Want a 3-Row EV? Kia May Have Just the Thing
Based on the successful Telluride, Kia’s EV9 concept car will be making its official debut in 2023. Here’s what to expect.
Written by Alex Reale
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Table of Contents
It’s no longer news: the electric SUV is the car of the moment. Automakers are tripping over themselves to find ways to give their big,
fuel-efficient offerings
an edge in a crowded market. Kia
, that South Korean beacon of resurgence, has figured out one way to impress: give the people their coveted three rows, in a beautiful EV package. Here’s what we know about the Kia EV9.
Bold, yet reserved
The Kia EV9 first made an appearance at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2021, reports
Car and Driver
. Attendees were treated to a concept car, one that falls in line with the designs that other auto companies have recently debuted as their vision for the future. (The future apparently looks like shiny planes accented by sharp angles, with geometric tire art.) The EV9 is a big SUV that’s trying to not try too hard. Scrape off all the pesky extras, like door handles, and then brulée the paint into a paradoxically shiny matte. Now look to the grille and turn the headlights into a pointillist portrait, with lightning scars framing them. Is it minimalist, or are we just used to cars looking like this now?
The interior of the EV9 fulfills the exterior’s promise of spaciousness. Three rows seat six people, and it looks like everyone will get all the legroom they might desire. And the EV9 is ready to participate in the ongoing quest for sustainability solutions: it’s been tossed around that recycled materials like old fishnets will be used for flooring.
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Of course, the EV9 is not sui generis. Kia’s gas-powered Telluride is the clear inspiration for its new electric SUV. Similar in size and shape to the EV9, the Telluride has proven itself to be a winner in the three-row SUV competition. Car and Driver even put it on its
2022 10Best List
, citing impressive interior chops for its price, delightfully responsive steering and handling, and a cheery disposition that frets not about a bit of off-roading. So it stands to reason that Kia would want to paint an EV portrait from this winning model. Car and Driver notes that the concept that was revealed in late 2021 draws from elements of Kia’s own compact EV6 and Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, but the major influence is clearly the Telluride. The EV9 is a bit taller than the Telluride, but not as long, though it does have a longer wheelbase. They might just be fraternal twins.
See you in 2023
Kia recently confirmed that the electric SUV that was once just a concept is going into production, with a European release date of 2023. Car and Driver recently reported that nothing new has been shared since we first met the EV9 in late 2021, so we’ll have to wait and see if Kia’s claim about a full battery’s 300 miles of range are true. In the meantime, to practice ferrying around a group of friends in a tasteful SUV, you can always rent a Telluride.
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