NINE LIVES (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_kiaev9_2023_preview

By Jonathan Crouch

The EV9, Kia's largest, priciest electric model, will re-shape perceptions of this Korean brand. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 35

Kia's EV9 delivers a chunky SUV vibe in a huge, luxurious, futuristic-looking electric vehicle. There's decent range, an uber-trendy cabin and space for up to seven. This is the new, more interesting face of Kia.

Backgroundword count: 141

Kia keeps surprising us. Here for example, in the EV9, the marque's largest and priciest car yet, is a fully-electric SUV that's completely different to anything we've seen before from the brand. It bucks the trend of super-sleek full-battery models, which helps this six or seven-seat luxury contender to be supremely family-friendly. An intriguing mix of the familiar and the futuristic. We'll see this chunky 'Opposites United' look again in smaller form with the brand's forthcoming more compact EV5, a design theme very different from the existing more familiar EV6 and one that does indeed meet its intended brief to re-shape the image that customers have of this growing Korean brand. Kia says it wants to 'take a few risks' with its design going forward but retain a mainstream appeal. Is that what's been delivered here? Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experienceword count: 280

It doesn't seem likely that a family seven-seat SUV that looks like this will accelerate to 62mph in just 5.3s, but that's what the twin motor AWD 378bhp EV9 variant that most customers will choose manages. If, understandably, you can't see why a huge family wagon like this needs to go that fast, then Kia will offer you a base spec single motor rear-driven 'Air' version with 200bhp, which is considerably more sedate, making 62mph in 9.4s. That tops out at 114mph (10mph less than this Twin Motor EV9) but uses same big 99.8kWh long range battery, which takes the car 349 miles in 'Air' form - or 313 miles in the AWD model. Predictably, like any car of this kind, it's a big thing to manoeuvre about, especially around town and on narrow country roads. Still, at least there's less body roll than the slab-sided looks lead you to expect, helped by the low-down central siting of the enormous 566kg battery pack beneath the floor - positioning that considerably restricts any pretensions this Kia might have otherwise had towards off-road prowess. Steering feel is accurate but quite lifeless, with feedback one of the parameters you can control via the various drive modes - 'Eco', 'Normal' and 'Sport', plus a configurable 'MyMode' setting. Because there's no adaptive damping, these modes can't affect ride quality but Kia does provide standard self-levelling rear dampers. There are also six brake regeneration settings, which can be operated by the steering wheel paddle shifters. Impressively, the EV9 can tow 2,500kgs (as much as a Range Rover Velar); can be had with Level 3 autonomous drive technology; and can be parked remotely from its key fob.

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