2023 Kia EV9: Electric LandCruiser fighter confirmed for Europe next year

JUNE 2023: We've driven the EV9!

Get our full written and video review at the linked story below.

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March 2023: EV9 leaked!

The upcoming Kia EV9 has surfaced in online social media, offering a first clear look at official marketing shots. Get the full story at the link below.

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UPDATE, March 30: The 2023 Kia EV9 will be making its debut next year in right-hand-drive, the company has announced.

Kia confirmed the electric EV9 will launch in Europe in 2023, verifying an earlier leaked report out of South Korea pointing to a production start date of April.

"It is under consideration however the detailed plans of Kia’s future EV line-up such as EV9, are not yet fixed and will be announced in due course," a spokesperson for Kia Australia told Wheels.

With the battery-powered SUV set to go on sale in the UK, it’s a good sign Australia will get a right-hand-drive version of the vehicle.

“The Kia Concept EV9 is another important marker for us in what has been an incredible journey so far for the new Kia brand,” Kia’s design boss Karim Habib said.

“Having made our intentions clear – to become a global leader in sustainable mobility solutions – we have had to carefully assess how the near- to medium-term future will impact every type of vehicle and model. This includes the SUV.”

The EV9 has yet to be confirmed for Australia – but given the overwhelming success of the EV6, there’s every chance Kia Australia has put its hand up for the model.

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March 22: The 2023 Kia EV9 is rumoured to be entering production next year, as more details of the electric SUV surface.

While originally referred to as the EV7, the EV9 is set to become Kia’s flagship model, coming in at around 5000 millimetres long according to The Korean Car Blog – making it roughly on par with the LandCruiser 300 Series and LandCruiser Prado.

The report says the interior of the seven-seater EV9 will be on par with the Kia Carnival people-mover, with more legroom available for third-row passengers thanks to its battery-powered E-GMP platform, which allows for a flat cabin floor.

This rendering by Korean digital artist Hitekro imagines what the production car could look like, based on the concept vehicle shown in November.

Occupants can also expect an ultra-wide display akin to that found in the EV6.

As well as over-the-air software updates (OTA), the EV9 will reportedly offer Level 3 autonomous driving technology, known as Highway Driving Pilot (HDP).

Details of the electric powertrain aren’t known at this stage, but the driving range is said to remain at under 500 kilometres, likely matching the 482km claimed for the EV9 Concept.

What appears to be leaked internal information from the company’s Sohari plant earlier this month points to production beginning in April 2023, while other information suggests the model will launch in September.