When you approach the EV9 for the first time, the first thing that catches your attention is its fresh and appealing new styling. It has a modern front panel, sleek headlights, cladding along the body sides, and a simple tailgate design. Although it’s long and boxy, it’s a unique car that doesn’t deter new arrivals.
Similar to its smaller sibling, the Kia EV6, the EV9 is built on the Hyundai Group’s EV-specific Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). It shares many hardware components with the EV6, including its independent multi-link suspension and powertrain. The EV9 is available in both rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive versions.
The base models of the EV9 have a 200bhp motor that sends 258lb ft of torque exclusively to the rear axle. This allows the car to accelerate from 0-62mph in 9.4 seconds. The 4×4 version incorporates two motors of equal power (189bhp each) mounted at the front and rear, giving the car a total of 378bhp and a 0-62mph time of 6.0 seconds. With an additional over-the-air software update, torque can be boosted from an impressive 442lb ft to 515lb ft, reducing the 0-60mph time by 0.7 seconds.
The EV9’s controls are smooth and responsive, making you forget that it’s an electric vehicle. It offers a quiet motor and a range of nearly 300 miles, depending on your driving style. The car’s motion is controlled using a small switchblock on the right side of the steering column, and there are additional buttons on the steering wheel for various functions, including an easy one-touch operation to disable the lane-keeping assistance. Similar to other Hyundai and Kia EVs, the regenerative braking can be adjusted using steering wheel paddles.
This test car is a mid-range version meant for the domestic market, so it lacks some of the features of a high-spec UK EV9 and only has one motor. The braking is powerful and easy to control, and the steering feels most natural in Normal driving mode (Sport and Eco modes are also available). The controls have a smooth, frictionless feel akin to well-known brands like BMW and Porsche. This demonstrates the relentless pursuit of greatness by Kia.