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Exterior – Front
So, lets start with the design at the front of the EV9 and to start with it isn’t the best-looking EV I have seen but it isn’t that bad either. It does take time to get used to its design, however. We get this big body colour tiger nose grill just like any other Kia but on this model, it is hidden. Either side of this fake grill we do get a set of LED Pixel headlights which look almost concept like and lower down we get this big central air vent which looks modern and again concept like. The bonnet is also quite upright just like a Range Rover which again I do quite like. It makes it have this more premium feel.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side and we get a minimalistic design. We get flush door handles, a big panel of glass and some boxy gloss black cladding around the wheel arches. We also get these cool futuristic designed wheels which help with aerodynamics. The design overall is modern which I do like and it makes it look like a more luxurious car.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back and for me it feels a bit plain and boring. You get an interesting front and a Volvo like design. We get a set of taillights that start from the top of the tailgate and go almost down the side with an insert in the tailgate. For me this does look like a Volvo, but the tailgate is too plain for me. It would have looked better to have the number plate on the tailgate and had a different sporty looking bumper. I know they are trying to go for a minimalistic and futuristic approach as there is no rear wiper but for me it is too plain. The bumper is gloss black with some satin grey cladding to make it look off-roader like though. Let’s have a look at the battery and motor options that you can have with the new Kia EV9.
Car and engine specs and price
So, for the entire Kia EV9 range there is only 1 battery pack. This is 99.8 kWh is size which is decent. Now for the motors there are 2 options. If you go for the base spec model you get a single motor setup which gives you 200 bhp and rear wheel drive. 0-62 is delt within 9.4 seconds which is quite slow for today’s standards. The range on this model is about 350 miles which isn’t bad for this size of SUV. There is another option though. For the rest of the lineup, you can have a dual motor version which gives you 4-wheel drive and 378 bhp. This reduces the 0-62 time to just 5.3 seconds which is much better. Range on this model is about 300 miles of range which is reduced from the single motor model but that is to be expected. The price of the new Kia EV9 starts at £64,995. Let’s have a look at the interior.
Interior – Design
So, getting inside the Kia EV9 and we are welcomed with Kia’s new setup. We get a Mercedes style infotainment, instrument cluster screen but what is different is that it has 3 screens on it. We get the instrument cluster, which is crisp and easy to see, we get the infotainment system which is running new software and again is easy to use and is laid out well, but we get a screen in between these for the climate control. Now I’m not sure what to make of this. Yes, we do get some physical climate control switches in the middle for the driver and passenger but if you wanted to change the direction of the fan or turn of the air conditioning and you are a passenger you will have to ask the driver as it is not in the middle of the screen. The best system that I have used from kia which was controversial was the system that you will find in the new Kia Sportage and EV6. That setup is easier to use. Below the infotainment system we get a bar that runs along the dashboard and these houses touch sensitive infotainment buttons and below that we get a set of thin air vents. We don’t get a centre console as such that is connected to the dashboard, but we do get one. The steering wheel is new and is a 4 spoke which I am not keen on, but it has the same functionality as other Kia’s. the centre console does have a decent amount of storage and wireless charging. We also get some ambient lighting. The seats are comfy and premium looking. Talking of seats lets have a look at the second and third row of seats.
Practicality
So, getting into the back and there is no surprise that there is more than enough legroom and headroom. What I do like though is that you can recline the seats quite a way and the seats more forward and back by quite away too for the third row. You can even move the front passenger seats from the back if you want to. You can also have a 6-seat version which replaces these 3 seats with 2 captain chairs which turns. They both have arm rests and again there is loads of adjustments in them. Let’s have a look at the third row.
Now getting into the third row I am surprised by the amount of room. If you move the second row into the middle position, then you get a decent amount of legroom for the second row and for you. Yes, it is not much but it is decent for third row seating. Headroom isn’t the best but then the third row will most likely be used for children, but an adult could sit there for short journeys.
Boot Size
Opening the boot to the Kia EV9 and you are welcomed with 571 litres of boot space which all the 3 rows up which is very impressive. You could easily go on holiday with 7 people. With the 2 rear rows folded down you get a massive 2,320 litres of boot space. With the second row up, you still get 1,230 litres which again is way more than enough.
Summary
So, in summary then what do I think of the new Kia EV9. Well, the exterior design is ok. I like some parts like the side of the car, and I can get used to the front end of the car but the rear seems too plain for this type of car. The interior is very modern and premium, and it is a very practical car. The range isn’t the best that I have seen though but for a luxury electric 7-seater it isn’t bad for the price. If you want a proper luxury 7 seat SUV though I would recommend the Mercedes EQS SUV 7-seater which starts at £130,000. Yes, that is a £70,000 increase in price but then it is S-Class level of luxury.
Exterior 3/5
Interior 4/5
Practicality 5/5
Total 12/15
Model | Kia EV9 GT-Line S 7 Seater |
Engine | 99.8kWh Battery Pack, Dual Motor, 378 bhp, 0-62 = 5.3 Seconds 300 Mile Range |
Trnasmission | Single Speed |
Price | £76,025 |
On Sale | Now |
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