The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Is Much More Than a Rebadged Kia EV9

As 2024 draws to a close and we take stock of everything new for sale right now, there are a fair number of mainstream EVs and plenty of midsize three-row SUVs. But there still aren’t many mainstream midsize three-row EV SUVs on the menu. The is where the all-new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 steps in.

This is Hyundai’s take on the Kia EV9, and although it’s built on the same E-GMP platform, there are enough differentiating features that buyers will have a tough choice between the two.

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Swoopy Pixels

Whereas the EV9 is all rectangular right angles, the Ioniq 9 is rounded and curvy. Its steeply raked windshield sweeps back into the roof, and its tapered rear end draws direct inspiration from those of boats. The standard wheel size is 19 inches, with 20- and 21-inch options available.

Designers improved air resistance wherever they could. As a result, the Ioniq 9 has no roof antenna (those functions have been split between antennas in the windshield cover, tailgate glass, and instrument panel), and automatic, dual-motion air flaps in its front fascia. It’s still a large car—no amount designing will eliminate that—but the engineers reduced the coefficient of drag (Cd) down to a claimed 0.27. By comparison, the EV9’s Cd is 0.28.

On the profile view, the body-colored wheel-arch “eyebrows” provide a visual break and come in either body color or gloss black depending on trim. Also breaking up the vast amounts of sheetmetal is a gloss-black line running from nose to tail.

Finally, the retro-futuristic pixel motif that defines Hyundai’s Ioniq vehicles is here in full force, festooning the 9’s front and rear. The touch brings a ton of dimension to those areas, especially at the back. There, the pixels climb all the way up the pillars, creating an almost 8-bit Volvo XC90 taillight design, before joining across the top.

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Room for Everyone

The Ioniq 9 has the longest wheelbase of any Hyundai (123 inches), and all of that goes directly toward room for its occupants. Big windows and a giant panoramic glass ceiling make for an airy feel no matter where you sit.

The cabin delivers what we can expect from a modern Hyundai, which is to say visual interest, quality-touch materials, and minimalist design. A dual, driver-oriented screen sits on top of the dashboard. Below are blessedly physical controls for the radio, while below that is the touchscreen slab for HVAC operation. It’s a good mix of touch and physical buttons and we don’t think anyone will have issues using it. There are two slots for phones and three immediately accessible charging ports, and the dual-hinged center console slides back and forth so both first- and second-row passengers can access it. Underneath, there’s a flat floor for placing additional items.

Available as either a six- or seven-seater, the Ioniq 9’s first- and second-row captain’s chairs can both have Relaxation Seat capabilities—fully reclining for maximum comfort, to the delight of prolific in-car nappers (me). Third-row space is decent for a midsize SUV and is easily accessible via the sliding second row or walk-through passage between the captain’s chairs. Flat floors throughout mean no one is climbing over anything.

We’re also impressed with the cargo area. So often on three-row midsize SUVs, trunk space is sacrificed when the third row is upright. That doesn’t seem to be the case here, because it looks and feels extremely roomy and usable. Hyundai hasn’t yet published official capacity figures for storage behind the third row, but the Ioniq 9 already has more storage space than the EV9 with its third row folded flat: 46.7 cubic feet to the Kia’s 43.5.

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Bigger Battery, NACS as Standard

Perhaps the most significant thing the Ioniq 9 has over the EV9 is its larger battery. The biggest battery pack you can get on the EV9 (for now) is a 99.8-kWh unit. The Hyundai will come with a 110.3-kWh battery the automaker claims can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 24 minutes under optimal conditions. That’s done with a NACS charging port as standard (ignore the CCS-style plug shown in the photos here—it's a prototype model) by the way, which means the Ioniq 9 is compatible with more than 17,000 Tesla Superchargers and counting.

At launch, the Ioniq 9 will offer three variations: the 215-hp Long Range RWD, the 303-hp Long Range AWD, and the 422-hp Performance AWD. The quickest 0–60 time is an estimated 4.9 seconds, and maximum towing capacity is up to 5,000 pounds.

Not only that, but Hyundai’s preliminary projected range figures for the Long Range RWD Ioniq 9 put it at an impressive 335 miles. In fact, you can apparently expect this sort of range from the entire Ioniq 9 lineup.

“Because of this larger battery ... every single trim will be over 300 miles,” Olabisi Boyle, Hyundai’s senior vice president for product planning and mobility strategy, told MotorTrend. Those range targets haven’t been officially verified by the EPA just yet, but they’re quite impressive for an SUV this big. Should Hyundai make good on its word, the Ioniq 9 would fulfill most peoples’ range requirements.

Finally, the Ioniq 9 draws on that big battery for functions outside of driving. It seems as though it was designed with activities in mind, because it can keep the air conditioning on for just the rear passengers if you’re hanging out in the back, and its Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capabilities mean you can charge devices directly with the EV battery and not the 12-volt. There’s also a V2L outlet in the trunk so you can power electronics, too.

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And the Name?

Yeah, we know it’s a little confusing; at first, the Ioniq 9 was supposed to be the Ioniq 7—it descends from 2021’s Seven concept—but then it became the Ioniq 9. It appears this was done to leave room in the lineup for a smaller vehicle between this SUV and the Ioniq 5, but on that front, Boyle merely said, “Nothing’s been announced.”

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How Much and When?

The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 will be available at the beginning of 2025, although no pricing is available yet.

However, applying Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade offsets to the Kia EV9’s prices, we then estimate the Ioniq 9 to start at $61,500 and go up to $75,500 depending on trim. We’ll see how correct we are in a couple of months’ time. Of note is that it will be built in the U.S.A., at Hyundai’s factory in Georgia, and be eligible the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit. (EV9s will be built here too, as will the Hyundai Ioniq 5.)

But as an alternative to the Kia, and as another sorely needed addition to mainstream three-row mid-size electric SUVs, the Ioniq 9 is already extremely compelling.