Kia EV9, seven front row seats in the lounge on four wheels and zero emissions

Although it did not repeat the exploits of the EV6, which two years ago gave Kia its first European Car of the Year title, placing itself at the bottom of the podium (fourth, just 7 votes behind the Peugeot 3008) in the 2024 edition of the most votes. Europe’s coveted automotive recognition, the EV9 proves that the Korean manufacturer’s commitment to future mobility is not a simple statement of intent, but a concrete project based on the philosophy that previously guided the rapid growth of the brand. : quality beyond all suspicion, stylistic innovation and advanced technology.

This SUV 5,010 mm long, 330 more than the EV6 compared to which it has more square and muscular lines, but always in line with the stylistic language of “Opposite Unity” which is based on its ability to reconcile different elements such as nature, modernity and technology. It is a strategic product due to its ability, emphasized by the president of Kia Europe Jason Jeong, «to introduce future car concepts in today’s world, encouraging people to make the transition to electric mobility. The EV9 will be fundamental in rebranding and reinventing the way people move.”

Generosity of measurements it allowed three rows of seats to be accommodated, as well as the standard configuration with seven seats, which on request can be six, but only if you choose the top trim called GT-Line. The use of the standard E-Gmp platform, specific to 100% electric models, has made it possible to make the most of smaller dimensions and greater simplicity of battery propulsion, taking advantage of the flat floor to create a welcoming space, spacious and. convivial environment. For example in a stationary car, second-row occupants can choose whether to use the comfort section that transforms the seat into an airplane-style recliner, or allow it to be rotated 180 degrees to “lounge” with their traveling companions. in the third line.

In the luxurious interior in short, the high technological content finds their immediate appearance in one large frame visible on the dashboard, which takes up more than half of its width, which has two 12.3-inch displays (the digital instrument panel in front of the driver and that of the system infotainment) between which there is another small screen (5.3 inches) reserved for information on climate control, the management of which is facilitated by the new control panel, the first appearance on the model of the brand. By drawing on the optional catalog you can then have a head-up display that will display the most important information on the driver’s windshield.

If the passenger space is generous, one reserved for luggage is not different: 828 liters with the first two rows of seats taken, 333 when the crew is full. Added to this is the compartment created under the front bonnet: 90 liters in the basic configuration of the rear wheel, 52 in the case of the four-wheel GT-Line, which is 5 mm longer.

The two versions, whose Italian price list starts from 76,450 and 81,650 euros respectively, they share the latest generation 99.8 kWh battery, but differ in terms of engine. The rear-wheel drive EV9 has a 204 hp engine that propels it to a top speed of 185 km/h and accelerates from 0-100 in 9.4 seconds with a range that according to the WLTP test cycle can reach 563 km.

Two engines (one per axle) with a total of 385 hp they push the GT-Line four-wheel drive to 200 km/h, promising 5.3 seconds to reach 100 km/h from the start and a WLTP range of 505 km. To emphasize the efficiency of the fast charging system of Volt 800, thanks to which it is possible to significantly shorten the “refueling” times, which has been one of the weak points of 100% electric operation: in the basic two-wheel drive. version, for example, 15 minutes is enough to restore 249 km of freedom.

Green call of the new eco-SUV from Kia, however, does not stop at eliminating exhaust emissions, but finds expression throughout the vehicle’s development process, along the lines indicated by the “Sustainable Design Strategy” that provides a precedent for development in eco-cars. more and more ecological materials.

The process by which EV9 it represents the first step, for example with the interior made of bio-polyurethane, an alternative material for leather and derived from natural ingredients such as corn. The list does not end here, and also includes the dashboard, door covers and pillars in which PET refined with thermoplastic olefins was used, while the plastic used to finish the interior is the result of post-waste recycling. Recycled PET, which is also used to make fabrics and mats, was largely obtained from the recovery of nets lost at sea, as part of a mutual commitment aimed at researching new biomaterials capable of making products bearing the Kia badge. it’s getting greener.