Kia EV9 review: What you need to know about the large seven-seat electric SUV

Price: Air: $97,000 plus on-road costs, Earth: $106,500 +ORC, GT-Line: $121,000 +ORC
Drivetrain: Single or dual-motor electric motor
Outputs: 160kW/350Nm (Air), 283kW/700Nm (Earth, GT-Line)
Battery: 76.1kWh (Air), 99.8kWh (Earth, GT-Line) lithium-ion
Claimed range: 443km (Air), 512km (Earth), 505km (GT-Line)
Peak charging capability: 350kW DC, 10 – 80 per cent charge in 20 minutes (Air), 24 minutes
(Earth, GT-Line)
Dimensions: 5010-5015mm long, 1980mm wide, 1755-1780mm tall, 3100mm long wheelbase
Tare weight: 2312kg (Air), 2552kg (Earth), 2636kg (GT-Line)
Boot: 333L (all seats up), 828L (third row folded), 2318L (second and third rows folded), 90L (Air)
or 52L (Earth, GT-Line) front boot
0-100km/h: 8.2 seconds (Air), 6.0 seconds (Earth), 5.3 seconds (GT-Line)
Warranty: Seven-year/unlimited km (7-year/150,000km for the battery)
Five-year/75,000km service cost: $1351 ($270 annually)

Kia’s rise to sales stardom has been amazing to watch. No longer the butt of jokes in the global car industry, modern-day Kia makes world class products that, unlike some car markers, still offer great value for money.

But in order to hunt for more segments to conquer, Kia had to think bigger, so here we have the EV9 seven-seat upper large electric SUV.

The EV9 is its most expensive product ever, and at over five metres in length, it’s also the largest passenger vehicle as well. Kia belives there’s definitely a market for it in Australia, and evidence of that is that it took only nine months from global reveal to reach Australian showrooms, which is much faster than most cars. Is the EV9 a good choice for the larger family?

Price and equipment

For now, there are three variants in the Australian Kia EV9 range, with the high-performance GT revealed late last year due to join the range soon.

2025 Kia EV9 pricing (plus on-road costs):

Kia EV9 Air standard equipment:

• 19-inch alloy wheels with a tyre repair kit
• Dusk-sensing automatic all-LED exterior lighting
• Rain-sensing automatic wipers
• Roof rails
• Keyless entry with push button start and remote start
• Auto-retracting door handles
• Heated and auto-folding mirrors
• Noise-suppressing windscreen and side glass
• Artificial leather steering wheel and seat upholstery
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Heated steering wheel
• 10-way electrically adjustable front seats
• Tri-zone climate control
• 12.3-inch digital driver’s display
• 5.0-inch climate control screen
• 12.3-inch touchscreen
• AM/FM/digital radio
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite navigation
• Live services and over-the-air updates
• Eight-speaker sound system
• 6x USB-C and 2x 12V charging ports
• Wireless phone charger
• Recycled fabric headliner
• Eco, normal and sport driving modes

EV9 Air safety equipment:

• Nine airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection assist
• Lane keep assist with lane departure warning
• Adaptive lane guidance for highway driving
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (with braking)
• Speed sign recognition
• Driver attention monitoring
• Adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist
• Auto high beam
• Safe exit warning
• Intelligent speed limit assist
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Alarm
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Auto-dimming rear mirror

The EV9 received a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2023 with scores of 84 per cent in adult
protection, 87 per cent in child protection, 76 per cent in road user protection and 85 per cent in
safety assist.

EV9 Earth model adds over Air:

• Dual-motor drivetrain with larger battery
• Gloss black exterior trims
• 64-colour cabin LED ambient lighting
• Illuminated Kia logo on the steering wheel
• 360-degree camera
• Blind-spot camera
• Different 19-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic low-speed braking in reverse

EV9 GT-Line model adds over Earth:

• GT-Line exterior styling with front and rear skid plates
• Cube-shaped projector LED headlights with Matrix adaptive high beam
• 21-inch alloy wheels
• Rear privacy glass
• Digital side and rear mirrors
• Dual sunroofs
• Two-tone synthetic leather trim
• Augmented reality head-up display
• Alloy pedals
• 14-speaker Meridian sound system
• Heated and ventilated outer rear seats
• Remote parallel, perpendicular and diagonal parking functionality
• Second-row door sunshades
• Recycled suede headliner
• Electric steering column adjustment

Performance and efficiency

Using Hyundai e-GMP platform, the Kia EV9 is offered in two lithium-ion battery sizes in Australia: a smaller 76.1kWh unit in the base Air, or the larger 99.8kWh one in the Earth and GT-Line. The claimed range for the Air is 443km, 512km in the Earth and 505km in the GT-Line (WLTP).

Because the EV9’s platform uses an 800V architecture, it can charge quite fast: up to 350kW, according to Kia. That gives it a fast 10 to 80 per cent DC charging time of just 20 minutes in the Air and 24 minutes in the Earth and GT-Line.

The EV9 Air uses a 160kW/350Nm electric motor on the rear axle, providing more than enough shove for most buyers with a claimed 8.2 second 0-100km/h time. Going up to the Earth and GT-Line adds a second motor on the front axle for 283kW/700Nm outputs and much quicker acceleration: just 5.2 seconds is required for the GT-Line to hit 100km/h.

On the road

Using the same platform as its smaller EV6 sibling, the EV9 drives well. Thanks to Kia’s local ride and handling tuning program, regardless of model, the EV9 provides a comfortable driving experience. Despite the heavy up to-2636kg tare weight (GT-Line), the EV9 feels lighter on its feet and while it’s no EV6 GT for handling, it’s more fun than you’d expect with light but quick steering and excellent damping, even on the big-wheeled GT-Line.

As you’d expect for a $100,000+ car, refinement in the EV9 is excellent with very little in the way of road noise – even despite the lack of engine noise – and despite the boxy body, very little wind noise either. Because of the boxy body, the visibility is excellent, though the camera mirrors on the GT-Line should be optional equipment as their field of vision is limited.

Interior comfort, practicality and boot space

The dashboard of the Kia EV9 set the design language of the EV5, EV4 and EV3s that came after it with a very horizontal and practical design. Material quality is good though some could better reflect the car’s pricing. It’s also a fairly cold cabin – we’d love to see more colour options added for a warmer feel inside.

Every EV9 features a 12.3-inch touchscreen with a 5.0-inch unit and then another 12.3-incher sitting next to it for the climate control and driver’s display respectively. As we’ve seen in other Kia models, it’s quick and easy to use, while the sound systems are also quite good, especially the 14-speaker Meridian unit in the GT-Line. Though initial EV9 models feature wired smartphone mirroring, an over-the-air update will add wireless capability to match newer Kia models.

The storage on offer in the EV9 is good with a massive lower console bin and a big cup holder section, though the door bins are surprisingly small and the section underneath the centre armrest (which also has an excellent wireless phone charger with a raised island to accommodate blocky smartphone cameras) isn’t huge either.

The second row of the EV9 is one of the best on the new car market, with plenty of space for three adults. Even in the base Air, features on offer are impressive with charging ports, a third climate zone, map pockets, door pockets and a sliding tray for storage.

Jump up to the GT-Line and a sunroof, heated and ventilated outboard seats and sunshades also feature. Sliding the middle row forward is easy thanks to a button on the seat, moving forward and up to give access to those entering the third row.

The third row of seating in the EV9 is large for a seven-seat SUV, though not as spacious as its Carnival sibling. Two adults will be quite comfortable, and the large windows – and sunroof in the GT-Line – make it feel airy. There are also air vents, USB-C charging ports and cup holders.

Behind the third row of seating is 333 litres of space, which opens up to 828L with the third row of seats folded and a huge 2318L with the second row folded as well. As you’d expect for such a gargantuan vehicle, it’s a massive space and is even more impressive considering that it’s got a battery underneath to further complicate packaging. Open the bonnet and there’s a big 90-litre front boot (52L in the Earth and GT-Line) as well, though no EV9 features a spare wheel.

Service and warranty

As with all other new Kia products, the EV9 is covered by a seven-year/unlimited warranty with up
to eight years of roadside assistance.

The battery is covered by a seven-year/150,000km warranty and a five-year/75,000km service plan
costs $1351 ($270 each year).

Verdict: should I buy a Kia EV9?

If you’re after a large seven-seat electric SUV, your choices are currently limited in Australia, meaning the Kia EV9 is a great option that acts exactly as you’d expect of a modern Kia product. It’s huge but also very practical, the interior is spacious, it drives well, its charging speeds are some of the fastest in the industry and it’s loaded with equipment.

To consider is that the EV9’s is that its’s size can be a bit intimidating, the camera mirrors in the GT-Line just aren’t as useful as regular mirrors, and that even for the base Air, it will be over $100,000 once it’s driven out of the dealership. In all other respects, the EV9 is a great product for those who need space and more space.

Kia EV9 rivals

Hyundai Ioniq 9
Volkswagen ID. Buzz