- After some initial teasers, the wraps have finally come off the production-intent Kia EV9 crossover.
- Set for a global debut later this month, this is just our first glimpse of what will be the largest offering in Kia’s electric lineup to date.
- It’s not just a big EV6 — Kia’s new EV9 takes the brands ‘Opposites United’ design strategy in a new different direction, while adding in some clever touches to make the most of its E-GMP platform.
You’ve probably seen the concept, but here’s our first look at the production-spec Kia EV9.
Automakers are investing heavily in expanding their fully electric lineups, and Kia is bringing another offering to the equation for the three-row crossover market. After seeing the bold and boxy concept, we’ve been looking forward to the car folks will ultimately buy, and now we finally get to look at the brand’s most prominent and imposing electric model to date.
Fortunately, as we also saw from earlier spy shots, the new Kia EV9 did retain its clear-cut front fascia from the concept. It did get a more practical headlight arrangement, but major cues carried over largely unaltered. Even the straight-edged fender flares, wheel arch cladding and body lines remain, creating what is, even objectively speaking, a bold take on a futuristic SUV.
It’s not just the outside, that’s noteworthy, either. Not only is it absolutely vast inside — you can thank the E-GMP platform, the EV9’s long wheelbase and completely flat floor for that — but there are quite a few trick features that appeal for the family-minded EV buyer. The car does bring a conventional number of seats (shown here in a three-row, 2-2-2 configuration). However, the second-row seats actually swivel 180 degrees so the second and third-row passengers can actually face each other. Those seats can also swivel outward for easier entry and exit.
Throughout the cabin, cupholders and USB charging ports abound. Up front, you actually get two larger 12.3-inch displays with a 5-inch segment display between them, cutting down on the number of physical buttons that would normally be present in big SUVs. There are some haptic feedback buttons under the stone-like trim beneath the center screen. However, Kia didn’t go completely berserk with touch-sensitive controls, so you do still get physical buttons on the steering wheel, center console and the lower portions of the dashboard.
Any technical information?
While we do get a fairly thorough look around the 2024 Kia EV9, we don’t have specific technical specs or pricing just yet. We expect the brand’s largest EV to carry a price tag somewhere in the mid-$50,000 range (above the highest-trimmed Telluride), but that’s open to interpretation for the time being. At any rate, it should be far less expensive than the Rivian R1S or Tesla Model X.
Kia will do an actual global debut for the car later this month, and we’ll also have an opportunity to check it out at the upcoming New York International Auto Show. Stay tuned for more details.
