Scottsdale, AZ — Dependability is key in a family vehicle, and with things being as uncertain as they are with the electric ones at the moment, there’s still work to be done on the automaker’s side to build trust with the customer. It’s also hard to find a comparable to the EV9. We could say that Kia is sort of pioneering the electric three-row family mid-size SUV on the market with an aggressive-looking vehicle that sits on the E-GMP platform shared with Hyundai.
There’s definitely something to be said about the EV9’s exterior style and size – It looks like something straight out of a never-ending Star Wars sequel. But despite its boxy shape, Kia assures that designers kept a close eye on a critical factor for electric vehicles: drag coefficient. The EV9 ranks at an impressively low 0.28. The Tesla Model 3, for example, has a drag coefficient of 0.23.
Performance and Dynamics
The EV9 offers a choice of two battery packs: 76.9 kWh and 99.8 kWh. Base models are RWD and use one or the other depending on the model, with the biggest battery offering up to 300 miles or 489 kilometres of range. The AWD “Land” model uses a twin-motor configuration and around 280 miles or 451 kilometres of range. Our range-topping (and heavier) Land AWD GT-Line model slashed the max range down to about 272 miles or 439 kilometres.
Up to 5,000 lbs towing capacity with the right package
With 379 horsepower, twin-motor EV9 models have enough juice to get moving. But the 201 and 215 horsepower RWD model seems a bit short in ponies considering the EV9’s 5,093 to 5,700 lb weight. Standard towing capacity sits at 1,000 lbs standard but can be bumped to 5,000 lbs with the right equipment package.
We particularly applaud the feedback provided by the steering wheel, which has a nice weight to it and provides confidence – something we rarely find on an electric vehicle, let alone a family-oriented one. And even if the EV9 is high and heavy, the chassis does a good job at mitigating roll.
We took the EV9 in some of the worst conditions (short of Canadian winter), where regenerative braking opportunities were scarce. A couple of hours on the highway and at high speeds through dirt roads gave us an average energy consumption of 26 kWh/100 km, which is coherent with the 25 kWh/100 km ranking from the EPA. Regardless, this is not a frugal electric vehicle.
Luckily, the E-GMP platform allows for stellar charging performance. With up to 236 kW charging capability on a DC fast charger, the EV9 can top off its battery relatively fast, in as little as 20 minutes, if all the right conditions are met.
EV9 Interior: Premium Family-Friendliness
The interior of the EV9 is just what you would expect in terms of space, with the entire flat floor giving it ample family-friendly storage.
The dashboard is obviously dominated by screens, but Kia kept a series of manual commands and controls for key systems to avoid scrambling through menus to activate or deactivate critical systems. The latest Kia interface for the infotainment system is the most intuitive and straightforward yet, an advantage that can come in handy in a vehicle with three rows of children.
Our GT-Line tester had plush seating with a bolstered driver’s seat that provides dynamic lateral support at high speeds and in Sport mode. But we particularly enjoyed our GT-Line tester’s recliner seats with footrests that provide a VIP experience for passengers on long rides.
Takeaway
Adding range anxiety to the many anxieties family life has to offer and reliability issues with new vehicles are two of the main reasons why families are reluctant to make the big electric switch. While we can’t speak for the Kia EV9’s reliability yet as it is a new model, we can say that it has some of the best bones out there with the E-GMP platform – and it seems to offer everything a family needs to power through everyday life. If the EV9 doesn’t fit the bill, here are the other Kia SUV models to know about.
