2024 Kia EV9 Earth review

[ad_1]

2024 Kia EV9 Earth

If you know anything about the Kia EV9, it’s likely that you know it won the prestigious 2024 Drive Car of the Year award. 

But the variant that won that award was the base-level model, the EV9 Air, which was in part because our judges felt that it came with a fantastic amount of tech and safety features. 

Kia has since expanded the EV9 range in Australia, adding the mid-tier EV9 Earth, to slot in between the entry-level Air and range-topping GT-Line grades. 

With a bigger battery and increased driving range, plus the added security of all-wheel-drive traction, is the Earth the ‘just right’ gap-filler of the EV9 range for families aiming to get out and see more?

How much is a Kia EV9?

There’s less than $10K difference between the price of the Air ($97,000 before on-road costs) and the price of the Earth ($106,500 before on-road costs), which certainly isn’t as large as the price disparity between the Earth and top-spec GT-Line ($121,000), but it does take the EV9 over the $100K mark. 

So here’s where the Earth differs from the Air. The EV9 Earth has dual motors with all-wheel drive compared to the Air’s single motor and rear-wheel drive. It has a 99.8kWh battery pack and an increased range of 512km compared to the Air’s 76.1kWh and 443km.

Standard equipment includes 19-inch alloy wheels, gloss black fender flares and side moulds, LED projector headlights, daytime running lights and tail-lights, ambient cabin lighting, a 360-degree camera and side-view mirrors.

Important to point out is that the Earth has the greatest range of all three models – the top-spec GT-Line has a 505km claimed range, although it can boast a faster 0–100km/h acceleration time of 5.3 seconds. 

Meanwhile, the Earth goes from 0–100km/h in 6.0 seconds – a 2.2-second advancement on the Air. 

The Earth and the GT-Line are on par when it comes to battery and power, so it’s just the equipment list that differs between them. Amongst other things, the GT-Line offers a tinted sunroof, roof rails, a head-up display and 21-inch wheels. And just as well it can boast these luxuries – the GT-Line starts at $121,000, $14,500 more than the Earth. 

It’s a big car – over five metres long and two metres wide – so it’s not exactly a wallflower on the roads, and Kia has leaned into that with the design. I happen to think a car of this size really suits this big, angular, boxy look, and of course, there’s an element of the futuristic here that works with an EV. 

Kia has foregone a grille, instead opting for a massive fascia, but it’s not a design that is exclusive to the EV9. This will become a signature look for more and more Kias, with the – the Carnival and the Picanto to name just two. 

There are no stand-out competitors to the EV9 at this point in time. There are other seven-seaters within the same price range, such as the BMW X5, Mercedes GLE and Lexus GX, though none of these are EVs. 

The top-of-the-range hybrid Mazda CX-90 is just over $100,000 – so less than this mid-range EV9. 

How big is a Kia EV9?

Surprise to absolutely no-one, the car is huge – it’s over five metres long and two metres wide. And while I was a bit taken aback by the size when I first hopped in, this size is exactly what you need to make sure all seven potential passengers are riding in comfort. 

In the front, I have swathes of space – I’m practically having to shout to the passenger. This is a slight hindrance as at my ideal driving position, I find the touchscreen infotainment system a bit too far away to reach comfortably. 

Fortunately, there’s a series of physical buttons below the infotainment screen that I can reach more easily and use to control the temperature. There is dual-zone climate control in the front. 

The central storage unit is not particularly deep, nor are the door pockets, but I can’t really complain when there is just so much storage and space elsewhere – even the glovebox is huge. There’s space for a bag between the driver and passenger footwells. Aside from storage, you’ve got cupholders, a wireless phone charging dock, a 12V port, plus USB-A and USB-C ports. 

For all its cool gadgets and state-of-the-art tech, the materials used in the cabin are mainly plastics, but I have to say, they’re mostly soft-touch and they don’t look uncouth, although they will probably face some wear and tear over time. 

The seats are all covered in artificial leather and all seven are electrically adjustable. There’s also a mesh overlay on the headrest that is handy for keeping a cool head (figuratively and literally) on a hot day. Then you’ve got the option to heat or ventilate the seats and steering wheel.

In terms of comfort, the driver’s seat is bolstered and cushioned, which is great for comfort on a long drive. 

The second row is almost as impressive as the first, which is good to see as so often the second rows feel like an afterthought. It feels supersized, as you’ve got big windows and heaps of head and leg room.

There are roof-mounted air vents, manual sun blinds, plenty of USB ports, and a massive storage bin so back-seat passengers can have their own hidden snack compartment. 

I’d imagine if you’re in the market for a seven-seater, then it’s because you’ve got a big family to accommodate and child seats will be making frequent appearances in this car. The EV9 comes with four ISOFIX points and five top-tether points, so it can easily accommodate large families. 

Helpfully, the doors open extra wide too, which means you’re not having to strain your back when getting little ones in and out. 

The third row is simple enough to access from the passenger doors by pressing a button that tilts and slides the second-row seats forward.

As is so often the case with seven-seaters, I wouldn’t want to be the one who pulls the short straw and has to sit back there, but it’s still well catered to. Again, there are roof-mounted air vents, USB ports and cupholders, which is more than I can say for a lot of third rows.

With the second and third-row seats down, and they do go completely flat, you get a whopping 2318 litres of boot space. With the third row down, you’ve got 828L. However, if you need to use both rows, you’ve still got 333L of space, which I don’t think is too bad if you’ve got seven bums on seats. Underneath, you will find a tyre repair kit. 

If 333L of boot space isn’t enough for you, then fear not, the EV9 comes with a 52-litre frunk. That’s a front trunk to the uninitiated. This space is bigger in the Air, which is rear-wheel drive, as it doesn’t have to share space with the front electric motor. 

Does the Kia EV9 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

In all three specs of the car, there’s a 12.3-inch infotainment system that blends into a 12.3-inch driver’s display. There’s also a 5.0-inch temperature control screen in between, although frustratingly that’s eclipsed by the steering wheel so it’s not super easy to access when driving.

The infotainment system does support wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there’s a charging dock if you need it. If you would rather plug in, though, there are plenty of USB ports up the front. 

In my time in the car, I’ve mostly stuck to a wireless connection and it did drop out once. 

I’ve also noticed the car does take a few seconds longer than what I’m used to when establishing the connection. The graphics are all very clear, and if I’m just using Kia’s embedded navigation or radio without connecting to CarPlay, it’s very functional and easy to use. 

Any technical updates to Kia’s internal software can be made wirelessly in real time via over-the-air updates. 

In the Earth, I have an eight-speaker audio system, while the top-of-the-range GT-Line has a 14-speaker Meridian audio system.

As a Kia owner, you will have access to the Kia Connect app, which can provide a wide range of services from remotely unlocking or locking your car, setting the temperature before you step in, finding EV charging stations (which is a comfort if, like me, you suffer from a spot of range anxiety), explore your vehicle status, and make SOS calls should you need to.

Is the Kia EV9 a safe car?

The EV9 Earth has an ANCAP safety rating of five stars, which was awarded in October 2023. It received an adult occupant protection score of 84 per cent, child occupant protection score of 87 per cent, vulnerable road user protection score of 76 per cent, and safety assist score of 85 per cent. 

The car also has dual frontal, side chest protecting (first and second rows) and side head-protecting (first, second and third rows) airbags as standard. A centre airbag to protect front-seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard.

What safety technology does the Kia EV9 have?

All three specs of the EV9 are equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety equipment. The Earth specifically comes fitted with autonomous emergency braking with junction assistance, blind-spot warning and rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keeping assistance, radar cruise control, speed-sign recognition, driver fatigue monitoring, a rear-view 360 degree camera, and front and rear parking sensors. 

I’m not one to complain about an abundance of safety equipment – the more the merrier as far as I’m concerned, and I’m pleased to see it in all three specs. But the safety alerts in the EV9 are overzealous to put it mildly.

The amount of dings, buzzes and beeps I get every few moments in the car is off-putting. I can turn these warnings off or customise it so that only a number of safety alerts are active, but this resets every time you get in the car.

How much does the Kia EV9 cost to run?

It will set you back $3234 yearly to insure the EV9 Earth. This is based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Given the EV9 has no direct EV competitors, it’s hard to judge where this sits in the range of ‘costly’ and ‘affordable’, but for context the BMW X5 xDrive 50e costs $4512 annually to insure, while the Mazda CX90 D50e Azami will cost you $2919 using the same driver details.

If that insurance figure made your eyes water, then you’ll be relieved to see much more palatable servicing costs. Three years’ worth of servicing costs $706, or $235 yearly, which you won’t see from the luxury models that have a similar purchase cost.

The EV9 comes with a seven-year, unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty and seven years or 150,000km (whichever comes first) battery coverage. Some items, like the audio and navigation system, have slightly different warranty terms (three years in this case).

What is the range of a Kia EV9?

The EV9 Earth and the higher-specced GT-Line are both powered by dual electric motors and a 99.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack producing a combined power output of 283kW and 700Nm of torque. 

Using a 350kW fast charger, you can expect to charge the car from 10 to 80 per cent in 24 minutes. 

In my real-world experience, however, I used a 50kW public charger as there’s nothing faster than that locally to me, and it took half an hour to charge 15 per cent from 60–75 per cent. Not particularly practical, especially with an impatient toddler in the back. But I should call out that over the course of five days, I drove 265km and only used 40 per cent charge, so if you are relying on slower chargers, then at least you’re not having to charge very frequently. 

Kia claims an energy usage of 22.3kWh per 100 kilometres. At the end of my week in the car, I returned a more efficient reading of 21kWh/100km, and even saw readings around the 18kWh/100km mark when I wasn’t on the highway.

What is the Kia EV9 like to drive?

It’s worth noting that the EV9 is the first fully-electric car to win the overall Drive Car of the Year award in the competition’s 18-year history, so that already sets a standard for what you can expect from the vehicle. 

My first impression in the car is that visibility out of the front is excellent thanks to the huge windscreen, although it is such a big car that sometimes I feel like I’m having to strain over the bonnet. 

Out the back, visibility is more compromised with the more heads you have behind you, but there is plenty of safety technology to aid you.  

The suspension is comfortable. The car seems to soak every lump and bump without too much fuss, and on the highway it feels settled despite weighing more than two tonnes. As you’d probably expect from an EV, it’s very quiet in the cabin, so all in all it feels like a very composed car to drive.

While the Earth is the mid-spec variant, it’s certainly not lacking in power. Kia claims a 0–100km/h acceleration time of six seconds, which is faster than a lot of hot hatches, and certainly in my experience the acceleration is immediate when you put your foot down.

Having said that, I am aware of its size – particularly the length and weight – when I’m pottering around the suburbs, which is a tricky point to reconcile given it’s a car undoubtedly built for families. A suburban staple. 

In corners, there’s no hiding its weight, and it feels a little bit less agile than the base-model Air due to the extra weight of the battery and front electric motor. The Nexen tyres could also be improved as it’s easy to spin the wheels in wet conditions, even though it’s all-wheel drive. But on the whole, it’s a confident drive with light and accurate steering.

It doesn’t have a particularly small turning circle, so three-point turns require a bit more space, but there are plenty of cameras and sensors in this car to aid driving and parking.

There are three regenerative braking modes, plus a one-pedal mode that can bring the car to a full stop just by lifting off the accelerator pedal, and all are very well calibrated and easy to get on with.

How much weight can a Kia EV9 tow?

The Earth has a braked towing capacity of 2500kg and 750kg unbraked, but remember that driving range is compromised when towing at capacity. 

Should I buy a Kia EV9?

Don’t get me wrong, the EV9 is a brilliant car, full stop. But there’s a reason the EV9 Air took home the overall 2024 Drive Car of the Year award. The Earth has a slightly longer range and a bit more power to it, so if you are keen to drive a car with a bit more oomph under foot, then possibly the Earth is the right spec for you over the Air. 

Otherwise, I think the laundry list of safety and technology in the Air is enough to convince me that the entry-level model is as good as any within the EV9 line-up. 

Certainly running costs have been incredibly efficient for me, and Kia has reasonably good servicing prices, so long-term ownership costs wouldn’t be through the roof and in this financial climate, I’m happy to look for cost efficiencies where I can. On that note, drive-away price of the Air is a little more palatable than the Earth, which creeps up to over $120K once on-road costs are considered.  

There are, of course, more affordable EVs in the market, but despite Kia’s budget beginnings, this is a car with a much more premium presence and doesn’t feel lacking next to similarly-priced rivals.

How do I buy a Kia EV9? The next steps.

Kia has been conservative with its initial monthly allocation of EV9s, but they are available in showrooms now. While the EV9 is Drive’s 2024 Car of the Year, as always when deciding on a new car purchase, I would recommend test-driving a few of the EV9’s closest rivals for a completely thorough analysis. I would also suggest test-driving both the Earth and the Air variants.

You can find your nearest Kia dealership here. There are also plenty of Kia vehicles on sale in the Drive Marketplace to consider.

If you want to stay updated with everything that’s happening with Kia, you’ll find all the latest news here.

The post 2024 Kia EV9 Earth review appeared first on Drive.

[ad_2]

Source link