Kia gives us a first look at the interior and exterior of its striking mid-size EV9 SUV, while saving key specs like battery size and powertrain for its official debut early next month. The market-ready version closely follows the original EV9 concept that we first saw in November 2021, albeit with toned-down blockiness. Still, similar to the EV6, it’s a dramatic and interesting design.
The upcoming model has triangular windows in the rear quarter panel, similar to the EV6, but otherwise seems to take inspiration from boxy SUVs like older Range Rovers. Kia said it was “sculpted from a polygonal design language” that uses “triangular fender structures and highly pronounced geometric wheel arches combined with the fuselage body”. Despite all the lines and edges, Kia says the EV9 is still very aerodynamic.
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It offers three rows of seats, making it one of the first electric vehicles in the popular mid-size SUV category. That means it will take on ICE vehicles like Kia’s own Telluride, the Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer and other models. The boxiness and angular rear mean it should offer good headroom.
One fun thing is that the middle row uses rotating captain’s chairs so they can turn to face the Orient Express-style rear seats. It’s sold in 6- and 7-passenger configurations, depending on whether the rear seats are buckets or a bench.
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On the front, Kia has ditched the concept’s massive wraparound display in favor of two 12.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system. Reduced the number of physical buttons and added touch-sensitive dash controls. The interior uses mesh and other materials to further enhance the sense of spaciousness.
Further details, including infotainment system features, will be kept under wraps until the vehicle’s official unveiling in early April. We know it’ll be built using the EV6’s E-GMP platform, but Kia has yet to say anything about the EV9’s performance, battery size, range and price. With the EV6 starting at around $45,000, the EV9 is probably well north of that – but as we’ve seen at Kia, it’s probably affordable for its category.
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