In the international EV scene, Kia has been making its mark with a wide range of electric models. One of its most impressive offerings to date is the full-size SUV, the Kia EV9. The EV9 is a large SUV that’s even bigger than the Sorento. When it was first unveiled internationally, the EV9 was among the first few seven-seater EVs to hit the market. In Malaysia, options for seven-seater electric SUVs are still quite limited. This puts the EV9 in a unique position—at least until some of the higher-end brands start targeting this segment. As one of the earliest fully electric seven-seater SUVs to enter the market, will it be able to carve out a slice of the pie for itself? Let’s find out.

In terms of design, the EV9 features a truly eye-catching exterior—one that even non-SUV enthusiasts would take a second glance at. Thanks to its size, the EV9 commands a strong road presence; it’s hard to miss from afar. For the media drive, I was loaned a blue unit, and to be fair, I think the color complements the EV9’s overall look. Kia has done an excellent job of blending intricate design elements into a simple yet functional aesthetic. There are plenty of subtle details thoughtfully integrated throughout the vehicle.

From the front, the headlights have been pushed to the outer edges of the vehicle and are made up of multiple LED projectors, giving it a futuristic look. In fact, the placement of the headlights reminds me of a grasshopper. Beside the headlights, Kia has integrated the daytime running lights into the front panel where the grille would normally sit if it weren’t an EV. When the lights are off, you can barely tell that there’s anything behind the panel—but once they’re on, the illumination becomes clearly visible. Kia has done a great job ensuring the daytime running lights seamlessly fade into the front panel. Below that panel, Kia has also equipped the bumper with active flaps to improve aerodynamics when needed while allowing air into the radiator to cool the systems when required.

Moving to the side, the EV9 features distinctive wing cameras that replace traditional side mirrors. Similar to the Q8, they take some time to get used to. However, one advantage is the placement of the wing camera screens. While it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing solution, the positioning feels more natural compared to the Q8 e-tron’s screens. The EV9 also comes with retractable door handles designed to help reduce drag on such a large vehicle. While I’m not a big fan of these retractable handles, they definitely feel much more solid than those found on some Chinese cars, giving the impression that they will last longer over the years.

At the rear, the EV9 features a simple yet sophisticated design that echoes the styling at the front. It comes with a large tailgate flanked by full LED taillights on both sides. I particularly like the taillight design, which makes this large SUV instantly recognizable at night. The intricate taillight graphics add a level of sophistication to the overall design. At all four corners, the EV9 is equipped with massive 21-inch rims wrapped in 285/45 R21 tires. These wide tires not only provide maximum grip for such a large vehicle but also help support its weight.

Sitting inside the EV9, you’ll instantly notice that everything in the interior feels chunky. Many of the buttons and switches are large, except for those on the doors. This design choice makes the interior feel like it could withstand a century of hard use. The EV9 also comes with a dual-tone color scheme, primarily featuring brown and black. Personally, the black works fine for me, but the brown isn’t a color I would choose. It makes some of the leather components look like low-rent hard plastics. To be fair, if Kia had opted for a classier color, it would have instantly elevated the premium feel of the cabin. Additionally, the interior feels solidly put together, with no random creaks or rattles when driving over uneven roads.

Coming to the dashboard, there’s a large screen that stretches from the driver’s side all the way to the center. It consists of a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a similarly sized infotainment screen. I like that even though Kia is following the trend of fitting huge screens, there are still plenty of physical buttons to help navigate the system—unlike some Chinese cars that dump everything into a single large screen and call it a day. I also appreciate that the dashboard has a symmetrical layout, which makes the interior look really tidy. To match the overall chunky design, the steering wheel also feels thick in hand. While that might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I think the size of the steering wheel works well for me.

As for the instrument cluster, you’ll get the familiar graphics found on most Hyundai or Kia models. You’ll quickly become accustomed to it once you get used to the layout. The instrument cluster is easy to navigate—you just need to be a bit more confident and press a few buttons on the steering wheel to figure things out. To be fair, I really like the graphics on the instrument cluster, as they utilize the screen real estate very well and are easy to read. The same goes for the infotainment screen. To make navigating it even better, Kia provides shortcut buttons below the screen to help you jump through menus with ease.

Within the infotainment screen, you get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. On top of that, 360-degree cameras are a must to help the driver park such a huge vehicle. To enhance the overall infotainment experience, the EV9 comes with a 14-speaker Meridian premium sound system. The system is great for immersing yourself in music when you really crank it up. However, if you’re really into speaker tuning, there are even better sound systems available in more premium vehicles. I also appreciate that the climate controls are separated from the infotainment screen, allowing you to view your climate settings without interrupting your navigation. The only downside is the location of the climate display, as it sits directly behind the steering wheel’s blind spot. This means you still need to tilt your head to see it—but that’s just a minor inconvenience.

Around the cabin, Kia has fitted plenty of USB-C ports to keep multiple devices charged at decent speeds. Moving to the front seats, the EV9 offers very comfortable seating to ensure both the driver and front passenger enjoy a relaxing ride. The driver gets plenty of adjustment options to find the ideal driving position. Additionally, I like that the front seats feature adjustable side bolsters for added support. If you drive past 130 km/h, the side bolsters on the driver’s seat automatically tighten to keep you securely in place. As for the wing cameras, I found them surprisingly easy to get used to. The best thing about them is the placement of the displays—they’re positioned very naturally. The screens are also quite large, which helps reduce blind spots.

Getting into the second row, the experience is about what you’d expect for an SUV of this size. The second-row seats offer plenty of adjustments, allowing you to easily find a comfortable position. Headroom is definitely not an issue, and even with sufficient legroom left for third-row passengers, those in the second row won’t feel cramped at all. On top of that, the second-row seats come with heated and ventilated functions for the two outermost seats. To keep the cabin well-ventilated, the roof-mounted AC vents do an excellent job. As for the third row, the seating position is still more of a squat, which is quite similar to most SUVs with three rows of seats. If you want to fill up all the seats in the EV9, you absolutely can—and everyone will still be reasonably comfortable.

As for the storage compartment, the EV9 offers a boot space of 333 liters, which is more suitable for soft bags if you’re carrying a full load of passengers. However, folding down the third-row seats increases the capacity to 828 liters, providing ample space for additional luggage when needed. For even more room, the second-row seats can also be folded flat, transforming the entire rear area into a cargo compartment with up to 2,318 liters of usable space. The best part? Folding down the second row can be done effortlessly using the buttons located inside the boot.

For the Malaysian market, the EV9 comes with only one powertrain option. It is powered by two electric motors, making it an all-wheel-drive vehicle. The EV9 features a sizable 99.8 kWh battery, which provides an estimated range of 505 km based on the WLTP rating. The EV9 produces a total of 380 hp and a massive 700 Nm of torque. This allows it to accelerate from 0–100 km/h in just 5.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 200 km/h.

With its two electric motors, this large SUV feels surprisingly sprightly off the line. There is an enormous amount of torque available from a standstill, which gives you that satisfying kick in the back. One feature I really like about the EV9 is its ability to coast, allowing it to drive in a very efficient manner and feel more like a conventional petrol-powered vehicle. The only aspect that takes some getting used to is the gear selector layout. In most vehicles, “D” is positioned at the bottom and “R” at the top, but Kia has reversed this arrangement, which can be a little confusing at first.

What really surprises me is the way the EV9 manages its energy output. When driving sensibly, I noticed the average consumption stays around 19 kWh/100 km. Doing some simple math, this means the EV9 can achieve approximately 525 km on a single charge. Considering this is a large SUV with two electric motors, that’s actually a very respectable figure.

Even though the EV9 is a big vehicle, the suspension is very well tuned. It soaks up bumps and road imperfections with ease, and the judder hardly reaches the cabin. This may suggest that the EV9 has a soft, comfort-oriented suspension, but don’t be fooled—the EV9 can still keep its body stable in corners. I love the fact that the SUV settles down quickly after the initial turn-in, giving the driver plenty of confidence to maintain throttle through the bends. I can’t deny that there is some body roll, but it never feels like the vehicle is about to topple over. The EV9 barely shows any signs of nervousness, even when you throw it into a corner, and it provides tons of grip. This grip comes not only from the large tires but also from the all-wheel-drive system, which enhances traction. To complement its handling capabilities, the EV9 features a rather direct steering feel suited for a large SUV. The steering is also nicely weighted, making it enjoyable to throw through corners.

To slow this large SUV down, the EV9 comes equipped with a strong set of brakes. Even under the punishment of spirited driving, the brakes show barely any signs of fade. They are also very well tuned, allowing me to feel the transition between regenerative and physical braking. This gives the driver plenty of control over when the regenerative brakes cut in. As expected of a modern vehicle, the EV9 is fully loaded with the latest driver assistance systems. Kia’s ADAS has always been among the best on the market—it’s not only easy to use but also highly effective. One of my favorite features is the blind spot camera, which displays your blind spot view on the instrument cluster.

The EV9 comes standard with High Beam Assist (HBA), Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA2), Lane Following Assist (LFA2), and Smart Cruise Control (SCC).

Looking at the price tag of RM369,668, this is not a small amount by any means. However, considering the size of the vehicle, it’s actually a lot of car for the money. While it may not be as comfortable as some of the electric MPVs from China when it comes to carrying passengers, the EV9 is still a much better-engineered vehicle overall. Most importantly, the EV9 looks special—it’s easy to spot from afar. After parking it, I even found myself looking back for a second glance—something I don’t usually do with SUVs—but the EV9 is just that good-looking. Its efficient use of energy is also a big plus for me, as the real-world range comes quite close to the estimated figure. Overall, the EV9 is a very complete package if you’re in the market for a full-size SUV that can carry up to seven people—especially if you appreciate a properly engineered vehicle.

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