The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Impressive range
- Cool looks
- Spacious, versatile cabin
- Charges quickly
Dislikes
- Hefty price…
- … but not exactly luxurious
- Handles like the 5,500-pound beast it is
Buying tip
The Kia EV9 is an innovative, stylish way to hustle around your family without using any fuel.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Kia EV9? What does it compare to?
The EV9 is a three-row luxury SUV sized and shaped about like the automaker’s Telluride but powered by electricity rather than gasoline. It’s without direct EV comparison, though you could shop it against the Tesla Model X and Rivian R1s.
Is the 2025 Kia EV9 a good SUV?
It’s an appealing vehicle with a practical design and a lot of features, though the EV9 can get quite expensive. (Historically, it has been heavily discounted, though.) Overall, it adds up to a TCC rating of 8.6 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Kia EV9?
After its debut last year, the EV9 sees minor tweaks. The luxurious second-row lounge seats are now restricted to the top GT-Line trim, while most versions now include a sunroof.
The EV9 wears bold, fun styling that starts off with a conventional Telluride-like profile. It’s jazzed up with fun lighting details, slab sides, big wheels, and myriad paint color options. It’s simpler inside, with a modern but not overdone look and seating for six or seven passengers.
Kia offers three powertrain setups. The pokey base Standard Range has a single electric motor mounted at the rear with just 215 hp that offers a 230-mile range estimate. The Long Range version adds 74 miles of range and a more powerful electric motor for better acceleration. The top three trim levels add another motor that gives them all-wheel drive and far zippier response. The GT-Line version can hit 60 mph in about 5 seconds, which is very fast for an SUV that weighs about 6,000 pounds so-equipped. All models accelerate quietly and boast a spectacular ride, though they are far from sporty. Its long wheelbase offers a planted ride at highway speeds. The EV9 leans in corners and generally drives like the big SUV that it is; don’t expect Tesla Model X-style nimble responses, though that’s not really what the EV9 is about anyway. It’s also not about towing, though it can lug up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.
This is a spacious, family-oriented vehicle with spectacular front seats and a roomy second row. Its third row can handle adults for shorter stints. Cargo space is terrific even with the third-row seatbacks upright. Innovative and fun interior materials made from recycled bits add some personality inside the EV9, though no version feels as ritzy as its prices might suggest. (Then again, EVs like this one are often discounted.)
EV9s have done well in IIHS crash testing. All models tick off the kind of crash-avoidance tech we expect from a vehicle like this, including front and rear automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, and active lane control. A hands-off, eyes-on highway assistance system is included, too.
How much does the 2025 Kia EV9 cost?
Including a $1,325 destination charge, the EV9 lineup starts at $56,225. Standard equipment includes dual 12.3-inch displays in a single panel, synthetic leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats that are heated and cooled, and 19-inch alloy wheels. The Long Range version runs a reasonable $5,000 more, while you’ll need another $4,000 to unlock the cheapest dual-motor version.
Where is the 2025 Kia EV9 made?
In West Point, Georgia.
2025 Kia EV9 Styling
The 2025 Kia EV9 vaults the Telluride’s proportions into a new era.
Is the Kia EV9 a good-looking car?
It’s the among most striking models in Kia’s lineup, which really says something. If you’re after a family vehicle with pizzazz, this is it. We rate it at 8 out of 10 with two points for its exterior and one for its interior.
The EV9 is sized and mostly shaped like the Telluride, except it rides on a much longer wheelbase. As a result, it has daringly short overhangs that give it plenty of drama. The front end wears intricate lighting consisting of zig-zag LED strips and plenty of little LED squares for a proper show-car look, especially with the available Digital Pattern Lighting Grille that’s on top on GT-Line versions. It offers a bit of customization. That same look is repeated at the rear with big lights that climb up the liftgate. From the side, the squared-off wheel arches swallow up big wheels measuring between 19 and 21 inches.
The interior is cohesive, with a horizontal arrangement that looks almost too good to be a production car. Look closely and you’ll find plenty of Kia-traditional bits like two screens in a single panel, though the EV9 has precious few buttons and switches. A few hot keys below the touchscreen serve as one of the few interfaces here.
Kia is generous about interior hue combinations, but you’ll have to switch between trim levels to take advantage of them.
2025 Kia EV9 Performance
The Kia EV9 is quick and comfortable.
The Kia EV9 takes advantage of its long wheelbase for a settled, comfortable ride and good handling. It gets another point for its zippy acceleration, bringing it to a 7.
Is the Kia EV9 4WD?
The base Light version has a single permanent magnet motor mounted at the rear for rear-wheel drive, while other versions have a second motor up front for all-wheel drive. There’s no X-Line version (yet, at least), so don’t plan to take an EV9 very far away from pavement.
How fast is the Kia EV9?
The Light Long Range version is somewhat pokey in its quest for optimal efficiency. Its 150-kw rear motor puts out 201 hp and 258 lb-ft, which results in a leisurely 8.8-second run to 60 mph. The standard Light model weighs less and has a bigger 160-kw motor good for a bit more power and a 7.7-second zip to 60 mph.
Dual-motor, all-wheel-drive versions are much quicker. They have a total system output of 379 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque, which is good for a 5.7-second run to 60 mph in most configurations, though the GT-Line has more torque and can do that deed in a mere 5.0 seconds. There’s plenty of power in reserve for passing in these versions, too.
Paddles on the steering wheel can dial up five levels of braking regen. The strongest version can feel lurchy and abrupt, but we love that Kia offers so much choice.
The EV9 rides on an extra-long 122-inch wheelbase, about eight inches greater than the Telluride. Combined with its prodigious weight—upward of 5,100 pounds in any configuration—the EV9 smothers the road below and has an especially planted feel at speed. It’s not remotely sporty, though, as it will lean considerably into corners when pushed hard. But it is well-controlled in typical driving with light, direct, and somewhat lifeless steering through the quirky-looking steering wheel.
The EV9 also has a locking center differential for snow that splits torque evenly between the front and rear axles. It’s capable of towing as much as 5,000 pounds, though doing so will deplete the battery with a quickness.
2025 Kia EV9 Comfort & Quality
The EV9 has a stellar, spacious cabin.
We wish our homes were as nice (and as spacious) as the Kia EV9. This big, 197.2-inch-long SUV easily earns a 10 thanks to its spacious seating in all three rows, big cargo area, and quality feel.
The front seats are plenty comfy with a good range of adjustment. Row two’s the best in the house, though. Massive door openings—too big for narrow garages and parking spaces—reveal either a three-seat bench or captain’s chairs with ample legroom. The available lounge-style seating is better in concept than in reality, though. Recline the seats and an ottoman pops up, but it’s not very comfortable unless you sit with your knees up. The third row is easy enough for teens or limber adults to access, and they’ll find reasonable space once back there.
Behind the third row, the EV9 has an impressive 20.2 cubic feet of cargo space, which balloons to 43.5 cubes with the rearmost bench stored. Flop down the second row and it maxes out at a minivan-rivaling 81.9 cubic feet.
The EV9 has many small storage bins and pockets, including a front center console that can be accessed by passengers in row two. There are also USB-C ports available for occupants in all three rows.
Kia uses a lot of recycled materials in the EV9, which is a nice touch. Its finishes don’t quite offer a luxurious feel, but they are innovative and feel assembled with care.
2025 Kia EV9 Safety
The 2025 Kia EV9 comes with lots of safety tech.
How safe is the Kia EV9?
The Kia EV9 has a good crash-test record in what tests have been performed so far, though we’ll wait for the NHTSA to weigh in before assigning a score.
The IIHS rated the 2024 EV9 a Top Safety Pick based on a handful of tests. The agency noted that an early version of the EV9’s top-end headlights were rated “Poor,” but running changes made during the 2024 model year elevated it considerably to “Good,” its top score.
The EV9 comes standard with forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, active lane control, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go blind-spot monitors, automatic high beams, and pedestrian/cyclist detection. An included system called Highway Driving Pilot offers hands-free driving at highway speeds on many roads, though we have yet to test this particular system. Outward vision is good for a big SUV, though the rear-seat headrests can get in the way. A camera mirror is available.
2025 Kia EV9 Features
The 2025 Kia EV9 is expensive, but well-equipped.
The EV9 is considerably costlier than an equivalent version of the automaker’s Telluride, though it has the upper edge when it comes to tech and features.
The lineup starts at $56,225 for the base Light trim level with its decent array of features like 19-inch alloy wheels, heated and cooled front seats with power adjustment, synthetic leather upholstery, and seven-passenger configuration. A pair of 12.3-inch screens are integrated into a single panel, and the infotainment display has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
We rate the EV9 at 9 out of 10 thanks to its good standard equipment, options, big screens, and terrific 5-year/60,000-mile warranty and 10-year/10,000-mile EV powertrain warranty.
A Long Range version of the base Light trim costs $5,000 more, which is admittedly a hefty upcharge though a sunroof is included.
Which Kia EV9 should I buy?
The base Light trim is a pretty solid buy. If you want better performance, though, the dual-motor Wind is likely worth the cost since it also includes all-wheel drive. It also has a heated steering wheel and another sunroof, and it costs $65,225.
The next-up Land trim level costs another $6,000, and it adds 20-inch wheels, dressier exterior trim, on onboard generator connector, a digital rearview mirror, upgraded front seats, and a 14-speaker Meridian audio system. It’s a pretty solid buy given its level of luxe.
How much is a fully loaded Kia EV9?
The top GT-Line is the most costly and the most powerful. It’s also the best-equipped with its massaging driver’s seat, head-up display, and range-lowering 21-inch alloy wheels. Kia wants $75,225 for one.
2025 Kia EV9 Fuel Economy
The 2025 Kia EV9 offers terrific range, though it’s fairly thirsty for an EV.
Is the Kia EV9 good on energy?
It’s not the most frugal EV, but it’s also enormous. We rate the 2025 EV9 at a 9 thanks to its efficiency rating between 2.3 and 2.6 miles per kwh. It’s better than the Rivian R1S but not quite as efficient as the Tesla Model X.
The base Standard Range version offers just 230 miles on a full charge. Stepping up to the Long Range version unlocks a more impressive 304 miles of range, which is quite good. Dual-motor versions are estimated at between 270 and 280 miles of range.
The EV9 boasts 800-volt architecture, which gives it very quick charging rates when possible. It accepts up to 236 kw of peak power, which means that it can theoretically charge from 10-80% in as little as 20 minutes in absolutely perfect conditions.
Using a household-style Level 2 setup, the 10.9-kw onboard charger in a Long Range version does the deed in about nine hours. Higher-end versions also include bidirectional charging to power appliances or to work as a backup home generator. The EV9 can even supply power back to the grid.
