Right then, let’s have a chinwag about the Kia EV9 – a mid-size crossover SUV from Korea that’s less “car” and more “rolling spaceship with cupholders”. Launched in 2023, this is the first generation of the EV9, and it comes across as if someone asked, “What if luxury, tech, and eco-sensibility walked into a pub together?” And Kia, being the overachiever it is lately, simply said, “Hold my kimchi.”
Now before you scoff – “Kia? Luxury?” – let me stop you right there, mate. This isn’t your uncle’s bargain-bin hatchback with fake wood and cloth seats. This is a ₹1.29 crore electric behemoth with design pedigree from Karim Habib himself. The chap’s resume includes BMW 7 Series, Infiniti Q Inspiration, and now, apparently, this beast that looks like Darth Vader got into urban planning.
Looks That Could Silence a Range Rover Fan
The EV9 looks like someone fed a Tonka truck a diet of Pilates and philosophy. Its ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy makes it simultaneously muscular and minimalist. It’s got the new-age Digital Tiger Face – which, frankly, sounds like a K-pop album – with Intelligent Ice Cube LED headlamps, Digital Pattern Lighting Grille, and enough DRLs to signal aliens from Alpha Centauri.
The Aurora Black Pearl paint looks slicker than a politician on voting day. And if you’re into sheer presence – we’re talking 5 metres long, 2 metres wide, 20-inch alloys with award-winning Kumho tyres – the EV9 doesn’t just turn heads, it twists necks.
Interior: More Buttons Than a Tailor’s Workshop
Step inside and it’s like entering the posh waiting lounge of a Scandinavian spa – assuming that spa had Meridian 14-speaker sound, triple panoramic screens, and massage seats that remember your bum’s favourite angle.
You’ve got 8-way power-adjustable captain seats in the second row (with leg support, heating, cooling, and a bigger ego than most CEOs). The driver gets 18-way adjustment because clearly, Kia knows we all sit differently depending on whether we’re late to work or running from our ex.
The dashboard? A 12-inch touchscreen, another 5-inch for the AC, HUD, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, cooled wireless charger, and hidden haptic buttons. There’s even a digital rear-view mirror and a rotating volume knob that probably doubles as a portal to the Matrix.
And yes, there’s a 52 litre frunk – because nothing says “we’re in the future” like stuffing groceries in the bonnet.
Drive & Performance: A Shockingly Quick Sofa
Underneath the sharply pressed suit is a dual-motor AWD setup on the Hyundai E-GMP platform – the same one that gave us the EV6 and Ioniq 5. The EV9 throws out 379 bhp and 700 Nm of torque, which is a lot, especially when it’s shifting nearly 2.6 tonnes of Korean innovation.
0 to 100 in 5.3 seconds? That’s faster than your local gossip reaching the neighbourhood WhatsApp group. And the top speed is 200 kmph, though you’ll probably be too busy enjoying the ventilated leg support to even bother going that fast.
Range? A glorious 561 km, courtesy of a 99.8 kWh battery. And thanks to 800V architecture, it can charge from 10-80% in 24 minutes on a 350 kW DC charger – which, let’s face it, is faster than your barista can spell “cappuccino”.
Tech & Safety: ADAS, Apps, and Enough Acronyms to Write a Book
You get Level-2 ADAS, which is car speak for “don’t take your hands off the wheel, but if you do, we’ll try not to kill you.” Features include Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring, Collision Avoidance (because texting and driving still exists), 10 airbags, 360-degree camera, parking sensors all around, and even Safe Exit Assist – in case you forget you’re not in GTA.
The Kia Connect App offers 100+ features remotely, including cooling your seats, locating your car, and possibly ordering noodles (okay, maybe not yet).
And yes, it’s a World Car of the Year 2024 winner. Also bagged “SUV of the Year”, “Electric Family Car of the Year”, “Red Dot Product Design”… Honestly, it’s winning more awards than a BBC period drama.
Final Verdict:
The Kia EV9 is what happens when Korea builds a luxury liner, puts it on wheels, and decides you deserve a massage while saving the planet. It’s absurdly comfortable, ridiculously well-kitted, and yes, maybe a bit over the top. But that’s the fun.
It doesn’t just challenge the likes of Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV or Volvo XC90 – it laughs politely, offers them a kimchi pancake, and then zooms off in silence.
Buy it if:
– You want an electric SUV that feels like a Tesla took finishing school in London.
– You like seats that massage your glutes while your kids stream Netflix in surround sound.
– You fancy driving the future… without giving up the luggage space.
Avoid it if:
– You think cars should still have manual windows.
– ₹1.29 crore makes you nervous.
– You still haven’t forgiven Kia for the first-gen Rio.
Score: 9.5/10
Electric luxury done right. And Indian weather-proofed too – unless the President herself comes back and demands her S-Class.
