2024 Kia EV9 walk-around review: Electric SUV due in October

The all-electric 2024 Kia EV9 ‘upper large’ SUV will arrive in Australian showrooms in October, with the local ride and handling tune now finalised.

Kia Australia has confirmed the seven-seat EV9 – its largest vehicle yet, in the absence of the Telluride and Mohave – will debut its next-generation infotainment system and semi-autonomous highway driving tech.

A local ride and handling tune was completed for the EV9. Led by chief engineer Graeme Gambold, the program tweaked spring and damper settings to suit local conditions better, as with the smaller EV6 and other internal-combustion Kia vehicles.

After more than three years of development in South Korea, Australian testing commenced earlier this year, with local engineers supported by colleagues from the global research centre in Namyang.

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Gambold said it was the first time local engineers had worked with “the combination of the E-GMP platform and self-levelling shock absorbers in the rear”.

“The equipment all works in harmony for the EV9, keeping the vehicle level despite loads. This is important for this big and boxy 7-seater, ensuring front-end grip is maintained whether the EV9 has one driver, or a whole family plus cargo in the back.

“We are confident Australians will appreciate how the EV9 drives and how well it will cater to their lifestyle”, he said.

The Kia EV9 will face limited competition in Australia at launch.

The smaller Mercedes-Benz EQB, and dearer EQS SUV, are the only three-row electric SUVs with no seven-seat Tesla Model Y and no right-hand-drive production for the latest Model X.

However, the EV9 will face off with its twin under-the-skin, the Hyundai Ioniq 7, which is due in Australia later in 2024. The Volvo EX90 is also due next year.

“[EV9’s] a big, full electric on a dedicated EV platform, provides seven seats, equipped with some really impressive technology and it’s locally tuned; there really isn’t an apples-to-apples competitor in the local new car market,” said Kia Australia chief executive officer, Damien Meredith.

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Kia Australia plans to supply 100 units per month, with around 200 vehicles to arrive initially.

While full local details – including pricing – have yet to be confirmed, expect the EV9 to be priced from around $90,000 for the entry-level model to more than $110,000 for the GT-Line AWD, with a more-powerful GT due in 2025.

As reported, the EV9 will feature two battery options in Australia at launch: a 76.1kWh standard-range variant and a flagship 99.8kWh long-range variant.

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Locally, Kia’s semi-autonomous ‘Highway Driving Assist 2’ system will debut in the EV9, combining adaptive cruise control with lane centring to assist steering on freeways.

It adds a hand detection sensor to the steering wheel to ensure drivers remain focused on the road ahead, while lane change assist will automatically steer the vehicle into the indicated lane when the turn signal is applied.

After debuting in the latest Hyundai Kona, the Kia EV9 will be Hyundai-Kia’s next vehicle – and the first Kia – to feature the group’s new Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) infotainment system.

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The ccNC system adds a more responsive interface, over-the-air software updates, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with satellite navigation for the first time.

Kia Connect will be standard-fit, with a new online store to debut in Australia for the EV9.

The 2024 Kia EV9 electric SUV will arrive in Australia in October, with local pricing and features to be announced closer to its launch.

Below: Watch Nathan Ponchard's first-drive review in South Korea.