Kia EV9 flagship electric SUV revealed

All around, Kia’s distinctive new design language makes for an SUV that could have been designed for the futuristic ‘Cyberpunk’ video game universe, especially with the angular lines down the side and vertical lighting front and rear, inspired in its trajectory by star constellations. At the front Kia’s most recent corporate identity, the ‘Tiger grille’, is replaced here with the more aggressive ‘Tiger face’, which features very little in the way of grille openings all. The EV9 owns its all-electric underpinnings and wears them on its sleeve.

The angular, upright looks tell the tale of a car very much aimed at practicality, ultility, seating capacity and even a bit of luxury. The bulbous trapezoidal arches and short overhangs give it a muscular look, reminiscent if only slightly, of the Land Rover Defender, while the geometric shapes in the vertical lights and surfacing smack slightly of Cadillac and Volvo. There’s also more than a family resemblance to the US-only Telluride, the larger family SUV we were denied in Europe.

Is this a softer all-electric alternative to the Land Rover Defender and even a match for Volvo’s EX90? Quite possibly. Like the Volvo and indeed versions of the Defender, the EV9 is seven-seat capable, albeit going further than mere capability. This is a car seemingly designed around its passengers.

Second-row occupants are able in a rare touch, to swivel 180 degrees and interact with those seated in the third row, with seating and dimensions suitable for full-sized adults. This feature also allows these passengers to turn 90 degrees and hop directly out of the door, which could be a handy feature for parents, children, or less able-bodied passengers. Presumably the swivel option is only available in the six-seat variant, which exchanges the three-person bench in the middle for two individual chairs. Whether that can be done while the car is in motion is unclear too, though Kia references it in the context of stationary charging.

There’s a bit of the Defender ethos in terms of the cabin design, too. There’s a minimalistic, utilitarian look, with lots of negative space and logic in its presentation. There’s a single-panel screen as is expected, though now with three screens integrated, which will house the latest Kia user interface. Two 12.3-inch screens feature the usual driver’s display and infotainment but are split by a five-inch segment display, which appears to house climate controls.

The marque is open about ‘ensuring physical buttons are kept to a minimum’, but the EV9 pleasingly features just that for climate temperature, strength and modes, and even media volume, where on other models we see these functions integrated into a switchable touch panel. There are touch controls below, linked to the main infotainment screen, albeit hidden behind the dash material with a pleasant yet futuristic backlit look, including ‘home’, ‘map’, ‘search’, ‘media’, ‘favourites’ (shown as a star symbol) and ‘setup’. As you’d expect, there are plenty of sustainable materials in use throughout the cabin.

As for hard numbers? There’s a fair bit more to learn about this car, including battery, motor and range options. We expect some carryover from the EV6, with a bigger battery option at the head of the range offering a comfortable 300-mile real-world capability. Prices? As at the open, this will be Kia’s most expensive car, topping the EV6 which can cost upwards of £60,000. This is the year of the EV9, so Kia representatives have told us, so expect to hear a lot more about this car throughout the year, following its full reveal at the end of March.