2024 Kia EV9 Review

Sitting at the top of Kia’s lineup, the EV9 promises to be the ultimate family-friendly spaceship with its sleek design bolstered by jam-packed equipment lists and tonnes of practical touches.

It’s a very unique vehicle for the Australian market that sits as one of the only three-row, seven-seat battery-electric SUVs you can get your hands on.

It doesn’t come cheap, though, so let’s take a closer look at the EV9 lineup to see how it handles on Aussie roads to help you search for a family-friendly, electric SUV.

Kia EV9 Competition

How Much Does It Cost?

Prices for the 2024 Kia EV9 range kick off from $97,000 for the entry-level EV9 Air, with prices rising to $106,500 for the EV9 Earth.

Kia’s flagship EV9 GT-Line has a sticker price of $121,000.

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

How Much Can OnlineAuto Save You?

Using OnlineAuto’s car buying service in Australia, you could save by using one of our car experts to help you find the best new car for you.

Kia EV9 AIR Specifications

What Features & Specs Does the Kia EV9 Have?

Kia’s entry-level EV9 Air comes riding on a set of 19-inch alloys and receives LED head & tail lights, adaptive cruise control, roof rails, leatherette upholstery with heated & ventilated front seats, a powered boot lift, a wireless smartphone charger, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 5.0-inch climate control display, rear-view camera with rear parking sensors, LED interior lighting, remote folding second-row seats and a standard range battery pack.

@onlineauto.com.au The Kia EV9 promises to be the ultimate family-friendly spaceship, with its sleek design bolstered by jam-packed equipment lists and range of practical touches. But, how does it compare to what’s already available in market? Take a look through the interior features of the EV9 flagship model and hit the link in our bio to read our full review of Kia’s battery-electric beating heart. #KiaEV9 #CarReview #OnlineAuto #TestDrive ♬ Chilled Weekend - LowFi Junkie

Stepping up to the EV9 Earth adds a larger battery pack as well as black styling highlights, ambient lighting, a surround-view monitor and upgraded leatherette upholstery.

Finally, the range-topping EV9 GT-Line adds massive 21-inch alloys, adaptive projector LED headlights, a parking assistant, a dual sunroof, two-tone upholstery with faux suede and premium relaxation seats, a head-up display, heated & ventilated second-row seats and a vehicle-to-load (V2L) outlet.

Kia EV9 Connectivity & Infotainment Features

All members of the Kia EV9 range pick up a large 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that ties seamlessly with the digital instrument cluster atop the dashboard.

The unit receives fingerprint detection, satellite navigation and over-the-air updates for the Kia Connect system, and is paired with an eight-speaker sound system in the base model.

Stepping up to the range-topping EV9 GT-Line adds an upgraded 14-speaker sound system courtesy of Meridian.

The system is quick to respond to inputs, relatively easy to navigate through the menus and offers tonnes of customisation options for everything from comfort and climate settings, as well as active safety tech.

Does the Kia EV9 Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

Potential buyers will be pleased to know that the EV9 has received a much-needed software update that enables both wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity.

This means that you’ll be able to make calls, get directions via your preferred navigation app and browse through your music and podcast libraries hands-free on the move once you’ve connected your iPhone or Android device wirelessly.

You can also plug your phone into one of three USB-C ports inside the EV9 to keep your device charged.

Is the Kia EV9 Comfortable to Drive?

Kia went through a long development process for the EV9, and on the road, it shows.

It’s no easy feat making a package the size and weight of the EV9 feel confident on the road, particularly on country roads, but that’s exactly what Kia has pulled off.

On the power front, the base EV9 Air has a single electric motor pushing out 160kW of power and 350Nm of torque, while the Earth and GT-Line pick up a dual motor, all-wheel drive system pushing out a combined 283kW of power and 700Nm of torque.

This means that on the road, the acceleration of the base EV9 is modest but instantaneous thanks to the electric motor, with boat-loads of torque rewarding buyers willing to up their budget for the dual-motor package.

While the EV9’s size does take some time to get acquainted with, particularly around the city, it remains impressively user-friendly thanks to its lofty driving position and featherweight steering. 

The regenerative braking system offers one-pedal driving which, once you’ve familiarised yourself with, makes stop-start traffic slightly less of a pain and becomes addictive as you see energy making its way back into the battery as you glide down a hill.

In terms of the ride quality, the entry-level EV9 Air with its smaller alloys and softer suspension setup is the pick of the bunch if you’re planning on tackling some road trips with your EV9.

Having said that, the ride in even the flagship GT-Line with its massive 21-inch alloys is mighty impressive thanks to Kia taking the time to develop the EV9’s suspension specifically for Australian road conditions.

This means that the EV9 confidently tackles road trips and glides silently on the road, making for a super refined and relaxing grand tourer.

As a complete package, then, it’s hard not to admire Kia for creating a bespoke suspension package for the EV9 here in Australia that makes it a truly versatile and super refined family SUV.

How Far Can the Kia EV9 Drive on a Single Charge?

A major question buyers have while shopping around the battery-electric world is just how far you can expect the EV9 to travel on a single charge, and which is the best for outright range.

Kia’s entry-level EV9 Air picks up a 76.1kWh battery pack that offers a claimed 443km of range on the WLTP test cycle, giving it the smallest range of the bunch.

Upgrading to the EV9 Earth and GT-Line adds a monstrous 99.8kWh battery pack that offers 512km of range in the case of the Earth, dropping to 505km in the EV9 GT-Line.

• EV9 Air Range: 443km

• EV9 Earth Range: 512km

• EV9 GT-Line Range: 505km

How Fast Can the Kia EV9 Charge?

With access to the right charger, you can charge the Kia EV9’s battery at speeds up to 350kW, which brings the pack from 10 - 80 per cent in around 24 minutes.

With the help of a 10.5kWh three-phase wallbox at your home or workplace, the EV9 will charge from 10 - 100 per cent in a claimed 7 hours in the base EV9 Air, increasing to 9 hours in the Earth and GT-Line with their larger battery packs.

Is it Practical and Spacious?

As you might imagine, Kia’s massive platform for the EV9 is incredibly welcoming to family buyers, offering acres of interior space and a heap of practical touches.

Up front, the EV9’s cabin is sleek, and modern, with the recipe effective in keeping things simple.

The dashboard houses a trio of displays, with very little in the way of physical buttons that help to clean up the design and excellent headroom and cabin width that makes things feel immensely spacious.

One of the most immediate practical choices for the front of the EV9’s cabin is the open area between the driver and the front passenger.

This space allows for more storage of valuables up front and inside the massive centre console that offers tonnes of storage inside.

Move to the second row and things are equally impressive, with a huge bench, tonnes of headroom and a neat slide and recline feature that allows for maximum comfort and more accommodation for the third row.

There’s also a pair of ISOFIX anchors on each of the outboard seats that are particularly easy to install thanks to the sheer size of the door frames, with another two ISOFIX points in the third row, bringing the EV9’s total to four.

The EV9’s third row is very accommodating for children, with a slightly raised floor that puts your knees higher into the air than usual, but it’s still an impressive offering and a genuine seven-seater.

How Big is the Kia EV9’s Boot?

One of the neat things about the Kia EV9’s battery-electric platform is that you don’t get one boot, you get two.

Admittedly, the front boot isn’t huge, totalling 90L in the rear-wheel drive EV9 Air and dropping to 52L in the case of the AWD Earth and GT-Line, but families will never complain about more storage options.

In seven-seat mode, the Kia EV9 has a boot measuring 333L, expanding to 828L with the third row folded and a maximum of 2,318L with both rows of seats folded.

This gives the EV9 some serious cargo-moving potential, particularly with the rear seats folded, though 333L of boot space in seven-seat mode, combined with the additional front-boot space makes for a very family-friendly package.

Is it Safe?

The Kia EV9 is the company’s technological flagship, which very much extends to the safety equipment list.

The EV9, even in base form comes jam-packed with active safety equipment - though a few bits of safety kit are reserved for the Earth and range-topping GT-Line.

As standard, the EV9 Air receives autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, junction assist, oncoming lane assist and lane change side assistance.

There’s also must-haves like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, a Highway drive assistant with lane centring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alerts, a rear-view camera with front and rear parking sensors and nine airbags.

Stepping up to the EV9 Earth adds a surround-view monitor with a blind-spot view monitor and rear parking collision avoidance, while the GT-Line picks up forward and side parking collision avoidance and a remote smart parking system.

Does the Kia EV9 Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

The Kia EV9 has been given the five-star safety tick from ANCAP after scoring the following marks in 2023.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 84%

• Child Occupant Protection: 87%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 76%

• Safety Assist: 85% 

What Warranty Does the Kia EV9 Come With?

Kia has maintained its outstanding warranty coverage with the EV9, offering a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty for long-term peace of mind.

The EV9’s battery and high-voltage components are also backed by a seven-year warranty, though battery protection is capped at 150,000 kilometres.

Service intervals for the EV9 stand at 12-months or 15,000 kilometres, whichever elapses first, with three, five and seven-year pre-paid service packages on offer, priced at $706, 1,351 and $1,997 a piece.

Our Verdict: Is the Kia EV9 Worth it?

While it certainly doesn’t come cheap, Kia’s flagship SUV is a thing of beauty for Aussies looking for a super smooth and well-mannered daily driver with acres of interior space.

With more than enough interior space for seven people and their belongings, decent range figures across the range and tonnes of equipment, even in the base model, there’s a lot to like about the EV9 for family-friendly motoring.

As a result, we’d encourage you to add the EV9 to your shortlist and to reach out to one of our car-buying experts who can help take the stress out of the car-buying process and find the best possible price on your next car.

Five Kia EV9 Specs You Need to Know

1. Seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty

2. Five-star ANCAP safety rating

3. Seven-seat layout with front and rear boot storage

4. 443 - 512km driving range figures, depending on variant

5. 10 - 80 per cent charge in 24 minutes with 350kW DC fast-charger