It’s no longer true that basic equipment means a bare-bones apartment with skipping ropes, a stove and no air conditioning. Especially for electric cars, where the price is high due to the batteries, manufacturers install a number of equipment items that would be easily available at an additional cost for equivalent combustion models. After all, automakers have to somehow justify the higher price.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
Kia for two million? If you feel like someone in Korea has fallen… or not?
Well yes, but what if the price is really high, such as the Kia EV9 model, which costs almost two million crowns? Will this family SUV live up to its base price? We were looking into it.
When we first saw the Kia EV9 in photos, it was pretty scary, to be honest. A large, boxy SUV, also from a mainstream automaker, complete with a very ambitious price tag. But appearances can sometimes be deceiving, which is why only a real encounter with the car, i.e. stopping next to a large German SUV, made it clear how enormous the EV9 is.
The car is more than five meters long, almost two meters wide and less than eighty meters high. It’s a decent car with an operating weight of about 2.5 tons, so we won’t be far from the truth if we call it a small Korean fortress for batteries up to 3.5 tons.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
The dimensions of the basic model are 5,010 x 1,980 x 1,750 mm.
No less interesting is the design, which can be described as bold, even exotic, as the general public probably also thinks, because during our travels, including the Hradec Králové – Poprad route, we counted countless glances and turns from others. And the expression on the face of the majority spoke clearly: “What, KIA?!”
The front storage space offers 90 litres, so you can put charging cables, obligatory equipment inside and still have some space. The fifth door itself covers a fun trunk with a volume of 308 liters in a seven-seater configuration, so if you go somewhere at seven, don’t bring too much stuff. On the other hand, just fold down the third row and suddenly you have more than a solid trunk with a volume of around 800 litres.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
In the configuration with the third row folded, the trunk volume is less than 800 liters.
We have another insight into the lights, as you would expect from the matrix lamps in the base, but the standard will only offer the classic LEDs with automatic switching on of the high beams. Adaptive LED headlights are only available in higher trims and don’t even cost more for the base trims. Thumbs down for this one.
And we would almost forget about the bikes. Specifically, on standard 19-inch aluminum wheels of a completely non-traditional design with comfortable 255/60 R19 tires. They really fit the car and support its exotic look.
Finally airy
The cabin finally offers what car manufacturers have been promising for a long time: airiness. Even if you are two meters tall you can fit comfortably both in the front and in the middle, and adults (non-adults) can fit comfortably in the back too, especially thanks to the sliding middle row. The seats can also be folded and straightened conveniently.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
The third row can also accommodate adults, but they do not have to be full-fledged children.
There’s room above your head, there’s room next to you, there’s room for your feet, there’s room everywhere. This is one of the advantages of electric cars with a flat skateboard deck. Even if Kia introduced a sleep package, that would be something. Although you can adjust the relaxing position of the interior seat with a single push…
But let’s go back to the driving seat, where the main features are the combined instrumentation and multimedia screen plus an electrically adjustable four-spoke steering wheel. The gear selector is under the steering wheel, so it doesn’t take up space elsewhere.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
The gear selector is located under the steering wheel, so it doesn’t take up space elsewhere.
On the dashboard itself, made from sustainable materials (which is why it looks recycled), there are backlit function controls that you just press. Well, we understand the sustainability mission, but making a slightly more hi-tech panel here would perhaps suit the car better.
In any case, we appreciate that the manufacturer has maintained control of the climate through physical controls, and it is not necessary to enter the information system to increase or decrease the temperature. This also concerns the touch panel of the main ventilation, where the heating of the rear glass and mirrors is also activated. Here we observed that, for example, short people have partially shielded controls. However, since it is a touch screen, this system suited us fine, because we only turned on the heating there.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
There are physical buttons underneath the grouped panel, which we recommend.
A few words about the instrument panel, where more graphic displays were missing. In short, the car only offers three and you don’t even have the map in front of your eyes, which should be more than fine. The information system is a classic tablet, where each box has its own setting function, which is a trend among car manufacturers today.
However, the online navigation deserves praise, in particular for decently usable map materials, traffic information and also for important information on chargers, when the car calculates charging as part of navigation, then preheats the battery before the station in so that the “juice” flows through it faster.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
Thanks to online data, navigation is solidly usable even for long-distance travel.
As with the Ioniq 6, there is also the annoying (obligatory) speed assistant that activates after every startup. And again, you can’t turn it off with just one press, like with a Tesla, a Bavarian 5er or a Mercedes E-Class, but you have to long press the button on the steering wheel to access the touch menu and then gradually turn it off.
Also worth mentioning is the comfortable central armrest with covered cup holders, which can also accommodate a medium bottle. We also consider the side control panel for massage, heating and ventilation of the very comfortable seats to be an advantage. With them you are truly at ease on long journeys, expressed in a young language. And you probably don’t even realize that the leather used inside the car is actually artificial.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
You can also put a medium-sized pet in the cup.
And let’s not forget, the rear passengers also have their own climate control panel, which will not affect the rear view, as the rear-view mirror will be equipped with an on-demand camera. Inside there’s also a 250V 16A socket for basic appliances, cleverly placed USB-C ports and even a classic blind spot camera controller that projects the image from the side cameras onto the instrument panel. In short, we like this gadget, which the current Tesla Model 3 also has.
The magic of frugal travel
What we like about basic electric cars is that they usually have only one drive axle, usually the rear one, which serves both for weight distribution and for the steering itself. And the Kia EV9 is no exception, as its rear wheels spin an electric motor tuned to 204 hp and 350 Nm.
These are not great numbers for a 2.5 tonne car, and are also reflected in strong acceleration, where nothing slams into your seat, but the box leaps forward with relatively satisfying agility. So you don’t have to worry about overtaking or taking advantage of the electric drive, but keep in mind that the EV9 is not a Tesla Model X Plaid. Your body organs simply do not bend during acceleration, this basic South Korean SUV.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
The basic specification is for the right drive axle, i.e. the rear.
This also corresponds to the acceleration from zero to one hundred in 9.4 seconds, which is not exactly a successful number. Maximum? The maximum 185 km/h is enough, with which you will surpass every new Volvo limited to 180 km/h, and there is little point in driving a car fast, because otherwise the consumption makes no sense.
And that brings us to the basic engine magic that made us love it. In other words, if you belong to the calmest, most balanced and defensive drivers who are content with legal speeds, then this volt-loaded box with a comfortable chassis will reward you with decent fuel consumption for its class.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
Aluminum wheels look great, 255/60 R19 balloon tires will provide comfort.
In December, on 19-inch winter rims with an increased highway share and a defensive driving style, we kept the consumption at 23.9 kWh percent, which, by the way, is similar to the consumption for which the Tesla Model X of similar size also drives.
Since the Kia EV9 is equipped with a battery with a capacity of 99.8 kWh (it weighs 566.5 kg), it will offer a maximum winter range of around 400 km per charge, in summer it will hit the limit of 500 km per charge. And this makes this electric car a realistically usable car for regular traffic, including long-distance routes.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
AC charging is just 11 kW, you would need 22 kW, DC charging so a respectable 210 kW.
Fast charging with a maximum power of 210 kW also helps in this, although this will only happen in optimal conditions and with a suitable charger. However, the ultra-fast chargers available in our country are capable of pouring just over 200 kW into the car for a short period, while after the drop the charging power remains in higher figures. In short, when the battery is preheated, current flows through it at the same rate as gasoline in an old North American eight-cylinder gasoline engine.
Perhaps today only 11 kW three-phase AC charging could be upgraded to 22 kW, albeit as an option, which is already offered by some other EVs in a similar and lower price range. Also, after looking at the technical data, we were a little scared about the towing capacity item. After all, only 450 kg for an unbraked trailer and 900 kg for a braked trailer are not enough even for the basic model.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
The basic towing capacity is insufficient, only 450/900 kg.
Those who need to tow will still have to resort to an off-road vehicle, which has 750/2,500 kg, but by its nature it will not be as economical as a rear-wheel drive, perhaps except for traveling on mountain bends and hairpin bends.
Two price previews
The Kia EV9 is indeed a revelation that, at least in the Czech Republic, will not appeal to the masses, but rather to dozens of customers a year who want a large electric SUV. We recommend choosing basic rear-wheel drive to all those who are no longer in a hurry on the road and love comfort, silence, tranquility and long range. This is exactly what the Kia EV9 offers by default, but at a price of less than two million crowns, which has two aspects.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
The price is insane for a Kia, but justifiable for a giant electric family car.
From the point of view of a normal Kia customer, this is an insane and unacceptable price. However, from the point of view of competing cars, this is a good price, because the similarly sized Tesla Model X costs half a million more, and the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV even 1.3 million crowns more. Even the slightly smaller BMW iX costs less than 200,000 more, while the Audi Q8 e-tron costs around 300,000 more, however the cars mentioned are premium, Tesla simply its and Kia as such mainstream, i.e. aimed at the masses.
This therefore means that Kia will not have an easy time with the EV9, it will have to deal with the needs/demands of new/other customers who would normally be looking for an electric premium car, but suddenly have the opportunity to buy a giant car, SUV comfortable, with a solid ride, with an airy interior, quick charging and decent consumption. So there will be no reproduction car for the EV9 golf model, but for life as such? There it’s a different song, expensive of course, but justifiable thanks to everything the car has, can do and offers.
Photo: Jiří Cermák
So, in our opinion, the Kia EV9 justifies its base price of 1,949,980 CZK, however, if you need a four-wheeler with 384 horsepower, 700 Nm of power and higher consumption, be prepared for at least 2,099,980 CZK. You also get a 7-year factory warranty limited to 150,000 km on the car or other benefits under various promotions.
Technical data Kia EV9 RWD Earth Engine Synchronous electric motor Power 150 kW/204 kTorque 350 Nm Transmission permanent reduction Rear-wheel drive Unladen weight 2,426-2,492 kg Acceleration 0-100 km/h 9.4 s Maximum speed 185 km/h Range 563 km Battery capacity 99.8 kWh Charging AC 11 kW, DC 210 kWKo la e tyres255/ 60 R19 Dimensions (length/width/height)5 010/1 980/1 750 mm Wheelbase 3 100 mm Ground clearance 177 mm Volume luggage compartment 308-2 318 l Front trunk 90 l Towing capacity 450/900 kg
2024-01-16 04:00:00
#Entrylevel #Kia #EV9 #heavyweight #behemoth #turns #fuelefficient #family #car #live #price #tag
