For price, the all-electric, three-row Kia EV9 has no equal

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Driving the all-new, all-electric 2024 Kia EV9 three-row SUV made clear that it’s a responsive, roomy and superrefined family hauler, even before knowing its price.

But after Kia Canada announced a sub-$60,000 starting price for the electric SUV that allows all its trims to be eligible for the $5,000 Canadian federal EV rebate, the boxy EV9 is clearly a bargain in the EV world, especially if you have a lot of kids or cargo to haul.

The base rear-drive EV9 with a range of 370 kilometres has a U.S. starting price of US$54,900, which converts to about $75,000. The top-of-the-line version converts to about $100,000. Yet Hyundai just announced Canadian pricing will start at $59,995 for the base version and $78,995 for the top GT-Line.

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Strong demand expected

Kia Canada’s online EV9 registration process was overwhelmed twice earlier this year to the point where the company apologized publicly on X (formerly Twitter) for unprocessed requests, site crashes and overall customer frustration.

This all happened before Canadian prices were announced. There are simply few other three-row, pure battery-electric SUVs on the market in North America, especially ones that can fit an adult or two in the third row. The EV9 is the only one for less than $100,000, though more are on the way.

Room was plentiful in the first and second row of my fully loaded tester, all four seats cooled and heated, with electric second-row adjustment buttons high on the rear seatbacks and accessible to folks in the third-row, if they’re feeling a little snug.

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Surprises and some disappointments inside

The first two rows offer Ottoman-style lower leg rests for all four captain’s chairs, with minivan-style armrests, walk-through ability to the third row and a slide-out tray with storage underneath.

But the ability to swivel the second row seats to face the third row that we saw in our two-hour drive in South Korea won’t make it to Canada.

The EV9 will add some tech features new to Kia, including the ability to use your phone as a key to send a digital code that will unlock and start your EV9 and receive new features through over-the-air software updates.

It also offers some features that Tesla doesn’t, such as wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, large climate control buttons and an actual volume knob.

After driving another pre-production EV9 on home soil at TestFest, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada’s annual event, it became clear the EV9′s top trim GT-Line was more powerful and smooth than any SUV with a combustion engine.

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The EV9′s top 389-horsepower version is estimated to dash to 96 kilometres an hour in five seconds, though the 201-horsepower, single-motor version would be much less exciting. This rear-drive version with the large battery achieves the EV9′s highest range of 489 km, with the more powerful all-wheel-drive versions rated at 451 (20-inch wheels), and 435 (21-inch).

The EV9 is also quick to charge at a DC public fast charger, with peak DC charging speeds of between 215 kilowatts for the larger battery and 236 kilowatts for the smaller battery in the base model. The EV9′s estimated 20-to-24-minute DC quick-charge times are class- and nearly industry-leading, if you can find a working 350-kilowatt charger that can hit these speeds.

Value-play to the max

There’s no doubt that Kia Canada had to pare down the base EV9 Light to slide under the $60,000 mark, as its small battery is the only trim without a heat pump, further depleting range in chillier temperatures.

But in the end, the Kia EV9′s value is clear to see for many Canadians. And it will likely shine extra bright when it arrives in December because it precedes other all-electric, three-row family haulers, such as the Hyundai Ioniq 7 and the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, both of which will presumably be in the same price ballpark.

Tech specs

2024 Kia EV9

• Base model/as tested: $59,995/$78,995 (plus $3,049 for freight, plus tax)
• Powertrain: Single (rear-drive) or dual electric motors (AWD)
• Battery capacity (kilowatt-hours): 76.2 or 99.8
• Charging time: Level 2 – seven hours (smaller battery), nine hours (larger battery); from 10 to 80 per cent at 350-kilowatt DC fast charger – 20 minutes (smaller battery), 24 minutes (larger battery)
• Horsepower/torque (lb-ft): Rear-wheel drive – 201-215/258; All-wheel drive – 379/443
• Alternatives: Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Mazda CX-90 PHEV, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Tesla Model Y (with optional third row), Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, VinFast VF9

Range by trim level

Light RWD (76.1 kWh) $59,995 – 370 kilometres

Wind RWD (99.8 kWh) $62,995 – 489 kilometres

Land AWD (99.8 kWh) $64,995 – 451 kilometres

Land AWD Premium (99.8 kWh) $74,995 ­– 451 kilometres

Land AWD GT-Line (99.8 kWh) $78,995 – 435 kilometres

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Looks

Compared to its gas-powered, three-row Telluride sibling, the Kia EV9 features a similarly upright and blocky SUV silhouette, but with a more futuristic front face that wraps its body colour between the headlights of the all-electric EV9, leaving a token “grille” under the front bumper.

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Interior

There’s slightly more passenger space in the EV9 than the Telluride, because of the EV’s longer wheelbase, in an overall body shape that’s more or less the same size. The dash has smoothly integrated buttons and uses large separate buttons for the climate controls.

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Performance

The all-wheel-drive, extended range EV9 models with 389 horsepower has a superquiet and refined demeanour. Properly equipped, this version can tow 5,000 pounds, while even the single motor 201-horsepower base model is rated to tow up to 1,653 pounds.

Technology

The EV9′s quick-charging 800-volt architecture is right at the top of its EV class in terms of range and road-trip friendliness. It will be the first Kia to offer over-the-air updates, as well as the ability to use your phone as the key. And like its smaller EV6 sibling, it offers the ability to use its large battery to plug in anything with a three-prong connector (laptop, e-bike) with its onboard power generator capability.

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Cargo

There’s slightly less cargo room in the EV9 than in the Telluride, but there is a shallow front trunk, though much smaller than what any Tesla offers. But at 573 litres of cargo space with all three rows up, it’s roomier than a Tesla Model X, at Model Y prices.

The verdict

The EV9 shines owing to its roominess and ability to charge quickly, and because there simply aren’t many all-electric three-row SUVs in North America for less than $100,000. And the few that do offer three rows have considerably less space, shoehorning a third row into a vehicle clearly designed as a five-seater.

The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.

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