2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line AWD SUVOTY Review: Still Impressive?

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The 2024 Kia EV9 won a lot of awards last year, which might lead you to wonder why it is competing for our top accolade now. Timing is everything: Kia scrambled to get us an early build of the three-row electric SUV in 2023, but corporate red tape meant it could not be driven on public roads. Rules are rules, so although we were intrigued driving the first mainstream three-row EV around the proving ground last year, we had to disqualify it as a contender for the title.  

Fast forward a year, and Kia is back with the top-trim EV9 GT-Line AWD and permission to drive the hell out of it, and we’re still impressed with the six- or seven-passenger all-electric EV9. The styling is still fresh, and the vehicle features clever packaging in a first-class cabin. The EV9 has extremely comfortable and nicely bolstered seats with cool mesh headrests that cradle your head. There’s no traditional massage function, but they are ergonomically solid seats that stimulate your lumbar and support your entire back to prevent fatigue.  

This top-trim model features the second-row Relaxation package including power seats with thigh support. Third-row occupants have air vents, reading lights, cupholders, and USB ports. Push a button on the shoulder of the seat back for the seat to move forward, making it easier to get in and out of the back row. The EV9 could still use more space to crawl through to the back, and the quarters are a bit cramped in that third row.  

However, there is good visibility out of the large rectangular windows. Complete the mood by choosing one of the sounds of nature offered by the infotainment system. The cabin also has a floating center console, adjustable cupholders, and a pop-out bin and tray table for the second row.  

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The Kia EV9 rides on the capable E-GMP platform, which the company continues to refine. The SUV exhibited terrific body control and flowed nicely from curve to curve with remarkable grip. The ride was well damped over larger obstacles, but it can get floaty on rough pavement. The EV9 has excellent lane centering and highway driving assist with lane change functionality. Cool tech, but on the other hand, all our judges complained about the red light that blinks on the dashboard when you exceed the speed limit. 

The EV9 enjoys 379 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque from front and rear motors and has a 99.8-kWh battery for an EPA range of 270 miles. Some judges think that’s too short a distance for a family road-tripping vehicle, while others think some buyers may be paying too much for a big battery they might not need. The EV9 has an 800-volt system for quicker charging, but it is not yet Tesla Supercharger-ready. 

We appreciated Kia’s placement of the drive mode controls on the steering wheel. But not everyone liked the positioning of the stop/start button on the gearshift on the steering column, partially hidden by the steering wheel. You twist the end of the stalk to select gears. Judges praised Kia’s well-modulated one-pedal driving functionality, but there was some frustration expressed about the inability to set it as the default. We also discovered the EV9 offers as much off-road capability as we imagine anyone would want from a vehicle in this segment.  

There still is little competition for a non-luxury, three-row electric SUV. The EV9 base model, priced at less than $55,000, is a real value play. Our high-end $78,430 GT-Line test model fights harder to justify the sticker price, but the judges agreed this is an excellent SUV and a worthy finalist, even if we had to wait for it longer than we wanted to.

This review was conducted as part of our 2025 SUV of the Year (SUVOTY) testing, where each vehicle is evaluated on our six key criteria: efficiency, design, safety, engineering excellence, value, and performance of intended function. Eligible vehicles must be all-new or significantly revised.

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