Kia EV9 is Imperious, Impressive and Expensive – Worth It?

Kia’s long-gone cheap-n-cheerful moniker bred an expectation of value, despite the mocking of an unkind press. Tongues were silenced as the Hyundai Group products continued to improve, rocketing up the charts in the process. In EV9, technology surpassed the valued-for-money proposition, and the looks became those of a handsome European. The latter is a prize most valued in car-land, but unlike the Euros, Kia EV9 comes with a long warranty backed by sturdy construction.

What then of the current electric range?

While the Kia stable is still awash with ICE pretenders, the electrification of the range is accelerating, despite the accompanying cost. The top shelf EV9 has taken the tiara and halo, and is now the company queen.

While some markets chose “Land,” and “Wind”, Kia Australia selected Air and Earth as the names emblazoned across the spine of the 2024 brochures. It seems incongruous then, that the EV9 range-topper is a “GT-Line.” That silly name sticks out like a sore thumb in the congaline of delightfully naturesque nomenclatures. Perhaps that accounts for the naff “sounds of nature” that frequently emanate uncommanded from the dashboard’s inner sanctum.

EV5 will soon come, is equally handsome, and shares EV9’s coherence and immense totality.

Meanwhile, the EV9 was described by a Kia boss as a bit of a unicorn. That’s most apt. EV9 does what no other full-size SUV do. While many other SUVs promised “clean-sheet” design and “blue-sky thinking,” what we got was a 20^th century that never ended. For example: Toyota’s Land Cruiser would easily slip into a 1990’s ad campaign, ditto Nissan pathfinder. The utes like Ram and Silverado feel equally rooted in log-cabin mentality where bogans do tailgate parties at weekends. I’d rather chew off a leg.

ABOVE: 2024 kKA EV9

EV9’s exterior

This is where EV9 is at its most stately, as the imperious façade impresses even the most jaded onlooker.

The magnificent hunkiness of the Vader-meets-indiana Jones metalwork is adorned with bejeweled lighting arrays. The battery pack is in the most vulnerable part of an SUV, under the floor. The 566kg 99.8kwh battery sits barely 177mm above armor-piercing rocks so there’ll be no off-road hank-panky.

EV9’s 3100mm wheelbase is gargantuan by any measure, and the 5010mm body is squared off, giving EV9 a space cruiser vibe. Equally surprising is a 0.28 drag coefficient (Cd) from something the shape of a fridge.

The 2-box shape gives plenty of scope for the spacious cabin to take advantage of the EV platform, and it does that in spades.

EV9 is somewhere between an SUV, crossover, and people mover, and has an enormous rear door that opens to a concert-hall-like 2^nd row.

Tom Kearns wanted to design a car that looked tough, but the result is up for debate. Either way EV9 is able to instill a sense of Hitchcock-esque fiendishness that screams, “GET IN MY BELLY.”

EV9’s Cabin

Many 70’s Sci Fi shows predicted devices that are voice controlled, and spaces devoid of frippery. While European luxury brands persist in festooning interiors with all manner of needless wont, the Hyundai Group’s electric offerings are crisp, clean, and deliciously precise.

The GT-Line’s useless digital side view mirrors should be binned. It is folly, and the driver’s side is particularly useless. Our regular mirrors are much preferable, and all EV9s have indicator-activated side-view displays that appear in the driver instruments.

The cabin floor is flat with the battery underneath. Although one large pack is roughly the size of the entire cabin floor, it is really just a large box with smaller boxes inside. Within the smaller boxes are batteries a little larger than AA, and thousands of them are grouped together.

The twin 12.3” displays have a 7” touch display between them for climate control, creating a single floating curved tablet. Under that are main controls the glow from within the fabric dash covering. It is eerily beautiful. When the power is off, the screens are black and the dash appears to be a continuous piece of upholstery.

The gear lever is a stalk on the right side of the steering column, and the start/stop button is on its front surface. Although it takes a moment to assimilate the positioning, all is second nature with practice. It is vastly superior to the much smaller, similarly priced performance Model Y.

First row seats are firm and like many new vehicles, are covered in genuine simulated leather.

Full Specifications HERE:

Kia has managed an unpretentious yet premium style that has a similar feel to Volvo/Polestar.

A further light and airy sense of space is created by subtle lighting, quite beautiful at night. Various parts of trim are backlit giving them an ethereal floating effect.

The Drive:

As punters approach the big SUV, the concealed door handles glide out from their position flat with the bodywork. They are large and substantial, like the rest of the EV9. Locking is by pushing gently on the indentation on the front door handles, but it only works if the car detects the key fob, and ours has been a little moody.

EV9 weighs 2552kg and 566kg of that is the under-floor battery, so that means the floor is on top of the battery. Entry for the average person consists of nothing more than sliding their booty into the seats, even the back ones. The 3^rd row has easy access by tumbling the 2^nd row forward. Unusually, the 3^rd row isn’t completely useless unless you have a buggered back.

There are phone apps to keep the driver connected to the ecosystem when outside the vehicle. Travelers can return to a frosty cabin on a hot day or a toasty warmed space when it is snowy out. Customisation sets seats and mirrors just so, and the central climate controls are always visible so changes are easy to make without having to consult the oracle every 5 minutes.

Although parking uses a clever 360⁰ view camera, there is something stalker-ish about gliding silently through car like a machete-wielding spook.

Suspension is MacPherson Strut up front and 5 link multilink at the back. The ride is lush but EV9 is not a sports car. Although frisky at the traffic lights, tight cornering is best taken with less gusto. On very smooth roads, the ride is perfect and cabin near silent creating a wraith-like sense of Zen.

The 282.6 kW / 700 Nm AWD dual motor Earth has instant torque that engenders a feeling of invincibility. There are no naff engine noises to ruin the trip, but if you do want accompaniment, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto will stream top tones through great speakers. Only the GT-Line gets the full Meridian treatment, but I found myself turning the music off, preferring to be enveloped by a silent, ethereal, floating sensation. 110kph in near silence is as near to Nirvana as you get.

You’ll get somewhere around 512km of range, more or less. For a change, we seemed to do very well. After a week of city/freeway duty we still had more than half a charge.

There are cup holders and USB outlets for all, so Kia has not bothered with silly entertainment systems beyond what you get with CarPlay. As for Android Auto, can’t help you there. Sorry, not sorry.

The drive is sublime as long as you don’t want to drive like Lando Norris. It cannot go the places a Land Cruiser can, its true, but, how often do people do road trips, or tow, or go off-road?

There are drive modes, off-road modes, and the AWD models have a 2,500kg tow limit, but you may need to charge more frequently.

Safety and Drive aids:

After only a few metres I turned almost all warnings off. The constant bonging drove me potty, especially the wretched speed alerts (which are usually wrong). What good are alerts if they annoy occupants to the point of distraction? But, they’re there if you want them.

The lane keep assist is a new version that also centres the car even in bends. It can be intrusive but that is the way of the world, and all new cars do it.

For a full list the specifications sheet is HERE:

Including on-roads, EV9 Earth is around $120,000, an awful lot of shekels. For a purse that size I expect a Head Up Display. Although all EV9s have heated and cooled front seats, only GT-Line gets heating and cooling in the 2^nd row, BOOOOOOO, HISSSSSS!

Charging

You can use a fast charger if it isn’t clogged up by a Tesla. It isn’t bad enough that people overstay public charging, but when it is a Tesla with vacant Tesla outlets nearby, one could make a case charging them quadruple.

You get cables for AC charging, and a home outlet is available if you can get power to your parking space. Those of us in high-rise can apparently go to buggery.

Gadgets:

Like most Hyundai Group EVs, the is a cornucopia of tasty treats not seen anywhere else. Although bi-directional charging has yet to find it into the Korean vocab, there are handy household outlets to recharge your personal health devices, and the top model has fancy laydown front seats with footrests. No, not while you’re driving.

Conclusion:

There is far too much to mention here, but in short, we loved the EV9 Earth for its road presence, for its tasteful mid-century-modern cabin, and for its Zen-like drive. The sticking point is the $140,000 on-road price for the GT-Line. Blimey! 140grand for a Kia?

When asked, our Kia exec says there are a bunch of orders, and no one seems to balk at the dollars.

I can see why EV9 has won so many awards. I cannot stress just how huge the cabin feels, and I love every big, bold, millimeter of it.

2024 Kia EV9 Earth