Kia EV9 Debuts in Singapore, Carnival Facelift Previewed

Kia EV9 GT-Line makes its Singaporean debut at the 2024 Singapore Motorshow last week

The 2024 Singapore Motorshow (SGMS) saw several new models make their landfall in the neighbouring island republic. Besides the new BMW X2, the island republic is also welcoming the enigmatic Kia EV9 EV SUV into its local market this month.

Offered in a sole GT-Line trim, the SG-bound EV9 comes with a slew of GT-specific parts for its exterior. Key highlights include the special GT-Line body kit, 19-inch aero wheels, LED headlights, an illuminated front grille with pixelated light segments, digital side mirror cameras, and many more.

Photo credit: Top Gear Singapore

Measuring 5,015 mm long, 1,980 mm wide, 1,780 mm tall, with a wheelbase that spans 3,100 mm, the EV9 is a big EV SUV featuring three rows of seats inside. For the SG market, this EV SUV comes strictly in a six-seater form with a 2-2-2 layout. Customers can opt for the captain-style chairs for the second row seat that can be rotated 180 degrees.

Photo credit: Top Gear Singapore

Aside from that, other tech amenities like a 12.3-inch central infotainment display, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with dedicated head-up display (HUD), a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system, a ventilated function for the front two seating rows, and a panoramic sunroof are all present here.

In terms of battery, the EV9 GT-Line gets a sizable 99.8-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack that powers its dual-motor AWD setup rated at 380 HP and 700 NM for up to 512 KM, following the WLTP standard. Said battery supports both AC and DC charging at 11 kW and 350 kW, respectively, with the latter capable of juicing the pack from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes.

Said dual-motor setup allows this big, three-row EV SUV to propel from nought to 100 KM/H in six seconds, while its V-max is electronically capped at 200 KM/H.

Now available on sale in the Singaporean market, the all-new Kia EV9 GT-Line is tagged at SGD 289,999 (RM1 million approx.), excluding the fees for the A1-class Certificate of Entitlement (COE). With the EV9 already making its landfall in both Indonesian and Singaporean markets, it is safe to assume that the arrival of Kia’s flagship EV SUV into our local market is very imminent.

Besides debuting the Kia EV9, Kia Singapore has also previewed the facelifted Carnival at the SGMS 2024.

Besides the EV9, Kia Singapore has also used its SGMS stage to preview the facelifted Carnival MPV. Debuted globally in South Korea Oct last year, this updated MPV model not only features a mild design update but also hides a new hybrid powertrain setup under its hood.

Replacing the old 2.2-litre 4-cyl turbodiesel mill used on the pre-facelift model, this new hybrid powertrain setup consists of a 1.6-litre 4-cyl petrol mill that is mated to a single hybrid electric motor system. Derived from the Sorento SUV, this new hybrid setup grants the facelifted Carnival a total system output of 242 HP and 367 NM.

Apart from adapting the Sorento’s powertrain setup, the facelifted Carnival also gets similar design updates as the facelifted Sorento model, featuring an EV9-esque front face design with sharp, Y-shaped LED lights and a massive front grille. This EV9 theme continues at the back of the facelifted Carnival, as the MPV now rocks a pair of Y-shaped LED taillights.

Featuring a three-row, eight-seater option with a 2-2-3 layout, the facelifted Kia Carnival is bound to be launched into the Singaporean market later this year. Similar to the EV9, Malaysians can also expect this updated Korean MPV to make its way into our local market any time now, or at least by the end of this year.