Kia EV9 GT-Line driving report, test

Kia EV9 at a glance

Kia kinara like 6 or 7 seats
Up to 2,318 liters of trunk volume
Up to 2.5 ton trailer load
WLTP range of 505 km
GT-Line with 385 hp and 700 Nm torque
Base price from 72,490 euros

The new Kia EV9 is a good looker. Kia is not getting bigger in Europe. The width is 1.98 meters.

What are we dealing with here?

The new Kia EV9 is no less than the biggest car the Koreans currently have in their lineup here. At 5.01 meters long, it is 20 centimeters longer than even the smaller Sorento and can seat seven. However, first impressions can sometimes be deceiving – the EV9 is nothing more than the new BMW 5 Series. Our test car, however, comes in a six-seat version with special “Relax” seats in the second row. Van’s feelings arise, and the ID can be an opponent. Hear the buzz chosen by Volkswagen. This is also due to the price: at 72,490 euros, this large family car, as an electric car, is for people without serious financial worries.

The name “EV” means there’s a little guesswork about the drivetrain: With rear-wheel drive, our all-wheel-drive Kia EV9 test car has a permanent synchronous motor on the front and rear axles. System output is a maximum of 283 kW/385 hp and torque is up to 700 Nm. That is enough for the Pampers bomber and accelerates the colossus (like the GT-Line), which weighs more than 2.7 tons, to 100 km / h in just 5.3 seconds. The original 95.0 kWh lithium-ion battery is intended to enable WLTP ranges of up to 505 km (combined energy consumption: 22.8 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km)².

Kia EV9 - rear view

Despite its size, the Kia EV9 can also be driven decently through corners. Up to 385 hp ensure a lot of propulsion.

How does the Kia EV9 AWD GT-Line drive?

As his colleague Rudolf Bögel noted during the first test of the Kia EV9: “It’s not a Porsche 911, okay, but we can definitely prove it for our country.” Because even if the steel chassis is at home in the comfortable mode of life, the EV9 is not at all lacking in mastering the roughest curves in a sporty way. The operation works automatically enough. However, there is no rear-axle steering, adaptive dampers, air suspension or other features to enhance dynamics. The two electric motors always give their power to the road cleanly, there is always enough pressure and thus high speed is reached without any problems. This is now normal for a car of this size: transparency in all directions suffers, without a camera there is often little work in small parking spaces or parking garages.

The real fun comes when loading. The 800-volt EV9 system allows a maximum charging power of 210 kW at suitable HPC charging stations, which was achieved even under winter test conditions. It goes from 10 to 80 percent very quickly, and the manufacturer’s 24 minutes seems quite reliable. The total distance of almost 500 km, however, comes from the world of fiction. The on-board computer did not show more than 380 km, even with a 100 percent charged battery on long trips between five and 80 percent, just under 290 km remained. Here the Kia also cooks only with water, although the thirst for electricity was given at around 25 kWh per 100 km (without charge for losses) in a short test week. If you look at the Audi Q8 e-tron in comparison, that is still the same, but the EV9 will no longer be the champion in efficiency.

Kia EV9 - Cockpit

Including the additional climate display, the EV9’s cockpit has three screens. It is easy to operate and there are many charging options and storage areas.

What’s the Kia EV9 like inside – family-friendly?

If you are honest with yourself, the only justification for such a car is that you always have to transport a few people from A to B at the same time. Anyone with three children (or more) quickly ends up in the car lot and can choose, among other things, an Opel Zafira Life, a Mercedes Vito or a regular VW bus. For anyone who wants to break away from the familiar diesel box model, the electric EV9 could be an attractive alternative. But questions also arise when it comes to space design. If the 1.94 meter tall writer wanted to sit behind himself, there wouldn’t be much room for his knees and legs. In addition, the lounge chairs in the six-seater version look anything but relaxing.

Advanced adjustment options, down to the recommended sleeping position, are meaningless when even grown children hit the front seats and cannot support their lower extremities. It is better to stick to seven cheap seats and not only get one more seat, but also, at the touch of a button, a full-size cargo area without any major limitations. The trunk itself holds between 333 and 2,318 liters – the all-wheel drive version also has an extra 52 liters under the front hood. As a rarity in the electric segment, the all-wheel drive Kia EV9 can also tow trailers weighing up to 2.5 tons.

Kia EV9 - rear seats

The six-seat version of the EV9 has so-called reclining seats in the middle row. However, there is not enough leg room for real rest and the backrest cannot be moved back enough. The seats can be heated and cooled.

Good quality, good assistants

Our judgment on manufacturing quality is good. Once again, Kia shows how you can create a high-quality interior (and without a beast, although the car does not end up in the six-figure range. The clarity and usability of the infotainment system is also impressive. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work wirelessly and there are enough USB-C slots available. Also worth mentioning are the well-functioning assistants, where the lane keeping assistant (via the steering wheel button) and the annoying EU speed warning (via the favorites button and two more clicks) they can be easily turned off.

Kia EV9 - trunk

The trunk has between 333 and 2,318 liters. However, it is better to transport large items with the seven-seat version, as there are no annoying gaps between the folded seats.

Conclusion

With the Kia EV9 you can certainly drive less. The Korean is as suitable for large family travel as it is for multi-tasking cargo – seven seats are better than six seats. With 385 hp, the all-wheel drive GT-Line is also capable of towing trailers weighing up to 2.5 tonnes and the 800 volt technology reduces charging breaks to a minimum. Jumping into the SUV soup? Poor overview, manageable long range (5-80% approx. 290 km) and reclining seats that are very difficult to use for tall people. (Text and photos: Thomas Vogelhuber)