The all-new Kia EV9 quickly became a favorite family hauler for us. It’s a right-sized three-row vehicle that doesn’t enter into the six-figure category most of its rivals do.

Unlike most of the three-row offerings in the electric vehicle space, though, the EV9 does not have a six-digit price tag or an iPhone-like interior. Instead, it can be considered a family-sized three-row that happens to be electric instead of an EV that happens to have three rows.

The EV9 has a usable third row, a realistic interior size and exterior dimensions, and a strong list of reasons to put it on the shopping list. Our only beef with this vehicle involves a couple of ergonomic issues like the shift knob placement (under the steering wheel) and the trim packages’ weird shuffling of how the second row looks (captain’s chairs or bench). That should be a stand-alone option, not something lumped in with trim price jumps.

On the road, the Kia EV9 drives very well, feels confident, and gets very close to its estimated range. As a family vehicle, we found the EV9 to be a great fit for hauling kids, their stuff, our stuff, or just stuff. Seating folds as flat as can be expected, and entry and exit is easy. As an everyday driver, the Kia EV9 is a great SUV.

Kia’s other three-row family ride is the Telluride. (Yes, that rhymed.) The Telluride is gasoline-only, but is cheaper and has most of the same features. The two are worth comparing if going electric isn’t a must for you.

A very close EV rival to the EV9 is the Rivian R1S. Similar in size and capability, the Rivian is more luxurious and off-road ready by comparison, but has a price tag that’s much larger, matching its larger battery and driving range.

The Model X is a bit smaller than the EV9 and doesn’t have the same third row roominess. It’s been on the market longer, however, and has unique “gull wing” doors for easier access to the rear seats in tight parking spaces. It’s also more expensive and less ergonomic as a family hauler.

The 2024 Kia EV9 has a starting price point of about $56,000. Most will be better served going to the $60,700-ish Light Long Range model as a base offering to get more battery.

The table below shows the most common trim levels and how much they will run you.

The Kia EV9 is a completely new model from the Korean automaker. It’s a three-row, family-oriented crossover-style sport utility that matches Kia’s best-selling Telluride in both ergonomics and interior space.

Standard features in the Kia EV9 include 230 miles of EPA-estimated range, a digital instrument panel, a large 12.3-inch infotainment screen with integrated navigation, USB ports in the front and second rows, advanced driver assist and safety systems, heated mirrors and seats, seating for seven, tri-zone climate control, and more. The base model EV9 comes pretty loaded.

Upgrades include an expanded battery pack for over 300 miles of driving range, second-row captain’s chairs, all-wheel drive via dual electric motors, a more efficient heat pump for cabin heat, functional roof rails, and a lot of other options.

There are basically three power configurations for the 2024 EV9. The standard option is a single motor running the rear axle, delivering 215 horsepower with a 76.1 kiloWatt hour (kWh) battery pack. That means about 230 miles of range and plenty of get-go when the pedal is pressed. This version of the Kia EV9 isn’t a race winner, but the instant torque of an electric motor means it’s not sluggish either. This amount of power is about right for the Kia’s bulk.

Upgrading the base model’s battery pack to add more range also ups the motor output to 201 horsepower. The 99.8 kWh battery pack in this model weighs more than the standard pack, hence the added HP to make up for that. This version drives about the same as the smaller pack option, but boosts total range to about 309 miles per charge.

The third configuration takes that extended battery pack and adds a motor to the front wheels to give all-wheel drive. This boosts power output to 379 horsepower and drops range to 280 miles per charge. The slight loss in range can be worth it, though, adding a lot more umph to the EV9’s get-up.

We like both the standard extended range setup (Light Long Range model) and the speedier AWD option (Wind model and higher trims). Which is chosen will depend largely on need or expectation. The good news for buyers of the EV9 is that EPA range estimates are pretty close to real world results. Our GT-Line test model was rated with 270 miles of EPA estimated range and we achieved over 260 with it.

Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have published crash test results for the Kia EV9. Being an all-new vehicle, that’s not surprising.

Kia, however, has a reputation for delivering safe vehicles to market and we expect that the EV9, as with most electric vehicles, will do well in crash testing.

The EV9 is an all-new model, so finding reliability data is difficult. Most outlets like J.D. Power & Associates give a good reliability expectation for the new EV9. Given Kia’s excellent warranty, we expect the same.

Were it our buying dollars, we’d opt to upgrade to the larger battery model of the EV9. In some areas, adding AWD may also be a good bet, but we note that most rear-wheel-biased electric vehicles do well in inclement weather thanks to a low center of gravity and more control over the throttle’s power output to the wheels.

By the time you read this, we are hopeful that the Kia EV9 will also qualify for the federal government’s EV tax credit as well.

Kia offers one of the longest and most comprehensive warranties in the business. And the warranty transfers to new owners, following the vehicle. Although the EV9 is brand new and used models aren’t likely, down the line that is important for resell.

• Basic: 5 years / 60k miles
• PowerTrain: 10 years / 100k miles
• Electric Components: 10 years / 100k miles
• If buying used look at our best extended warranties

Because the EV9 is an all-new model, it’s unlikely that any used options will be on the market for a while.

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