2024 KIA EV9

ELECTRIC MODELS SPURRING SALES 
FOR SOUTH KOREAN AUTOMAKER KIA

Kia has set a goal of filling its electric vehicle portfolio with 11 new models by 2026, and early indications are the move toward Benjamin Franklin’s discovery of “electrical fire” is paying off.

The South Korean automaker credited its new electrified vehicles as spurring record-setting sales for the company in August. EVs, or more precise BEVs, showed an increase of 27 percent over the same period as last year.

Throw in a jump of 43 percent for its plug-in (PHEV) models and the result is a gain of 9 percent in overall sales for Kia’s SUVs, which  accounted for 75 percent of the 75,217 Kias sold in the month. Electrified models alone accounted for 18 percent of Kia’s total sales.

The addition of the 2024 Kia EV9 to the company’s fleet has enhanced those sales numbers. The three-row all-electric SUV wasn’t available until late fall of 2023 but has topped 1,000 units in sales every month since last November.

Sales of the Kia EV9 topped the 2,000 mark for the first time last May and then in August it set its all-time high (so far) with 2,388 EV9s sold.

My first exposure to the EV9 came last February, and I recently had a second stint in the 2024 Kia EV9. My initial experience was in the 2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line, which sits at the top of the lineup.

My most recent ride was in the Land version of the 2024 Kia EV9, which is slightly less expensive than the GT-Line while still providing a long list of standard features.

The Land sits between the GT-Line and the Wind model in the lineup. The Light and Light Long Range trims serve as the entry level versions and are rear-wheel drive.

The Light offers the stingiest range of 230 miles unless you opt for the Long Range version, which Kia says is good for 304 miles. Horsepower in the 2024 Kia EV9 Light is only 215 ponies but drops to 201 in the Light Long Range.

The top three Kia EV9 models feature dual electric motors rated at 379 horsepower and up torque to 443 pound-feet (Wind and Land) and 516 lb.-ft. (GT-Line). All-wheel drive is standard among each of the upper three trims and are capable of zero-to-60 mph times of 5.7 (Wind and Land) and 5.0 seconds (GT-Line).

When it comes to standard features, the 2024 Kia EV9 Wind and Land models are very similar with the main differences being the Wind gets bench seats for the second row while the Land gets Captain’s chairs that reduce seating from seven to six riders.

Other significant features found on the 2024 Kia EV9 Land trim and not the Wind include 20-inch wheels (optional on the Wind), auto dimming outside mirrors, power tilt-and-telescoping steering column, drawer-type second-row center console, rear-window curtains, ambient (mood) interior lighting, 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat with 4-way lumbar and 2-way power leg support, heated and ventilated second-row seats, premium 14-speaker sound system, a surround-view monitor that provides a spectacular image of your vehicle and its surroundings, and 2-position memory function for driver’s seat, steering wheel, and exterior mirrors. (For a closer look at the 2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line check my February review.)

You can get into the Kia EV9 family for under $60,,000 (EV9 Light ($56,395) and EV9 Light Long $56,395) but the price jump for the upper trims is significant. Starting MSRP for the 2024 Kia EV9 Wind is $65,495 and for the GT-Line it’s $75,395. (All prices include destination and delivery charges) 

My test 2024 Kia EV9 Land started at $71,395 but extras like a towing package ($1,500) and the silver matte exterior paint ($905) ran the final total to $74,230 including freight charges.

What I liked about the 2024 Kia EV9 AWD: The spacious cabin seats six comfortably and the third row doesn’t infringe that much on cargo space (20. cubic feet). My backseat riders raved about the second-row legroom. Charging times are relatively quick, and the 280-mile range for  is a plus. Tech features are plentiful and generally user-friendly except for the lack of knobs to tune the radio and a slow response to some touches.

What I didn’t like about the 2024 Kia EV9 AWD: The placement of the gear shift lever (which includes the starter button) is just weird. If the steering wheel is cranked in a certain direction, fat as it is the lever is actually hidden.The Land trim is slightly less than the top-of-the-line GT Line I reviewed in late February but still is one of the more expensive electric SUVs on the market.

Would buy the 2024 Kia EV9 AWD? No. I’m still waiting for the charging infrastructure to catch up to electric vehicles. Most of the just over an hour wait I had at the charging outlets was spent waiting for one to come free with three vehicles ahead of me and one outlet not working.