If there is one all-electric SUV which has been grabbing the attention of motoring scribes and buyers alike, it has to be the Kia EV9. Global accolades in the top tier for countless Car of the Year awards and gongs for design, the EV9 has hit the grown running and its popularity is showing no signs of slowing down. I guess I had to find out just why people are heaping so much praise on the Kia EV9.
Well for starters, the EV9 certainly looks epic. This trend of manufacturers styling their production cars to resemble something which never left the prototype stage is growing all the time. This is very much the case with the EV9, it looks stunning from every angle. The EV9 showcases Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy and the polygonal design cues and what Kia call a “fuselage-like” side profile results in a zero-emission SUV which looks like it could be a background extra in Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner.”
These cues also aid in the EV9 being one of the slipperiest SUVs through the air, with a drag coefficient of 0.28 which is pretty impressive. There are sports cars which are less aerodynamic than this. Up front you have a body coloured grill paired with those striking LED “small cube projection headlights make up the “Digital Tiger Face.” Expect this face to be the reference point for all upcoming EV Kia models.
The EV9 range is a trio of spec, consisting of the entry level Light RWD Standard Range at $105,990, the mid range Earth AWD Long Range at $115,990 and the flagship GT-Line AWD at $134,990. My test car was the latter, the GT-Line with all the fruit. The Light AWD SR gets a 76.1kWh Lithium Ion Battery back power the rear wheels, but the GT-Line, and the Earth AWD LR for that matter, gets a spicier 99.8kWh set up.
Combined power sits at 282kW and 700Nm of torque. This when accompanied with the AWD system, means this 5,015mm long and 1,980mm wide SUV will reach 100km/h in 5.3 seconds, not bad for an SUV which tips the scales at 2,624kg.
The GT-Line also sports the greatest range of the EV9 fleet with WTLP ratings of 505kms to a single charge which is certainly pretty good in my book. The EV9 is compatible with both AC and DC fast charging.
An 11kW AC charge will give you from 10 to 100 percent in just under 10 hours, but DC fast charging up to 80 per cent from 10 ranges from between one hour and 10 minutes for a 50kW charger, and 24 minutes at the fastest 235kW set ups. Each EV9 also comes with a five-year roadside assistance programme, five-year 150,000 km and 160,000km factory and battery warranties.
Inside the EV9 offers up not so much an SUV cabin, but more of a lounge, and a sustainable one at that. The EV9 reflects Kia’s plans to go completely carbon neutral by 2045 by having many interior materials made from recycled materials. The floor carpets are made from fishing nets found in the ocean, the interior and seat fabric are made from plastic bottles and wool fibres while the headliners are made from eucalyptus leaves.
Everything you touch feels warm and, dare I say it, inviting. It is easily the most plush feeling Kia I have ever tested. The heated and ventilated “Relaxation Seats” in the GT-Line seats are also immensely plush. You sort of go let out of a sigh of relief when you have a seat. You can electrically recline and move said seats to just about every which way you care to mention. The GT-Line also benefits from having a massage function for the driver.
The EV9 is also one of the most capacious SUVs out there. Room to swing a cat is one of the many classic phrases one could use to describe the roominess. Passengers in the front or rear will find plenty of space to get comfy and legroom to boot. The latter aspect can be attributed Kia’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) which allows for a completely flat floor.
Naturally being a seven-seater, cargo space is compromised at 333 litres. However, simply drop the third row and this grows to 828-litres. Plus, with the second row dropped, this becomes a gargantuan 2,318 litres. Need more? The 90-litre “frunk” also gives additional cargo space with the GT-line giving further 52-litres. Space really is the final frontier here.
All EV9s get a 12.3-inch cluster and infotainment system with 5.0-inch segment display which houses all manner of driving data. Unique to the GT-Line are the digital wing mirrors which utilize cameras on the driver and front passenger door to relay the image onto screens mounted on the inside of said doors. The image is clear and sharp but it does take a while to get used to looking at the door instead of out the window to see what’s behind you. There is also a digital centre mirror which aids in rear visibility which can be rather compromised when the third row of seats is in place.
Naturally you get all the fruit you could imagine for a car with this price tag, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Sat Nav, a head up display, Meridian sound system etc, but some features which stand include a new finger print vehicle start function, the latest generation of Kia’s Highway Driving Assist 2 or HDA2 which combines stop/go with lane following assist with adaptive cruise control.
The latter system also sports lane change assist which allows the EV9 to steer automatically into the desire lane when indicating and holding the wheel. Remote smart parking assist also allows the EV9 to park for you. Guiding it into a parking space with your key fob from outside the car is also a great part piece.
But what is it like when you are actually driving? Well, for an electric leviathan, it’s actually rather perky, especially in periods of driving exuberance. However, the sweet spot for the EV9 is its ability to soak up all forms of uneven surfaces and rough roads. I would quite happily choose an EV9 for a silent waft over to Greymouth without any form of range anxiety and feeling just as alert and at ease as when I left.
In terms of a drive, it was difficult to find a situation where the EV9 wasn’t immensely capable. Sure, it’s not the sharpest in the bends but everywhere else, it’s probably one of the nicest driving Kia products I have ever sampled. It also turns heads. People probably couldn’t quite put their finger on what it was that was coming towards them but there were plenty of backward glances and in some cases stares as the EV9 went by.
Its easy to see why the Kia EV9 has so many medals pinned to it’s chest. The combination of a premium feeling cabin, clever technology, immense space, versatility and a stand out driving experience means that Kia have produced a sure footed all-rounder.
RATING: 9/10
