A true standout on the road
One thing’s for sure: there’s nothing on the road (at least for now) that looks like the Kia EV9. It’s boxy, it has lots of angles and curves, funky wheels, a pixelated grille, and ostentatious optional colors. My tester was the GT-Line Long Range AWD model, in Wolf Gray with handsome glossy black 18-inch wheels and a classy black roof instead of color-matched. It’s youthful, energetic, and fun. In a way, it’s the car version of the mullet. Except the mantra is slightly different: it’s a party on the outside, and business on the inside. The EV9 is a fantastic blend of style, practicality, and fun.
Kristen Brown
But it can be a bit pricey, depending on which trim you’re looking at. The base model is the Light RWD, which starts at $54,900, and it goes all the way up to $71,900 for the GT-Line AWD. Mine was the Long Range edition, adding extra range, with the optional paint and wheels, and a few other add-ons, which brought the price to $76,650. Which, for reference, is $160 more than the starting price of the top-tier Hyundai IONIQ 9—the amazing sister EV that it shares a platform with. After driving one for a week, I asked myself: Is it worth all that money? Here’s why I say, disappointingly, “it depends.”
Features-wise, it has a lot to offer
When I looked at the Monroney for my EV9 tester, I wasn’t at all surprised to learn that the GT-Line Long Range AWD has a very, very long list of features that make sense for the price point, like the company’s newest version of forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection and avoidance, as well as evasive steering avoid obstacles if a collision is imminent. I especially appreciated that the highway driving assist (HDA) took a lot of the weight from commuting and sitting in a traffic jam off my shoulders, thanks to the adaptive cruise control that does all the stopping and going for me. If I need it to, the EV9 can make lane changes for me if I activate the turning signal while using HDA. It’s a hands-on, eyes-up system, but that’s all I need. I just don’t want to do the draining part of stopping and going.
Like many other cars at its price point, it comes with some nifty parking assists and cameras, automatic emergency braking in the front and rear, front and rear cross traffic alert, blind spot detection and intervention, as well as the company’s Safe Exit feature. As far as creature comforts are concerned, it has adjustable and customizable ambient lighting on the inside, and my tester came with the optional Relaxation Seats. That means the second row captain’s chairs are both heated and ventilated, and they both have electronically powered ottomans that can come out from under the seat. When you recline the seat and open up the fixed panoramic sunroof, it’s a great way to truly kick back on longer trips—but if you have third row passengers back there, they’ll be cross with you, as it would eat up their personal space.
Kristen Brown
At the top of the line, it also has a Meridian sound system that I quite enjoyed, especially with the lightning-fast wireless Android Auto that was displayed on not one—not two—but three bright, info-laden screens. Two of which are touchscreens. The middle screen is a touchscreen dedicated to climate control functions, though I was quite miffed with how the steering wheel blocked nearly all of them, so I had to lean to the right to see what I was pushing. But you can bypass this by pressing the top right icon that looks like a crosshair, and that will bring up the complete menu on the main 12.3-inch touch screen. But that meant deviating my attention from the road to the screen to make adjustments. Otherwise, I loved Kia’s native software because of all the customization options and how intuitive it was.
The cargo space was usable and plentiful
When the third row is folded, which is likely most of the time unless you have more than two kids, you have 43.5 cubic feet of space to use. With the third row in use, it shrinks down to 20.2 cubic feet. Which doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s more space than a Subaru Crosstrek and about the same amount of space as a Mazda CX-30, so from the perspective, it’s not too shabby. Especially considering a lot of those items can be put into the footwells if your kiddos are in car seats, with over 40 inches of legroom for the second row (except when you move it all the way forward, of course, which is easy to do thanks to electronic switches on the side of the chair).
Kristen Brown
The front passenger has over 40 inches of legroom to use; there’s 30.8 inches with a second-row bench (my personal recommendation), 32.0 inches with second-row captain’s chairs, and around 29.9 inches with the lounge-style second-row seats. I sat in the back and had the second row chair moved all the way forward, and I fit just fine at 5’8”. I don’t think I’d be as enthusiastic if the drive were longer than, say, an hour, but there were plenty of accommodations back there, including two cupholders on each side, a dedicated USB-C charging port, and a large window that worked well with the large sunroof to ease and prevent car sickness.
Then there are the performance and capability factors
The GT-Line, which is Kia’s performance line, boasts a decent amount of horsepower for an EV SUV of its size at 379 horsepower. With all-wheel drive, the all-electric people mover can get to sixty from a dead stop in just 4.5 seconds. When you’re not hauling the kids, you can enjoy all of them in Sport mode. When you drive by a reflective surface, you’ll be amazed by how quickly the giant, 7,000-pound square is on its feet (or, tires), and it brings the whole package together. With 516 lb-ft of torque, it means a respectable towing rating, too, at 5,000 pounds. Which is great if you have a camper, boat, or trailer, but it does mean you’d have to plot your route carefully. The Long Range model has a maximum range of about 305 miles, and that will absolutely drop if you’re towing something. Just something to keep in mind.
Kristen Brown
The EV9 doesn’t just have all-wheel drive, either. It has independent suspension in the front and rear to help keep it nimble when conditions are less than ideal. Aside from sport, it also comes with hill descent control and terrain modes for Snow, Mud, and Sand, showing that the company configured the EV9 to be able to go just about anywhere. And with a maximum ground clearance of 7.8 inches, it’s not made to handle the truly rough stuff, but it will get you out of some hairy situations. All of this is to say: the Kia EV9 is versatile across a variety of driving conditions and surface materials, regardless of whether or not it’s wet or dry.
All this is great, but there are a few “but” factors to consider
The Kia EV9 was, in essence, a great experience. It looked great, drove great, and had a lot on its list of things that could make you say ooh and ahh at the dealership. But, at this price point, I realized there were a few things it lacked that would have me wondering if there were other options. The maximum range of 304 miles isn’t the greatest in the segment. In fact, it’s the lowest of its competitors. The Rivian R1S with the Standard+ battery pack upgrades the range from 270 miles to 315 miles, for $78,000 (the battery pack adds $3,100). The Hyundai IONIQ 9, at the top of the line, offers a maximum range of 311 miles, and 335 if you get rear-wheel drive. The Lucid Gravity is the only other EV SUV, but it’s way above the EV9’s pay grade, so it’s not a fair comparison.
Kristen Brown
The third row seats couldn’t be adjusted with an electronic switch when I was sitting in them. Instead, I had to reach behind the seat and pull the folding strap to make adjustments to the seat backs, which I would be incredibly irritated by if I’d just dropped $76,000 on a car. According to my research, the Euro-spec models have electronic switches to adjust the third-row seats, but not in the US. Quite strange. I was also a bit perturbed by the fact that I couldn’t see the functions on the climate control screen most of the time, and the one-pedal driving function didn’t feel as effective as other EVs I’ve tested. Charging was quick thanks to a factory NACS port and an 800-volt architecture. I was just a bit put off by the maximum range, even with the $2,000 Long Range package. Am I being nitpicky? Yes, of course I am. But these are things that matter a lot more when you’re spending a pretty penny.
Final thoughts
The 2026 Kia EV9 GT-Line Long Range AWD certainly is a pretty package wrapped in a dazzling bow. It’s quick, it comes from the factory with impressive all-wheel drive capabilities, it’s very family-friendly, I loved the tech-forward interior, and there’s more space than most people would know what to do with. Plus, it’s fun to look at. Do I think it’s worth the cost? It depends on what you truly value from a cost that costs that much. I liked it, but I’m not sure I’d be super enthusiastic about spending $76,650 on one. Personally, I preferred the Hyundai IONIQ 9, but that’s an article for another time.
About the author
Kristen Brown
Contributing Writer, Autoblog