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| - KIA EV9 - |
I was one of many who attended the KIA EV9 launch event in the summer of 2023 and with any new release, I was very excited to explore the vehicle and judge whether or not it was going to be a big hitter in the family SUV market.
They aren't the most exciting thing in the world but there is obviously an appeal to big, family cars. They are very much built for purpose: spacious, practical, comfortable and safe. After all, you can't fit your other half and three children in a Porsche 911. Anyway, the EV9 ticks all the necessary boxes which is why it makes for a good competitor in a growing market.
Starting inside the car, the EV9 comes equipped with all the latest technology including relaxation seats, fingerprint controlled driver settings and much more. This SUV comes equipped with seven seats in a 2-3-2 configuration so it's great for bigger families. Alternatively, there is a six seat version (2-2-2) where the middle row can actually rotate to face the back of the car. It definitely has it's quirky features but impressively, it remains easy to understand for their target audience. Unfortunately, the climate controls are built into the infotainment screen - minus points!
Now I don't want to be critical about the styling of the exterior because everyone has a different taste in what looks good or not. Typically, SUV's aren't beautiful cars - you get anomalies like the Urus or X5M but generally they aren't built for good looks. The EV9 respectfully follows accordingly but there is some credit due to how different it looks. It isn't often a completely new looking car enters the world but KIA have done an excellent job making it look unique.
It should come to no surprise that the the EV9 is an electric car, it does literally have EV in it's name. The battery size remains the same throughout the range at 99.8kWh but outputs either 200bhp or 378bhp depending on your specification. It will pull up to 210kW for ultra-fast charging which will only take 24 minutes (10%-80%)! Standard chargers will take around 9 hours on average. KIA claim that the EV9 has a range of 313 miles for mixed driving and 415 miles for city driving. It has been proven achievable under perfect conditions which would place it on the higher end of the EV range leader board. Just like all electric cars, expect the drive to be smooth and easy, complimented by a peaceful lack of noise.
KIA over the years have made some huge changes. The Korean manufacturer has had a whole re-brand from their logo to the design of their cars. The changes have been good but when things get better, they also get more expensive. The EV9 starts from £65,000 increasing to around £77,000 for a top spec model. For what it is; a seven-seater, electric, family SUV, the price is around where it should be for the current market.
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