Kia’s entry into the world of family-oriented three-row electric SUVs seems to be shaping up nicely. Sure, there are several three-row electric SUVs out there. You have the Tesla Model X and Model Y, Mercedes-EQB and EQS, and the Rivian R1S, but none of them match the EV9 in pricing and value. The EV9 is a proper full-sized electric SUV packaged in the traditional two-box design, with no intentions of making you go bankrupt—although it’s not all that affordable either.
Despite the zeitgeist of “EV slowdown,” America’s reception to the EV9 hasn’t been that bad so far. Kia sold more EV9s in January 2024 than it did the EV6. And that speaks for America’s big appetite for large family-oriented SUVs. With deliveries having begun a few months ago now, ownership reviews have started surfacing online, and 2024 could be the EV9’s year, that is, if you can look past some of its annoyances that our pal Kyle Conner from Out of Spec reviews has pointed out.
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The Kia EV9 is off to a decent start.
The Kia EV9 isn’t just a Telluride with an electric twist. It’s built on a ground-up EV platform, has a traditional silhouette embedded with futuristic details, and is a true full-sized three-row SUV, a category the U.S. has a huge appetite for.
Conner has been driving the EV9 for six months now. He bought the base rear-wheel-drive long-range Light variant. It starts at $59,200 excluding fees and gets a 99.8-kilowatt-hour battery that delivers about 304 miles of EPA estimated range. In his video, he mainly talks about the range-topping EV9 GT Line all-wheel drive. But you’ll also find some interesting details about the base model. It cuts corners in some areas but doesn’t seem like a bad deal overall.
For starters, it’s roomy, packed to the brim with modern features, and is quite a head-turner, at least to this pair of eyes.
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The EV9 Light RWD charges faster than the rest of the variants thanks to a higher nominal voltage.
Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric-Global Modular Platform that the EV9 shares with its Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Genesis GV60 cousins among others has an 800-volt architecture. Even though the Ioniq 5 was advertised to accept 800 volts, Kia hasn’t done the same with the EV9. The base variant is rated at 632 volts, while the rest of the variants—including both the cars featured in the video above—accept 552 volts.
That means the cheapest EV9 charges faster than the other variants. Assuming you’re using a fast-enough DC fast-charger, the EV9 has a flat charging curve with over 200 kilowatts of charging rate till 80%, after which it slows down. However, Conner pointed out that Teslas are undoubtedly better at charging and route planning. He also added that you could put any address on the Tesla’s infotainment without even thinking and get there sans stress.
But with the EV9, you need some planning since it charges extremely slowly at Tesla Superchargers with the Magic Dock—where cars with the CCS plug can also be charged. If you’re curious about the EV9 or have put down a deposit, this ownership review is certainly worth watching in full.
