The Kia EV9 is crushing the competition

Kia's focus on making the ordinary SUV extraordinarily electric is paying off.

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Dec 3, 2024 - 10:10

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Kia is on a roll. It has a stylish lineup of passenger and crossover vehicles in all shapes and sizes with even a few electric models on offer. The three-row Kia Telluride crossover is a sales darling and it seems the EV9, its electric cousin, is on its way to being a success as well.

Through Sept. 2024, Kia has moved 15,950 units. That pales in comparison to the 81,754 Telluride units sold in the same period but the more expensive EV9 is poised to outsell the EV6 before the end of the year. It’s also outpacing the Tesla Model X and Rivian R1S by slim margins. So what’s contributing to its success?

The Kia EV9's boxy design? Pretty rad

It starts with design. The boxy silhouette mirrors the Telluride. Side by side, the EV9 comes off like a Terminator losing flesh, making for a more aggressive-looking Arnold Schwarzenegger that will protect you. The squareness means the cabin swallows up to 81.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the driver, or about the same as the Telluride.

At the same time, it employs a next-gen level of interior design that sees the EV9 step up in quality and materials, above the current crop of gas Kias.

The latest battery tech powers the EV9 towards adventure

The EV9 offers all that space while employing an 800-volt architecture under the floor that enables fast charging. The battery will encompass 76.1 to 99.8 kilowatt hours of energy depending on the trim level.

Going for the biggest number means a dual-motor setup that puts down 379 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of near-instant torque to all four wheels. The EV9 is capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds, matching the Telluride.

Autoblog had the chance to drive the Kia EV9 before its acquisition by the Arena Group. This made a positive first impression, leaving little doubt of whether it could succeed. In the marketplace, competition for the midsize three-row EV segment is scarce. Because it was first, the Kia EV9’s biggest rival is still...the Kia EV9.

Competition remains scarce or gas-powered

Volkswagen is coming out with the ID.Buzz, an electric van with comparable space. Hyundai just launched the Ioniq 9. The Tesla Model X and Rivian R1S are arguably more luxurious in terms of prestige compared to the EV9, which leaves midsize three-row offerings with a gas engine.

To that end, the BMW X5 PHEV is in the same ballpark when it comes to price. The Bimmer’s 25.7-kWh battery squeezes out 39 miles of electric-only range, useful for short trips.

If you’re buying from a place that’s convenient for electric charging, the Kia EV9 can swing anywhere from 230 miles to 304 miles, depending on battery size. MSRP starts at $54,900 for an EV9 Light, while the GT-Line will set you back $73,900.

Final thoughts

For all of the redeeming qualities it has to consider itself a hit, the Kia EV9 isn’t actually that radical. It’s an electric Telluride that took cabin design to a new level while lowering the price of what it takes to get into an electric family SUV. It happens to be the first of its kind while knocking it out of the park.

This leaves us pumped to try out the performance-oriented EV9 GT, which should be released sometime next year.

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