miles is claimed, and ultra-fast charging can add up to 154 miles of range in just 15 minutes. It’s with good reason that the Kia EV9 won the 2024 UK Car Of The Year.
Bringing a car like this to market comes at a cost. With a premium finish and an abundance of advanced technology that allows the EV9 to step into the ring alongside traditionally much more luxury brands, it results in Kia no longer being an incredibly affordable badge to own.
The entry level EV9 starts from a whopping £65,025 but, despite this being a frightening number to look at, it is still a few grand cheaper than a similar spec ‘premium brand’ rival. This EV9 ‘Air’ features a 99.8kWh battery providing 200bhp/350Nm to only the rear wheels, seeing it from 0-62pm in an appropriate 9.4 seconds with a top speed of 114mph.
Key feature of this trim include 19-inch alloy wheels, 12.3-inch driver display screen with 5.3-inch climate control screen, 12.3-inch touchscreen navigation with free 7-Year Kia Connect Services, body coloured exterior flush door handles, blind-spot collision avoidance assist with rear cross-traffic assist, E-Shift column gear selector with engine start/stop button with smart entry system, 360° surround view monitor, heated & ventilated front and outer rear seats, lane follow assist 2, and highway driving assist 2 with hands-on detection.
Other standard features across the model range include automatic headlight control, auto dimming door mirrors, rear privacy glass, heated steering wheel, automatic air conditioning with automatic defog system and rear air conditioning, and smart power tailgate.
Also included is auto folding & sliding 2nd row seats as well as electrically folding 3rd row seats, customisable ambient lighting, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with Bluetooth connectivity, four USB-C ports, and wireless mobile phone charging.
Priced from £73,275 an EV9 ‘GT-Line’ puts 378bhp/700Nm to all four wheels, dropping the max range to a claimed 316 miles, seeing you from 0-62mph in a mere 5.3 seconds with a top speed of 124mph. Key features include 20-inch alloy wheels with aero covers, GT-Line exterior styling, LED headlights with adaptive driving beam (small cube design), GT-Line interior styling, and two-tone artificial leather upholstery.
The range topping EV9 ‘GT-Line S’ offers the same power and drivetrain and is priced from £76,025 which includes 21-inch alloy wheels with aero covers, front sunroof with tilting & sliding function and 2nd row fixed sunroof with electric blind, optional matt paint finish, electronic rear view mirror, vehicle-to-load capability with adapter, 3-pin power socket, 14-speaker Meridian premium sound system, and customisable head-up display.
The EV9 is a large car, which becomes apparent when parking in the spaces of a shopping centre that were designed for a Vauxhall Frontera, which thirty years ago was also a large enough vehicle, but one that would, today, fit inside the EV9.
With size, and especially its battery, comes a fair bit of weight to the tune of around 2,500kg. The EV9 lugs this around with ease, and its handling is as expected for the size and weight with just some body roll and braking that needs to be done earlier than car drivers would expect.
After a few days of driving the test car, it was enjoyable, but it is definitely a vehicle for comfort in every way. Living semi-rural, and like almost all EV’s I’ve experienced, they struggle with undulating roads at any sort of speed and the EV9 is no different. Although it is much better than the majority.
If I wanted big power, I’d not be looking at an EV, nor something mundane and family friendly, so I struggle to see the need for the all-wheel-drive, despite its impressive stats. Instead, I’d much prefer the base model as tested and pictured, with less power and the increased range. The 350Nm of torque provided by the base model EV9 is absolutely ideal for most duties.
Inside is very spacious throughout and comfort is nothing short of superb. Connectivity is some of the best I’ve ever used. It’s nice to have proper push buttons for climate control and also for controlling the temperature of the seats, I find them much safer to use when on the move when compared to touch-screen controls.
Going by Kia UK’s ‘offer’s on their website, PCP on the range topper with a £2,000 deposit and 10,000 miles per year limit is almost £1,200 per month over 37 months.
The EV9 is covered by Kia’s pioneering 7 year/100,000 mile warranty. EV9 serving should be done every 24 months/20,000 miles. On offer is also 8-year/100,000-mile battery/electric motor warranty, 12-year/unlimited mileage anti-perforation warranty, 5-year/100,000-mile paint warranty, and 1-year Kia roadside assistance.
