2027 Kia EV9

Overview

One of the few mid-size electric SUVs with a third row, the Kia EV9 shares this distinction with its cousin, the Hyundai Ioniq 9. The Kia EV9 beat it to market by two model years, however, and continues to deliver the same family-friendly experience and unique styling that make it one of our favorites in the segment.

Numerous trims from the base single-motor, rear-wheel-drive Light to the twin-motor, all-wheel-drive GT-line offer EPA-estimated ranges of 230 to 305 miles and charging speeds up to 230 kW via a NACS (North American Charging Standard) port. All offer a fully modern interior, a choice of six- or seven-passenger configurations, and a decent blend of ride and handling.

Expert Tip: If the EV9 is too big for your needs, consider the smaller EV6; if you desire the space but aren’t yet ready to go full EV, the Telluride Hybrid is well worth a look.

Where This Vehicle Ranks

#1 in Best Electric Mid-Size SUVs

1

Kia EV9

10/10

STARTING AT: $56,635

SHOP EV9

2

Hyundai Ioniq 9

9.5/10

STARTING AT: $61,000

SHOP Ioniq 9

3

Subaru Trailseeker

8/10

STARTING AT: $41,540

SHOP Trailseeker

4

Toyota bZ Woodland

8/10

STARTING AT: $46,975

SHOP bZ Woodland

5

Chevrolet Blazer EV

8/10

STARTING AT: $46,795

SHOP Blazer EV

6

Jeep Recon EV

8/10

STARTING AT: $69,000

SHOP Recon EV

Compare the 2027 Kia EV9 with the top vehicles in this segment with our new compare tool.

Compare the top cars

What's New for 2027?

The Wind trim now sports black 19-inch wheels, gloss-black exterior trim, and it can now be spec’d with Wolf Gray exterior paint. The Land trim gets the gloss-black wheels and exterior trim bits and a blacked-out interior from the discontinued Nightfall Edition. The Nightshade’s torque-boost function, which temporarily increases torque from 443 to 516 pound-feet, also joins the Land trim’s list of standard features.

C/D Expert Tip:

If this year's model is largely unchanged and you're comfortable with a lightly used car, you may want to consider shopping previous model years. A one-to-three-year-old model will likely have a warranty and it'll cost less than buying new.

C/D RATING:10/10

2026 Kia EV9

Shop for a 2026

C/D RATING:10/10

2025 Kia EV9

Shop for a 2025

C/D RATING:10/10

2024 Kia EV9

Shop for a 2024

Shop All Used Kia EV9

Pricing and Which One to Buy

EV Motor, Power, and Performance

• EV Motors: 201-hp single motor, 215-hp single motor, 379-hp dual motor
• Drivetrains: Rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive

The EV9 lineup starts with the rear-wheel-drive Light trim, which features a single rear-mounted electric motor that makes 215 horsepower. The Light Long Range version is rear-drive too. However, despite adding a bigger battery, its peak power drops to 201 horsepower. All-wheel-drive models have a dual-motor arrangement with a combined 379 ponies, and an available Boost mode increases the peak torque output to 516 pound-feet to provide quicker acceleration. We've found the EV9 to be as pleasant to drive as it is to look at. On the highway, the EV9 has a pleasingly soft ride, and while its weight is obvious, it navigates the urban landscape without burden.

0–60-MPH Times

• C/D 60-mph Test: 4.5 seconds (GT-Line)

In Comparison: The Hyundai Ioniq 9 AWD did the 60-mph sprint in 4.4 seconds.

View Exterior Photos

Towing and Payload Capacity

• Max Towing: 5000 pounds

The base EV9 Light and Light Long Range models are rated to tow 1000 pounds, or 2000 when equipped with trailer brakes. The Wind, Land, and GT-Line models increase those limits to 1653 and 3500 pounds, respectively, but the latter two can go as high as 5000 pounds when a proper weight-distributing hitch is in use.

In Comparison: The Hyundai Ioniq 9 AWD with the tow package is rated to tow the same 5000 pounds as the Ioniq 9, while the Jeep Wagoneer S EV and Chevrolet Blazer EV RS with RWD max out at 3500 pounds.

Range, Charging, and Battery Life

• C/D Range Test: 240 miles (EV9 GT-Line)
• EPA EV Range: 230-305 miles

The entry-level Light model comes with a 76.1-kWh battery pack which offers an EPA-estimated 230 miles of driving range. At the other end of the spectrum, the Light Long Range model with the larger 99.8-kWh pack is rated by the EPA for up to 305 miles of driving per charge, while the Wind e-AWD and Land e-AWD models are rated for 283 miles. Going with the top-spec GT-line trim drops the estimated range to 280 miles per charge. During our 75-mph highway range test, the EV9 GT-Line traveled 240 miles.

Every EV9 uses Kia's 800-volt electrical architecture, allowing DC fast chargers to replenish the battery quickly. Its 230-kW maximum DC fast-charging speed is said to add 100 miles of driving range in just 13 minutes, with an average charging speed of 139 kilowatts between a 10 and 90 percent state of charge. This rate is among the highest averages of any EVs we've tested. The EV9's 11-kW on-board charger is about average among competitors.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe

• C/D 75-mph Highway Fuel-Economy Test: 76 MPGe (GT-Line)
• EPA City Ratings: 83-100 MPGe
• EPA Highway Ratings: 72-78 MPGe

The EPA estimates that the EV9 Long Range rear-wheel drive will return 100 MPGe in the city, 78 MPGe highway, and 89 MPGe in combined driving. The EV9 GT-Line is the least efficient, EPA-rated for 83 MPGe city, 72 MPGe highway, and 78 MPGe in combined driving. When we took the GT-Line on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route, we recorded 76 MPGe. For more information about the EV9's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

MPGe stands for miles per gallon of gas equivalent, an EPA metric that estimates PHEV and EV fuel efficiency.

In Comparison: The Hyundai Ioniq 9, with which the EV9 shares much of its DNA, offers a tiny improvement in efficiency, bettering the EV9 by one or two MPGe in most measures.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

First Row: Interior material quality is excellent, with soft synthetic leather upholstery and unique mesh headrests. The underlying construction is also reassuringly sturdy, adding to the refined and luxurious cabin.

Second Row: The EV9 can be equipped either with a second-row bench for seven-passenger capacity or captain’s chairs for six-passenger capacity. The second-row captain's chairs feel much like the fronts and offer heating, ventilation, and massaging.

Third Row: In the very back, the third row easily accommodates adults but requires some concessions by those in the second row to offer comfortable legroom. On the EV9's upper trim levels, the third row is power folding.

Cargo Capacity: The EV9's rear cargo space holds 20 cubic feet, nearly as much as the Telluride, or up to 82 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded flat. We managed to fit five carry-on bags behind the third row and 17 with the third row stowed.

View Interior Photos

Infotainment and Connectivity

• Infotainment: 12.3-inch touchscreen
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Audio System: 8-speaker stereo (standard), 14-speaker Meridian stereo (optional)

Inside the EV9 is a pair of 12.3-inch screens—one for the gauge cluster and a second for infotainment—with a dedicated HVAC readout between them. The EV9 has fewer physical knobs and buttons than other Kias on sale today; just a few key HVAC controls and a volume knob remain, along with touch-sensitive controls embedded in the dash to jump between key infotainment features. Menus are logically organized, and the system further benefits from quick responses and attractive graphics. The placement of the on-screen climate controls obscures them behind the steering wheel and can be distracting to adjust while driving. Thankfully, once set, we rarely needed to make further adjustments. Two 12-volt power ports and a single 120-volt household outlet are standard.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The EV9 comes with several standard driver-assistance features, including systems such as blind-spot monitoring and automated emergency braking. Kia also offers a hands-free driving mode that's bundled with a more advanced version of adaptive cruise control. However, it's only for the EV9 GT-Line.

• Standard Safety Features: automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control with hands-free driving mode

For information about the EV9’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Kia provides one of the best warranty plans in the industry. Unfortunately, unlike Hyundai, it doesn't come with any complimentary scheduled maintenance.

• Limited Warranty: five years or 60,000 miles
• Powertrain Warranty: ten years or 100,000 miles
• Battery Warranty: ten years or 100,000 miles
• Complimentary Maintenance: none

C/D Test Results and Specs

Each year, we put hundreds of vehicles through our rigorous instrumented testing regimen. If the data in the chart below is for a different model year, that's because this vehicle hasn't changed since we last tested it, and the test results remain accurate.

Specifications

Specifications

2024 Kia EV9
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, 4-door wagon

PRICE
Base/As Tested (C/D est.): $75,395/$77,500

POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 189 hp, 258 lb-ft
Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 189 hp, 258 lb-ft
Combined Power: 379 hp
Combined Torque: 516 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 99.8 kWh
Onboard Charger: 10.9 kW
Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 215 kW
Transmissions: direct-drive

CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 14.2-in vented disc/13.6-in vented disc
Tires: Hankook Ion Evo AS SUV
285/45R-21 113V M+S K

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 122.0 in
Length: 197.4 in
Width: 77.9 in
Height: 70.1 in
Passenger Volume, F/M/R: 58/58/35 ft³
Cargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 82/44/20 ft³
Curb Weight: 5839 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.5 sec
100 mph: 13.0 sec
1/4-Mile: 13.3 sec @ 101 mph
120 mph: 21.3 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.7 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.9 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.9 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 126 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 184 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 365 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.87 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING
Observed: 79 MPGe
75-mph Highway Driving: 76 MPGe
75-mph Highway Range: 240 mi
Average DC Fast-Charge Rate, 10–90%: 139 kW
DC Fast-Charge Time, 10–90%: 37 min

EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined: 80 MPGe
Range: 270 mi

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

More Features and Specs