The Kia EV9 is The Car Expert’s Best Premium Large Car 2025!
Summary
The Kia EV9 is a large upmarket seven-seat SUV, and Kia’s flagship all-electric model, which became available to order in the UK in Autumn 2023.
A similar size to the latest Range Rover, the EV9 is Kia’s largest model and can comfortably accommodate seven adult occupants – a fact that will appeal to many British buyers. That said, the EV9 is also Kia’s most expensive model ever.
Carbuyer‘s Andy Goodwin points out that other large premium SUVs at this price point have a higher quality interior fit and finish, and for those who are expecting the switch to electric power to lead to future savings, Richard Ingram of Auto Express warns that “poor efficiency means this EV9 won’t cost peanuts to run.”
However, other outlets argue that the SUV is truly impressive and justifies its price tag in other ways. The Driving Electric team praises the EV9’s “strong electric range” and “seemingly endless standard equipment list”, while Top Gear‘s Ollie Kew concludes that the SUV “feels tough enough for everyday family life, feature-stuffed enough to be future-proof, and packing enough range and performance to justify a price that would’ve seemed laughable for a Kia – or any Korean car – a decade ago.”
Our own editor at The Car Expert, Stuart Masson, said: “The Kia EV9 is an excellent car. If you’re looking at spending around £60-80K on a large SUV, and you’re comfortable with it being an EV, you’ll struggle to find a better choice than the Kia EV9.”
As of December 2024, the Kia EV9 holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 80%. It scores top marks for its strong media reviews, safety rating and zero tailpipe emissions, although running costs are only average.
EV9 highlights
- Long battery range
- Plenty of space and practicality
- Well-equipped as standard
- Very fast max charging speed
EV9 lowlights
- Interior quality doesn’t match similarly-priced rivals
- Expensive, base price and up
- Slightly firm ride comfort
- Fiddly touch-sensitive controls
Key specifications
Body style: Large SUV
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £64,995 on-road
Launched: Autumn 2019
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
The Car Expert
Model reviewed: EV9 Air
Score: 8.4 / 10
“We liked the Kia EV9 when we tried the top-spec model but for those who don’t need as much power or four-wheel-drive the new entry-level Air model makes a lot of sense – and it’s significantly cheaper…”
Author: Andrew Charman
Read review
Model reviewed: GT-Line S
Score: 8.4 / 10
“The Kia EV9 is an excellent car. If you’re looking at spending around £60-80K (or maybe more) on a large SUV, and you’re comfortable with it being an EV – which is obviously still a limiting factor for some customers – then you’ll struggle to find a better choice than the Kia EV9.”
Author: Stuart Masson
Read review
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The seven-seat layout features plenty of room in all three rows, while the fit and finish is befitting of the car’s price, which makes it the most expensive Kia ever sold in the UK. There are a few minor issues with the Kia EV9, but they’re not big enough to stop it being on your shortlist if you’re looking for a premium family SUV.”
Author: Alex Ingram, Max Adams
Read review
Auto Trader
Model reviewed: GT-Line S
Score: 9 / 10
“A credible seven-seater electric SUV, the Kia EV9 is quite literally a big deal as the brand pushes into premium territory.”
Author: Dan Trent
Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“As you’d expect from Kia, the EV9 does everything to make a stressed parent’s life easier with the sort of functionality and ease of use that doesn’t write headlines but does make surviving screaming children that little bit less stressful. But those wanting excitement will need to look elsewhere.”
Author: Keith Adams
Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“Kia has taken on premium manufacturers with the EV9 and produced an impressive seven-seat electric SUV that’s a superb family car.”
Author: Andy Goodwin, Charlie Harvey
Read review
Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Kia EV9 is an imposing seven-seat SUV with excellent practicality, but it’s not quite posh enough to justify its price tag.”
Author: Darren Cassey
Read review
Driving Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 10 / 10
“As posh as it is palatial, the Kia EV9 sets a new standard for large mainstream SUVs while offering a strong and accurate electric range to boot.”
Author: Tom Jervis
Read review
Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Single-motor Air
Score: 9 / 10
“We really like the Kia EV9. It’s so hugely practical and spacious, and by the standards of big electric SUVs it’s also great value. Well, to be more precise, it’s in a class of its own. The Air is our favourite of the lot given the cost savings, too; it’s definitely the one to go for provided you’re not worried about icy conditions or red-light races.”
Author: Vicky Parrott
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The new EV9 takes Kia into some uncharted territory with a very high price for the top versions. But it has the style, technology, quality and dynamics to take on the best prestige brands.”
Author: Ginny Buckley
Read review
Evo
Model reviewed: GT-Line S
Score: 7 / 10
“The all-electric Kia EV9 is an impressively refined SUV offering, with comfort and technology in abundance.”
Author: Sam Jenkins
Read review
Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: Single motor Air
Score: 10 / 10
“The Kia EV9 ‘Air’ is a rear-wheel drive variant of the electric seven-seat SUV, offering a driving range of up to 349 miles and a very comfortable and refined driving experience.”
Author: Paul Clarke
Read review
Model reviewed: GT-Line S
Score: 10 / 10
“The Kia EV9 is an all-electric six or seven-seater SUV that offers an extremely refined and premium driving experience, as well as having head-turning styling – Kia continues to be on a roll.”
Author: Paul Clarke
Read review
Heycar
Model reviewed: GT-Line S
Score: 9 / 10
“The Kia EV9 is the flagship electric car for the South Korean firm. It’s the most expensive Kia on the market, but you do get an awful lot for your money, plus it looks fantastic.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Kia EV9 is the flagship electric car for the South Korean firm. It’s the most expensive Kia on the market, but you do get an awful lot for your money, plus it looks fantastic.”
Author: John McCann
Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“With space, style and a heap of kit included as standard, the Kia EV9 is a fantastic all-rounder. The flexibility of seven seats will be a boost for busier families, but you’re going to have to pay for all the practicality.”
Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“It’s a great solution for large families. The EV9 does everything to make a stressed parent’s life easier by offering loads of space, acres of storage and enough clever extras to make Skoda blush, such as intelligently placed charging sockets in the front seat backs and hidden sun blinds in the rear door cards.”
Author: Keith Adams
Read review
Regit
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Kia EV9 is a very tempting buy that offers something different. It is phenomenally practical, has super-quick charging speeds and impressive range and is superbly well-equipped – even at entry level. And that last bit is why we’d likely stick to the base model – the Air trim – unless you need (or really want) the extra power or all-wheel drive.”
Author: Tim Barnes-Clay
Read review
The Sun
Model reviewed: Range overview
“I’m going to call it now. The Kia EV9 is going to win many awards from the glossy car mags in the coming months and is a hot contender for 2024 World Car of the Year.”
Author: Rob Gill
Read review
The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: GT-Line S
Score: 9 / 10
“The Kia EV9 is a car that I couldn’t even conceive of just over a decade ago and breaks new ground for the car market. One that adds to a tiny but important and growing niche of large, seven-seat SUVs. One that is fun to drive, full of tech and reassuringly safe. And one so polished that it will be keeping CEOs of more luxurious brands up at night.”
Author: Will Dron
Read review
The Telegraph
Model reviewed: Single-motor Air
Score: 8 / 10
“Usually with EVs, the simplest, least complicated version is the one to have. That isn’t the case here – the four-wheel-drive car feels the most special. And the Kia EV9 feels special enough that it just might work in the Home Counties. Lined up in a row of “normal” cars, it looks like it’s just landed from Planet Zog; inside, too, it feels cool and exciting, enough that it might just win over badge-conscious waverers. Look out, Land Rover. Kia is on your turf and is coming to steal your chips.
Author: Alex Robbins
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“This large, long-range electric seven-seater is hardly affordable, but it does undercut the limited alternative seven-seat electric SUVs.”
Author: Andrew English
Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“A £75k Kia? Yes, the world’s arrived here, but the EV9 does plenty to justify a once-fanciful price.”
Author: Ollie Kew
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: December 2023
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 84%
Child protection: 88%
Vulnerable road users: 76%
Safety assist: 83%
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of December 2024, the Kia EV9 has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of December 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Kia EV9 to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as we have sufficient data on the EV9, we’ll publish the score here.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Kia EV9
As of December 2024, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Kia EV9. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.
If you own a Kia EV9, you can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Kia dealer.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 322 miles | A | 313 – 349 miles | A – A |
| Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 3.2 m/KWh | E | 3.1 – 3.5 m/KWh | D – E |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 49 | E | 45 – 50 | D – F |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £345 | C |
| Year 2 | £668 | C |
| Year 3 | £1,065 | C |
| Year 4 | £1,328 | C |
| Year 5 | £1,623 | B |
| Overall | £5,029 | C |
The Kia EV9 is not a particularly cheap EV to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
Electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon in a petrol or diesel car) is poor, although that’s not surprising for a huge, seven-seat SUV. Similarly sized diesel SUVs also score very poorly on fuel consumption, so the EV9 will still be cheaper to run than one of those.
Insurance is likely to expensive, but servicing costs are not bad for a car of this price and sophistication – again, it’s more than competitive against similar vehicles from other brands.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Kia EV9 has received.
2024
- The Car Expert Awards – Best Premium Large Car
- UK Car of the Year
- Business Motoring Awards – Best Large SUV
- Carbuyer Awards – Best Large Electric Car
- Fleet News Awards – Breakthrough Electric Car
- iF Design Awards – Gold award
- Women’s World Car Awards – World’s Best Car + Best SUV
2023
- Driving Electric Awards – Car of the Year + Best Premium Electric Car
- Top Gear Awards – Best Family Car
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Kia EV9, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
BMW iX | Hyundai Ioniq 9 | Land Rover Defender | Land Rover Discovery | Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV | Range Rover plug-in hybrid | Tesla Model X | Volkswagen ID. Buzz | Volvo EX90
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Kia EV9 at The Car Expert
Buy a Kia EV9
If you’re looking to buy a new or used Kia EV9, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.
Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more
Find your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more
Find your next new or used car with Carwow. Find out more
Lease a Kia EV9
If you’re looking to lease a new Kia EV9, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.
Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Select Car Leasing. Find out more
Subscribe to a Kia EV9
Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)
Car subscriptions from Wagonex.
Find out more
Car subscriptions from DriveFuze.
Find out more
Car subscriptions from Cocoon.
Find out more
