Kia EV9 (2023 - ) Electric review

The EV9 might look expensive for a Kia (mainly because it is) but compared with other large electric SUVs the upfront price makes more sense, and undercuts the likes of the BMW iX, Mercedes EQS SUV and Audi Q8 E-Tron by a hefty margin while also being more practical with its full seven-seat flexibility. Can a brand known for its value roots cut it at this level, though? That will be up to buyers, and the monthly finance figures Kia can offer. But your money feels like it’s going a very long way. Inevitably running costs will vary considerably according to your situation, mind. If you can buy on an electric car salary sacrifice scheme or as a company car you could be quids in. Ditto if you have a driveway big enough to accommodate the EV9’s five-metre bulk and facility to install a home charger to run it on domestic energy rates. Best hope you can, because while that big battery might help the range it will hit your wallet hard if need to plug it into public chargers.

Kia’s faith in its products is backed up by its signature seven-year warranty, which remains a stand-out offer against pretty much all rivals. The fact this extends beyond most typical finance terms and is still there for subsequent owners will also help confidence of those buying down the line as a used car.

Like all carmakers Kia is now required to install a warning system that bongs any time you go beyond the posted speed limit, which is well-intentioned but a very real distraction out in the real world given the mandated zero-tolerance approach. Some manufacturers make this relatively easy to disable but in the EV9 it’s several levels deep in the screen menus, and it resets every time you turn the car back on. It’s also ridiculous you get a scolding for taking your eyes off the road to use the screen when that is your only real interaction with the car. All this is doubly annoying because the range of standard safety kit on the EV9 is incredibly impressive and, mainly, does a good job of mitigating issues relating to its huge size in all manner of driving situations. But we have to dock a point for how intrusive it all gets at times.

While undoubtedly stylish Kia can’t quite match premium brands for the touchy-feely perceived quality stuff, even at this price point. But that’s our only real criticism, and in reality the hard-wearing feel of the recycled plastics used for upholstery, carpets and more is probably better suited to the rigours of life as a family seven-seater than the glitzier woods and leathers of an Audi, Mercedes or BMW. Where it matters, meanwhile, the EV9 exceeds expectations in the way it drives, the electric power meaning smooth and silent progress matched with a very comfortable ride even on the lumpy Scottish roads we tested it on. This makes it very refined but it’s also, surprisingly, way more fun to drive than you’d credit of a big, heavy family bus. All this pales against the sheer practicality, though. While there are plenty of plug-in hybrid seven-seaters and Tesla has offered three-row seating for EVs already Kia is the first to do it properly, the flat floor meaning all three seats on the middle row are usable. This slides and tips at the press of a single button for access to the third row, which is even viable for full-size adults if you move the middle row seats forward on their runners. Boot space with all three rows in place is enough for a weekly shop still, but if you need more room you can simply fold the third-row seats at the touch of a button from the boot. The load area this creates is long, if not especially tall because of the folded seats. So, not the kind of space for carrying muddy dogs but, other than that, is very useful. On the top model you can opt for a six-seater configuration instead, the two middle seats able to turn 90 degrees to face the kerb for easy loading and unloading of kids or even rotate all the way round to create a sociable space in the back when you’re parked up. It’s an interesting option, but perhaps more of a novelty compared with the more useful seven-seat layout.

Bravo for Kia’s easy to understand model line-up, comprising three well-equipped trim levels with fancier paint like the matt blue in the pictures as your only real cost option. Even the ‘base’ Air model gets stuff like heating and ventilation for the front and outer rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a heat-pump to reduce drain on the battery when you’re driving in cold weather and the three-screen combo of digital instruments, a touch-panel for ventilation controls and main central one for everything else. It’s not left wanting for much, but along with the more-powerful twin-motor system and token off-road modes, GT Line adds a few more luxuries, like massage seats, more imposing 21-inch wheels and fancier LED headlights. The top grade model we drove includes an excellent Meridian stereo, twin sunroofs, a head-up display and remains the only version on which you can have the six-seater configuration. Overall, the cabin looks good and the tech is user-friendly with crisp graphics and logical interface, though despite the retention of a few physical buttons too much is still via the screen, the secondary panel for the ventilation controls is hidden behind the steering wheel and the touch-sensitive shortcuts integrated into the dash below the screen still demand you take your eyes off the road to use them. More often than not they required repeated stabs before they work, too. Prompting yet another bong from the driver monitoring system for taking your eyes off the road.

The EV9 range kicks off with a single-motor version driving the rear wheels only. If you want the all-wheel drive performance promised by the chunky looks you need to go up at least a trim grade, and the numbers look impressive until you put them into context with how much the thing weighs overall. Indeed, with all seven seats occupied a fully-laden EV9 will be knocking on three tonnes, which is pretty outrageous for a family SUV. Saying that, although the single motor is noticeably less brisk than the all-wheel drive version, neither feel slow, the effortless, instant and silent electric propulsion shrugging away the weight of the EV9’s huge battery. Both versions are unlikely to reach the claimed range of over 300 miles. Based on our test the single-motor will manage around 250 miles with the all-wheel drive model achieving 230 miles if you drive carefully. We appreciated the easily adjustable regeneration via the paddles on the steering wheel, up to and including a full ‘one pedal’ mode that brings the vehicle to a complete halt by just lifting off the throttle. Ideal for city driving, with the added bonus of putting energy back into the battery every time you slow for a red light.