2024 Kia EV9 Will Be Poky or Punchy, with Power from 201 to 379 HP

The 2024 Kia EV9 is almost identical in size to the three-row Telluride SUV and will offer powertrains with between 201 and 379 hp.The dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup is the mightiest, but the weaker rear-drive option will have the longest range—likely around 280 miles.The EV9 will go on sale in North America in the second half of 2023, but Kia hasn’t yet released pricing or final U.S. specs.

Families looking for a mid-size three-row electric SUV will see their limited choices expand ever so slightly when the 2024 Kia EV9 goes on sale in America sometime later this year. With dimensions that are almost identical to the gas-powered Kia Telluride—and a blocky design that sets it apart—the EV9 will be the largest EV in showrooms shared with the subcompact Niro EV and compact EV6.

Kia EV9 Comes into Focus

By now, most people have had a look at the EV9’s Minecraft-like bodywork. Its distinctive design hasn’t drastically changed from the concept that debuted at the L.A. auto show. Some production versions will even have similar front accent lights that shine through the body color and can be configured into different patterns. Kia also claims the EV9 has an aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.28—an impressively low number considering its shape.

Kia has released more specs as part of today’s global reveal. The EV9’s exterior dimensions are all within tenths of an inch of the Telluride’s. The electric model is 197.2 inches long, 78.0 inches wide, and 69.1 inches tall (70.1 inches for the GT-Line). However, the EV9 boasts an extra 7.8 inches between its axles, with a wheelbase that stretches 122.0 inches. The smallest wheels the EV9 will wear are 19-inchers, and the biggest are 21s.

Exact measurements for the EV9’s cargo and passenger space are still being kept under wraps. We expect those details and more to filter out over the coming weeks, possibly as part of its official U.S. debut next week at the New York auto show. Of course, when it comes to interior packaging, the EV9’s flat load floor courtesy of its e-GMP platform provides an advantage versus the gas-fueled alternative.

Based on that and what we already know, the EV9 will be more spacious inside than the Telluride. We’ve sat in all three rows and can vouch for the EV’s roominess, particularly in the rearmost row where there’s more headroom and legroom. The amount of individual seats ranges between six and seven, depending on the second-row configuration (captain’s chairs cap capacity at the lower number, while a bench seat unlocks the higher one).

Do You Want It Poky or Punchy?

The 2024 Kia EV9 will be available with two powertrain configurations split into three levels of potency. Apart from the all-wheel-drive dual-motor setup, the singe-motor variants aren’t expected to pack much of a punch. However, the trade-off will likely mean more driving range per charge.

The EV9’s two rear-wheel-drive setups feature a single electric motor mounted on the back axle. The base EV9 (called the Standard) is the only one that pairs with a 77.6-kWh battery pack; range estimates are currently unknown. Peak output is 214 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. For comparison, the Telluride’s 3.8-liter V-6 makes 291 hp and 262 pound-feet. Kia claims this will push the mid-size EV SUV to 62 mph in 8.2 seconds, which is considered leisurely, at best.

Straight-line acceleration is said to be even slower with the rear-drive EV9 Long Range. Kia claims a pokey 62-mph acceleration estimate of 9.4 seconds. Not only does its peak output drop from 214 to 201 hp, but the Long Range adds weight due to its larger 99.8-kWh battery. Using the optimistic European WLTP cycle, Kia says it expects this EV9 on 19-inch wheels to provide 336 miles of driving range. That figure will likely be somewhere around 280 miles using America’s EPA methodology.

While there’s no word on expected range, the EV9 GT-Line also has the big battery and is the mightiest of the bunch—at least until the high-performance GT model that’s currently being developed arrives for 2025. For now, the GT-Line alone has an electric motor on each axle. Along with creating an all-wheel-drive system, they combine to make 379 hp and 442 pound-feet of torque. That latter figure will briefly rise to 516 pound-feet in Boost mode, which Kia says enables the AWD EV9 to hit 62 mph in 5.3 seconds.

Regardless of how mighty the EV9’s electric motors are, its 800-volt electrical architecture allows for quick charging times. Kia claims the larger battery can recoup about 148 miles of range in about 15 minutes. Our tests of Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis’s fast-charging capabilities suggest that claim can be believed. The EV9 also has a 5000-pound towing capacity, which matches the Telluride’s rating but will dramatically diminish the EV’s driving range.

Kia to Keep Evolving the EV9

In addition to a boatload of contemporary active safety features, the EV9 will be ready to expand the breadth of its driver-assist technology in the future. Kia says it’s working on a lidar-based system called Highway Driving Pilot that’ll allow Level 3 autonomous driving in certain situations, meaning the driver doesn’t have to control the vehicle (provided they maintain attention). The feature will be introduced on the EV9 GT-Line in the future, with Kia planning to release more details closer to its actual availability.

Among the features that early adopters of the Kia EV9 won’t have to wait for are a new digital key and remote parking assist. These two are a package deal, with the “key” used to initiate the parking procedure while the owner watches their EV9 park itself. The digital key also allows people to open and turn on the SUV using their smartphone, which isn’t revolutionary but is useful, nonetheless. Owners will also be able to purchase other features and subscription-based services through the new Kia Connect Store, however, exactly what those include remains to be seen.

Kia says the 2024 EV9 lineup will go on sale in the U.S. in the second half of this year, with info leaked earlier this year suggesting prices between $56K and $73K. Meanwhile, we expect official pricing and other specs regarding the mid-size three-row electric SUV to be released in the weeks and months ahead, so stay tuned for that.

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Senior Editor

Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.