Styling
Although the EV9 has been on our roads for almost two years now, its blocky, dominant form is still remarkably impactful up close. It's the set-square shape and goliath 3,100mm wheelbase which make it seem even larger than it actually is, which is
very large indeed. That said, as an example of how the chamfered edges of the Kia exacerbate its cubist form, it's only 65mm longer, 57mm wider and 4mm taller than the aesthetically sleeker
Volvo XC90, and the Kia is also shorter and narrower than the Swedish firm's
EX90 as well. Plus, we're not saying the EV9 doesn't look good; in fact, far from it. In top-spec GT-Line S form, finished in Pacific Blue paint and sitting on its lovely 21-inch aerodynamically optimised wheels, the Kia is an undeniably handsome thing.
Interior
The cabin in the EV9 is a Kia classic, in that it's sumptuously put-together, it's laid out in an intuitive and easy-to-use fashion, and it looks good without being overtly flashy or gaudy. Both the operation and graphical representation of the twin 12.3-inch screens which make up the main interface are excellent, while a head-up display, a 5.3-inch dedicated climate-control panel, an intelligently sited wireless charging pad for smartphones, a 14-speaker Meridian premium sound system and even fingerprint recognition - it's that round pad down on the centre tunnel - ensure that the tech count makes the passenger compartment feel as cutting edge as the promise delivered by the
Judge Dredd exterior design. Kia has emphatically delivered on the interior of its electric SUV, then, as it's a suitably grand place to have to spend time.
Practicality
There's a positive payoff for the huge body and 3.1-metre stretch between the EV9's axles, and it's the vast amount of interior space on offer. Room is generous in the extreme in the second row of seats, and it's plentiful in the rear-most pair of chairs as well - more so than it is in Kia's other big seven-seat SUV, the more conventionally powered (and conventional)
Sorento. With the middle row split 60:40 and the third row halved at 50:50, all of these seats having remote folding, you can configure the back of the EV9 precisely how you want it. And even with seven people onboard, there's a hatchback-esque 333-litre boot to play with, which rises to 828 litres with just five seats in play, and a simply colossal 2,318 litres behind the front two seats alone. Throw in loads of useful storage solutions dotted throughout the cabin and a further 52 litres of under-bonnet storage (admittedly, that's slightly less than the single-motor EV9 provides, but still), as well as the Kia's ability to haul up to 2.5 tonnes of braked trailer if you need it to, and there are few more practical SUVs, electric or otherwise, than this.
Performance
Until the hotter GT variant arrives, the straightforward, two-tier powertrain choice in the EV9 family remains simple to understand. There's a
single-motor, rear-wheel-drive derivative with 204hp/350Nm delivering 0-62mph in 9.4 seconds, and available in just basic Air specification. The other three versions all use this twin-motor set-up, which significantly ramps up the oomph to 383hp/700Nm - yes, *double* the torque; presumably why the AWD EV9 slashes
more than four seconds from the 0-62mph time, at 5.3 seconds all-in - and provides the upper end of the Kia SUV's scale, coming in GT-Line and GT-Line S trims. The latter is available with either seven seats as standard, which is what we're testing here, or six pews that see two plush armchairs drafted into the middle row for an extra grand.
All drivetrains use the same massive 99.8kWh battery pack, but as the RWD single-motor sups at its electric reserves less ravenously, it is the range champion with a claimed 349-mile one-hit capability. These AWD variants officially consume battery reserves slightly quicker, which trims that figure back slightly to 313 miles.
And we saw reasonable economy from the EV9 during a week of decent distance. We covered 496 miles with the vehicle on test, driving it on all types of roads and seeing an overall average consumption of 2.8 miles/kWh, which would translate to something like 280 miles realistically in warm conditions (it was a pleasant late-spring week for the test). Also, the Kia's 800-volt architecture allows for 210kW peak charging rates, so even on a 'bad' day we were seeing 120kW from the onboard computer, meaning 10-80 per cent DC top-ups of the battery were quick despite its size.
The EV9 dual-motor model also accelerates and decelerates sweetly too, the blended brake system with its adjustable levels of regen effect working naturally, while the 700Nm makes a mockery of the 2.65-tonne mass of the Kia. It's got just the right level of performance for a top-level EV that also doubles-up as a family SUV, so it's seriously quick when you need it to be, but it never feels neck-snappingly violent if you decide to deploy all of the motors' power.
Ride & Handling
Large seven-seat SUVs like this don't need to handle that sharply, which leads to two major conclusions: one, the impending EV9 GT seems like it might be an unnecessary addition to the line-up, although we'd be delighted to be proven wrong on that score; and two, the way the EV9 takes on the corners is fine, if nothing special. The steering is understandably light and quick, to mask the sheer weight of the Kia from being sensed by the driver's hands, but that robs it of much in the way of feel. And while the body control is of a commendably high standard, minimising pitch, dive and roll impressively, the SUV ultimately always feels slightly out of its comfort zone if you push it. While it's never quite lumbering or cumbersome, neither does it feel particularly agile. Understandable, seeing as the 99.8kWh battery alone contributes fully 566.5kg to proceedings.
Thankfully, where the EV9 excels is in terms of its rolling refinement, a much more important discipline to master for a seven-seat family SUV like this. Despite its blocky appearance, wind noise is admirably quelled at motorway speeds, while the ride comfort on the self-levelling rear suspension is never anything less than exceptional. Relaxing, easy to place on the road, and supremely quiet as it motors along at even 70mph, the Kia EV9 is a delight to travel in when it comes to all the dynamic requirements that are top priority to a vehicle like this. It's just epic at mid- and high-speed cruising, and effortless at low-speed manoeuvring too. Superb.
Value
The standard equipment list of a top-spec Kia like this is exactly as you would expect it to be: comprehensive. The EV9 GT-Line S comes with not just all the items we've mentioned earlier in this review, but also climate seats (heated and ventilated) in four of the seven passenger positions, a powered tailgate, three-zone climate control, electrically adjustable front seats and steering column, a heated steering wheel, a camera-view interior 'mirror', a front tilt-and-slide sunroof, radar cruise, integrated sun-blinds in the second row, a heat pump, all-round parking sensors with a 360-degree camera system, and a huge roster of advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) for safety, among much more.
The problem is that an EV9 GT-Line S seven-seat AWD like this then starts from - starts, mind - a considerable £76,035. You can get into a single-motor version for around 11 grand less, but even £65,000 is not to be sniffed at. In its defence, the only directly comparable 'luxe' seven-seat SUV that's entirely electric is the aforementioned Volvo EX90, and that's pretty much a £90-100,000 machine in any of its dual-motor specifications, but the Kia does look quite pricey compared to, say, the £49,000-£52,000
Peugeot E-5008. So unless you fancy dropping a gobsmacking £130,000 minimum on the blobby form of the Mercedes EQS SUV, your only other multiseat electric option that about matches the Kia on price is
Volkswagen's hugely charismatic ID. Buzz. But yeah, for all this chat, as good as the EV9 is, you're still going to get less well-informed people incredulously going 'seventy-six grand? For a Kia?!'. That's just the way of the world.
Verdict
Aside from the expense of it and also the handling which is a little buttoned-down if you're a keener driver, the Kia EV9 GT-Line S AWD does lots of things very, very well and nothing badly at all. Its striking appearance, voluminous and kit-laden interior, acceptable real-world driving range and smooth, likeable performance make it a tremendous execution of the seven-seat SUV format. The fact it'll also emit nothing from its tailpipes (because it doesn't
have any tailpipes) is merely the icing on the cake. This is a vehicle which thoroughly merits the awards it has already won and it's also one of the best products of any type that Kia has put into the public domain so far.
