By: Joshua Lee
August 5, 2024
The Kia Telluride has been a rolling success for the brand, but it doesn’t feature a hybrid or an electric powertrain. Since 2021, Kia has been working hard to roll out a fully electric three-row SUV, and the EV9 Concept got everyone excited to see whether it would make it to production. When the opportunity came from Kia Canada to let us take the 2024 Kia EV9 Land GT Line for a week, we couldn’t have been happier to try out this new family hauler.
The entry-level Light trim comes with a 76.1 kWh battery, whereas the Wind and Land trims get the bigger 99.8 kWh version. Our tester model makes 379 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Its dual electric motors and AWD setup propel the SUV quickly in any situation. Driving this SUV feels light and poised around corners. Regenerative braking can be adjusted using the paddle shifters and offers one-pedal driving, which is smooth to use. There are different drive and terrain modes to complement the driving experience; putting the EV9 in Sport mode will inflate the driver’s seat side bolsters to increase support. All-wheel drive models can tow up to 5000 pounds.
The Kia EV9 has a sustainable interior using plant-based materials, recycled PET, and even fishing nets for its fabric and carpets. The GT Line seats six, with both the first and second row seats able to fully recline and extendable leg rests so you can relax while you wait for the car to be charged in public. Both rows have heated and ventilated functions, while the driver’s seat offers the Ergo Motion Seat, which uses internal air pockets to reduce fatigue. The cockpit of the EV9 is nicely designed with a 12.3-inch driver’s display, a 5-inch designated HVAC display, and a 12.3-inch infotainment system that connects together, mimicking one big screen. There’s little to complain about as the controls are very easy to use, as well as the haptic touch buttons under the infotainment system. Dual sunroofs, a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, dual-color ambient lighting, heads-up display, and a digital rearview mirror are standard. Cargo space behind the third row is 573L and expands up to 2314L with the second and third rows down.
The Kia EV9 comes with parking sensors and a 360-degree camera; it also features Remote Smart Parking Assist 2, which can park itself in perpendicular, parallel, and diagonal spots. We also like the blind-spot view monitor and Highway Driving Assist 2, which will now assist in lane changes while keeping the vehicle centered.
The Kia EV9 GT Line has an estimated range of 435 km with level 2 charging times of around 8 hours and 45 minutes for a full charge. The EV9 is capable of level 3 fast charging, which can take 24 minutes from 10-80% using a 350kW fast charger. We tried using a 150kW Shell Recharge station, which took about 41 minutes from 45-95% that reached 125kW. It cost $20.81 to gain back 57.4 kWh. Natural Resources rates the EV9 GT Line at 26.1 kWh/100 km; we’ve achieved 22.1 kWh/100 km for the week. The EV9 features bi-directional charging as it’s capable of discharging 3.68 kW from the V2L outlets inside and out.
The base rear-wheel drive EV9 Light starts at $63,176, EV9 Wind at $66,176, and the all-wheel drive EV9 Land at $68,176. The Premium Package and GT Line package are optional at $10,000 and $14,000 respectively. At the time of testing, our tester model costs $82,394.
Kia has been doing a wonderful job with its EV lineup. For a better family-friendly SUV, we’d recommend the seven-seater EV9 Wind with a larger EV range of 489 km. We love the EV9’s composed ride quality, lounge-like comfort, and easy-to-use controls. In the EV world, there seems to be a battle to make the most powerful product with an overload of technology. While the EV9 is bold in styling and has a great EV setup, it sits uniquely on its own as a three-row electric SUV fit for a family.
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