Kia EV9

Electric vehicles have come a long way from being silent city crawlers with questionable range and even more questionable designs. And at the sharp end of this new wave of premium EVs is Kia’s flagship offering, the EV9. It’s big, bold, and has its sights set on luxury SUVs that cost a few notches more.

With three rows of seats, a bucketload of tech, and a design that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie set, the EV9 is Kia’s most ambitious electric vehicle yet, not just in India, but globally. Built on the E-GMP platform that also underpins the EV6, the EV9 promises not just electric range but proper road presence, cabin luxury, and performance.

So, does this behemoth of an EV justify its size, specs, and sticker price? Let’s break it down.

Kia’s design department clearly decided to go big, bold, and futuristic with the EV9. This isn’t a typical EV SUV that tries too hard to look space-agey. Instead, it blends classic boxy SUV proportions with just the right dose of unique design touches.

Up front, you get Kia’s new-age ‘Starmap’ LED light signature. It stretches across the wide face of the SUV with vertically stacked projector LED headlamps tucked in at either end. It’s unlike anything we’ve seen from Kia in India so far, and that’s a good thing.

Walk around the side, and the sheer size of the EV9 starts to sink in. The flush-fitting door handles and 20-inch aero-style alloys are a reminder that this is very much a luxury EV. Also, unlike most EVs that get very sleek and a rounded silhouette, the boxy shape of the EV9 definitely makes it look butch. 

At the rear, the taillamps mimic the front light signature and further add to its concept-car-turned-reality look. While the basic silhouette is upright and muscular, the detailing is what really helps it stand out.

Colour options for the India-spec EV9 include Ocean Blue (which we think is the pick of the lot), Pebble Grey, Snow White Pearl, Aurora Black Pearl, and Panthera Metal.

Step inside and you’re immediately greeted by an expansive, clean, and futuristic dashboard. It’s low, wide, and manages to feel minimal without being stark. Also, you get a full view of that massive bonnet from the driver’s seat, something SUV enthusiasts will definitely enjoy.

The India-spec model gets a brown and black dual-tone cabin that lends it a plush and mature appeal. Internationally, Kia does offer funkier black-white combos, too, but we think this one suits our tastes better.

As for comfort, it’s clear the EV9 was designed with long-distance lounging in mind. The seats are generously cushioned, and the headrests are surprisingly soft. Legroom is excellent in both the first and second rows, and even tall users will be happy. That said, headroom in the second row could’ve been a bit more generous for users over 6 feet.

Being based on the E-GMP platform, the EV9 benefits from a completely flat floor. This helps open up clever storage spaces like a massive cubby between the front seats and a drawer-style boot floor storage. These small touches go a long way in making the cabin feel special.

One area where the EV9 could’ve done better is underthigh support. It’s good enough, but could’ve been better for a vehicle at this price point.

Features

In typical Kia fashion, the EV9 is also loaded to the gills with bells and whistles.

The highlight here is the dual 12.3-inch screen setup, one for infotainment and the other for instrumentation, neatly joined by a 5-inch touch panel for climate controls. Thankfully, there are still physical buttons for key AC functions. That’s a huge win for usability.

The infotainment supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and is paired with a 14-speaker Meridian sound system that does sound sweet.

Comfort features? The front and second-row seats are both heated and ventilated, and the latter also get massage functionality. All seats are electrically adjustable, and even the steering gets powered adjustment.

Other niceties include dual sunroofs, ambient lighting with 64 colour options, a digital IRVM with a roof-mounted camera, a powered tailgate, head-up display, terrain modes, and 3-zone climate control.

The Kia EV9 ticks all the essential boxes when it comes to safety. You get 10 airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, and ISOFIX child seat mounts.

In the ADAS department it is equipped with adaptive cruise control, auto emergency braking (forward and reverse), lane keep assist, blind spot warning, driver attention alert, safe exit warning, and auto high-beam assist.

While it is not tested by BNCAP or GNCAP, the EV9 received a 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash tests in 2023, so there’s some real-world assurance too.

The Kia EV9 might be an EV, but it’s not shy about being practical. With all three rows in place, it still offers 333 litres of boot space, good enough for a weekend trip with the family.

Fold the third row, and that number jumps significantly, giving you space for full-size suitcases. Fold both rear rows down and you get a van-rivalling 2318 litres of space.

There’s also a 52-litre frunk (front trunk) that can store the portable charger or some soft bags.

Kia isn’t playing safe here. The India-spec EV9 gets the full-fat AWD powertrain:

And if you’re wondering about performance, this nearly 5-metre-long SUV can do 0-100kmph in just 5.3 seconds. Yes, it’s that quick.

Charging? The EV9 supports ultra-fast 800V DC charging, allowing a 10-80% top-up in just 24 minutes using a 350kW charger.

Realistically, though, using a typical 11kW home charger will take about 9-10 hours for a full top-up.

Kia is keeping it simple; the EV9 is available in a single, fully loaded GT-Line AWD trim in India. There are no trims to choose from, no optional packages to juggle.

It’s expensive, yes. But it’s also loaded to the gills with all the features expected at this price point of Rs 1.30 Crore.