Kia EV9

Kia’s electric vehicle (EV) line-up in Malaysia expands with an all-new offering, presenting the first-generation Kia EV9.

Multiple accolades, it holds the title for the 2024 World Car of the Year and the 2024 World Electric Vehicle awards.

Kia’s first three-row flagship e-SUV, it is the second model built on the brand’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and the first with its fourth-gen battery technology.

Fully-imported (CBU - South Korea), Dinamikjaya Motors (local distributor - Bermaz Auto subsidiary) offers it in two variants (GT-Line 7-seater, GT-Line 6-seater). 

Priced (OTR, w/o insurance) at MYR 369,668 and MYR 374,668, with a five-year/150,000 KM vehicle warranty and an eight-year/160,000 KM battery warranty.

Five exterior colours (Ocean Blue, Snow White Pearl, Pebble Grey, Aurora Black Pearl, Iceberg Green).

The all-new EV9 has a multi-tiered dashboard, decked in dual-tone (Black-Brown) soft- and hard-touch panels.

Commanding the layout is the twin screen setup (instrument cluster, infotainment), and accentuating it is an ambient lighting system.

Overall, the layout is well designed. All the buttons and other accessibilities are purposefully arranged, driver-centric and user-friendly.

One part of a twin setup, installed is a 12.3-Inch supervision display with a Heads-Up Display (HUD) digital instrument cluster.

Comfortable, the cabin is in variant-specific seating configurations. 7-seater (GT-Line 7-seater - three-rows - 2-3-2) and 6-seater (GT-Line 6-seater - three-rows - 2-2-2).

Premium-looking, the interior is upholstered in leatherette and finished in a dual-tone colour scheme (Brown-Black).

The first-row sees (GT-Line 7-seater, GT-Line 6-seater) ‘Premium Relaxion’ electronic-powered seats (driver-multi-way/lumbar/memory/massage/heat/ventilation - passenger-multi-way/lumbar/heat/ventilation).

The second-row gets a three-seater bench (GT-Line 7-seater - 60:40 split-fold, one-touch slide) and two ‘Premium Relaxion’ (captain chairs) electronic-powered seats (GT-Line 6-seater - multi-way/lumbar/memory/massage/heat/ventilation/leg rest).

The third-row (GT-Line 7-seater, GT-Line 6-seater) comes with a two-seater bench (electronic-powered - 50:50 split-fold-tilt).

Heightening the ambience is a dual-power (sliding, tilt) glass sunroof, and rear sunshades (second-, third-row).

Plenty of head, shoulder and leg rooms, providing ample mobility for all occupants (first row, second row, third row).

The space is generous due to the overall design of the body (long wheelbase, low beltline, flat EV architecture), and mainly the seating arrangements.

Mounted is a three-spoke steering wheel, wrapped in Black leatherette.

Features are multi-switches (Bluetooth, Audio, Voice Recognition, Cruise Control), column adjustments (tilt, telescopic), and paddle shifters. 

Drive is aided by a Motor Driven Power Steering (R-MDPS)/ Electric Power Steering (EPS) with FlexSteer adjustment (Comfort, Normal, Sport).

Numerous storage areas. E.g., side door/seat back pockets, compartmentalised/caverned centre console bins, and a glove box.

Provided are six cup holders (first-, second-, third-row), and four bottle holders (side doors - first-, second-row).

Multiple power outlets available. E.g., six USB ports (two - first-row, two - second-row, two - third-row), two 12 V sockets (first-row), and a wireless charger (first-row).

Accessing its Smart Power Tailgate (contactless - remote/key fob), opens up to 572-Litres (seats up), 1,232-Litres (third-row folded) and 2,313-Litres (second-, third-row folded) of load capacities.

Also incorporated is a front trunk (frunk), providing a load space of 52-Litres.

Weighing in at 2,648 KG (GT-Line 7-seater) and 2,674 KG (GT-Line 6-seater), the all-new EV9 stands at 5,015 MM long, 1,980 MM wide, 1,780 MM tall, and with a wheelbase spanning 3,100 MM.

Bold and elegant, the exterior exudes Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design language with a boxy-style body and sharp-clean-cut lines.

The front-end sees a smooth bonnet (Kia scripted), high-rising ‘Crystal-like’ fenders, and Kia’s ‘Digital Tiger Face’ with a ‘Digital Pattern Lighting Grille’.

Filling-in the layout is a bumper guard (Silver), trim linings (Black) and lower body claddings (Black - front, fenders, sides).

Boxy and wide, the rear-end boasts Kia’s ‘Bold For Nature’ design language with clean and horizontally-chiselled contours.

Features are a shark fin antenna, a D-pillar merging roof-edge spoiler, high-rising ‘Crystal-like’ fenders, and a smooth tailgate (Kia scripted).

Filling-in the layout is a bumper guard (Silver), trim linings (Black) and lower body claddings (Black - rear, fenders, sides).

Unique and futuristic, the ‘Digital Tiger Face’ sees vertical headlamps featuring small cube clusters.

Fitted are LED units with Kia’s ‘Star Map’ LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), automatic On/Off/levelling, High Beam Assist (HBA), and sequential turn signals.

Vertically housed, the tail lamps are in an angularly slim design featuring geometric shapes. Fitted are LED units, paired to a set of LED fog lamps.

Black-capped, installed are digital side mirrors (camera) with live feeds via A-pillar-mounted screens (interior). 

Also included is a digital interior rear-view mirror (live camera feed).

Incorporated is a set of ventilated (front, rear) disc brakes. Drive is aided by an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold system.

Sportily-designed, it rides on a set of 21-Inch four-twin-spoke alloy rims, rubbered-up in 285/45 R21 (front, rear) Continental PremiumContact C tyres.

The all-new EV9 gets the following suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

Grouped are 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), Lane Following Assist (LFA2), Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA2), Junction Turning (JT), Junction Crossing (JX), Lane-Change Oncoming (LCO), Direct Oncoming (DO), Lane-Change Side (LCS), Driver Steering Assist (DSA), Auto Evasive Steering Assist (ESA), Lane Following Assist (LFA2), Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with Stop/Go, and Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA 2). 

Standard systems include Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Multi-Collision Braking, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), and Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC).

Passive safety includes 10 airbags (driver-knee, driver-passenger, sides, curtain, centre sides), seatbelt (anchors, reminders, pre-tensioners), ISOFIX (anchors, top tethers), Rear Occupant Alert (ROA), Safe Exit Assist (SEA), digital rear-view mirrors (exterior, interior), parking sensors (six - front, rear), Surround View Monitor (SVM) (camera - reverse, 360-degree), auto-door-lock, Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and security alarm (anti-theft system, engine immobiliser).

Four drive mode options via the ‘Drive Mode Selector’ switch (Normal, Eco, Sport, My Drive).

Installed is a 12.3-Inch capacitive touchscreen. The system supports voice recognition, USB, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Entertainment is channelled via a 14-speaker Meridian sound system.

The all-new EV9 surges with a dual-electric-motor setup (Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor - PMSM).

Front and rear mounted, the e-motors generate a combined output of 283 KW (380 HP) and 700 NM of torque.

Fitted is a single-speed automatic transmission (e-Shift), with paddle shifters.

Power is sent to the front and rear axle, via an All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system.

0 to 100 KM/H acceleration is 5.3 seconds, and top speed is 200 KM/H.

Juicing-up the e-motors is a Lithium-Ion battery (99.8 KWH), providing a 505 KM of pure electric driving range (WLTP).

AC charging (11 KW - Type 2) takes 10.5 hours for a 0% to 100% State of Charge (SoC). DC charging (350 KW - CCS2) takes 24 minutes for a 10% to 80% SoC.

Also included is a 3.6 KWH Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) function, for powering of external electronic devices.

The all-new EV9 features these conveniences.

Grouped are Smart Keyless Entry (keyless entry, engine Start/Stop button), Smart Power Tailgate (contactless - remote/key fob), speed-sensing-auto-door-lock, automatic headlamps (On/Off/high-beam), automatic wipers (rain sensing, variable intermittent), dual-power (sliding, tilt) glass sunroof, rear sunshades (second-, third-row), windshields (front, rear - acoustic, laminated, solar), door windows (laminated, privacy, solar), steering wheel (multi-switches, column adjustments, paddle shifters, EPS), interior seating (first-/second-row ‘Premium Relaxion’ captain chairs - electronic-adjustments, multi-configurations, climate control), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Break Hold, digital rear-view mirrors (camera feed - exterior/interior), parking sensors (six - front, rear), Surround View Monitor (SVM) (camera - reverse, 360-degree), dual-zone (first-row) and single-zone (second-row, third-row air-vent) automatic air-conditioning system, interior lighting (LED - map, cabin, ambient, boot), Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, 3.6 KWH Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) function, Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA 2), Safe Exit Assist (SEA), and wireless charger.

Installed is a dual-zone (first-row) and single-zone (second-row) with third-row air-vent automatic air-conditioning system.

The system comes with a 5.0-Inch touch control panel, merged seamlessly into the dashboard.

Courtesy of Kia’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), it sees a robust chassis build, offering stable handling, comfort driving, and safety assurance.

Overall, the ride quality is firm and the interior cabin is uber comfortable, making it a suitable and luxurious daily driver.

Good sound insulation, covering all the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) aspects. The cabin experience is very refined and peaceful.

Notably, this is courtesy of the acoustic windshields (front, rear), and overall sound dampening materials.

The all-new Kia EV9 is a luxury e-SUV. First, it offers a great amount of space in the cabin thanks to its sportily stocky build.

Second, its shell envelopes a premium interior, which range from a myriad of advanced connectivity, safety systems and creature comfort features.

Overall, its build quality is satisfactory inside and out, and the 2024 all-new EV9 is surely an e-SUV for Malaysians to consider.