2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Interior Review: Dressed (and Spaced) to the Nines
Hyundai’s new three-row electric SUV has plenty of space for the whole crew.
As we all know, what really makes or breaks a three-row SUV is its interior—specifically its flexibility, roominess, and overall comfort. It’s where you spend all of your time with it, and it could be the difference in making a road trip a pleasant, fun excursion or a cramped, un-fun slog. So, how does the new all-electric 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9’s interior stack up? Let’s dig in.
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Stylish but not Pretentious
Relatively speaking, Hyundai has been killing it with its interior design lately, and the Ioniq 9 is no different. We sat in the top end Calligraphy trim so don’t expect the two lower trims to have all the bells and whistles we experienced. The interior looks great without having to rely on exotic materials like carbon fiber, brushed metal, wood, or nappa leather. And the 9's cabin isn’t just a transplant of the mechanically related Kia EV9’s interior, so perish that thought. (For a full look at the differences between the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and the Kia EV9, read our on-paper comparison of the two SUVs.) As far as we can tell, little to nothing in the Ioniq 9’s interior is shared with its like-numeral'd yet boxier Kia cousin.
In the Ioniq 9 you’ll find the same soft, sculpted lines and shapes mixed with harder-edged lines that you’ve seen in other Hyundai models such as the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and latest Tuscon. Keen eyes will also recognize the HVAC controls from several other Hyundai vehicles, as well. No matter where you sit in the Ioniq 9, you’ll get the full effect of Hyundai’s “Aerosthetic” design language and that’s not a bad thing at all. From the dashboard surfaces to the door panel inserts all the lines flow and are pleasing to the eye, so we have no problem giving Hyundai its flowers for that.
There is a large steering wheel, which lends itself to comfort over sportiness while still maintaining safe leverage while steering. For the most part, the controls on the steering wheel are easy to reach with your thumbs while still holding the rim, and the 9 retains Hyundai's typical placement of the battery regen control paddles where you might find shift paddles in a gas-powered vehicle.
Interestingly, Hyundai places the start/stop button on the gear selector stalk jutting from the side of the steering column (you twist the end to select drive, reverse, etc, with a button on the end of the stalk handling Park). When we asked for the reasoning behind the relocation from the dashboard, where such buttons typically live, a Hyundai rep told us that it makes the button more visible to the driver and by taking it off the dashboard, it allows the air vent closest to the driver to be larger.
Comfortable For All Shapes and Sizes
If there was one word that we had to use to describe the Ioniq 9’s interior, it would be “spacious.” Despite the gradual taper in the SUV’s silhouette, a departure from the relentlessly rectilinear greenhouse on its EV9 cousin, there is plenty of space for passengers, especially in the first two rows. Credit the EV's flat floor and excellent packaging. The second row is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to passenger space. Even with the front row seats all the way back the second row has no lack of leg space whatsoever. Combined with the EV's flat floor, the second row feels like a first-class airline experience.
The third row is surprisingly spacious, too, though don’t expect a miracle. We would say the absolute height limit for third row passengers would be 5’ 10” and even then, the back of the second row seats will be touching your knees if they are in slid to their rearmost positions. Though for what it’s worth, in the Calligraphy trim, the third row is power reclining. That won’t do much for your knees, but it is certainly nice to have for anyone feeling a bit cramped. Even taller third row passengers will also have a cushy several inches of head space.
Arguably the most impressive feature among the seats in the Calligraphy trim is that they all have power functions. A push of a button on top of each second row seat folds it forward, making room for passengers to enter the third row through either of the rear side doors. That feat is made easier by an integrated handle in the pillar so that passengers have something to grab onto as they navigate their way into the seats.
The first- and second-row seats also feature what Hyundai calls “relaxation mode” which reclines the seats to a nearly flat position, including hip support, so that occupants can take a quick nap to rest up before a long trip or while waiting at a public charger.
One of the coolest tricks is the center console or “Universal Island 2.0.” It’s on a hidden rail system underneath that allows passengers to move it backwards to give the second-row passengers easier access. We’ll also give the Ioniq 9 bonus points for having no fewer than four cup holders per row. Give us all the cup holders, please.
Infotainment and Tech
The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 checks a lot of boxes when it comes to infotainment offerings. Expect Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a premium 14-speaker Bose audio system on the Calligraphy trim. There is also an array of small microphones that work together for noise canceling to keep the cabin quiet.
There are dual 12.3-inch displays one for the digital cluster and one for infotainment. Both screens are fused together in one large curved panoramic display.
If every single passenger in an Ioniq 9 Calligraphy has a device to charge, there’s no need to worry. There are 100-watt USB-C ports supplying each row with plenty of juice. Three USB ports in the front, two for the second row integrated into the back of the first row seats and two more ports for third row occupants. Note that the 100 watts are technically shared, but few devices will eat up enough to stress the system.
For now, you can say that we are thoroughly impressed with what the Ioniq 9’s interior has to offer. We estimate the top trim Calligraphy to land somewhere around the $70,000 range and for that price the Ioniq 9 delivers quite a bit of interior value. However, we only experienced the top trim in very controlled conditions. Stay tuned for our first drive, first test, and our review to see if all the Ioniq 9’s style and features can live up to the day-to-day.
Andrew Beckford’s passion for cars started as a middle schooler when his friend Richie explained how an internal combustion engine works. He was bitten by the bug and the rest, as they say, is history. He dug deep into the tuner scene and eventually wrote for Turbo Magazine, Import Tuner, Super Street. He covered car shows, feature builds, and reviewed racing games for those magazines in addition to covering motorsports including Formula Drift, Indy Car, and F1 for his personal blog. Eventually Beckford joined MotorTrend to cover the daily automotive news beat. Besides being a gearhead, Beckford has been a gamer since the ’80s and is a huge fan of the arcade racing games of the ’90s like Daytona USA, SEGA Rally, and Ridge Racer. Beckford’s a movie buff as well, especially comic book films from DC and Marvel. When car culture crosses over with gaming and entertainment, rest assured Beckford is aware of it. In addition to serving as a consultant on a “triple A” racing titles, he’s reviewed major racing games such as Forza Motorsport, Need for Speed, Gran Turismo, F1, and more. He’s also interviewed blockbuster directors including Steven Caple Jr. (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) and Neill Blomkamp (Gran Turismo). His biggest profile to date was with Robert Downey Jr. on his love affair with cars and his show Downey’s Dream Cars on MAX. Beckford’s profile of Downey Jr. was the first print cover story written by an African American in MotorTrend’s history. Along with KJ Jones, Andrew Beckford also heads up MotorTrend’s celebration of Black History Month by spotlighting diverse voices in the automotive industry and motorsports. Beckford’s first car was a 1982 Nissan Stanza affectionately named “Stanley” by his late mother.
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