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Kia’s Luxury Play

New all-electric EV9 has Kia competing with the big boys, writes James Stinson

The tectonic plates around the global car industry are shifting… driven in large part by the aggressive rise of Chinese electric car makers.

Somewhat less newsworthy but equally significant are the ambitions shown by their near neighbours in South Korea – Kia and Hyundai.

Both have slowly shed their cheap and cheerful persona over the last 15 years or so, becoming mainstream and more upmarket as each year passes. Indeed, the Hyundai / Kia concern is now the third largest in the world, behind only Toyota and VW Group.

They continue to make internal combustion-powered cars but have embraced electric faster than any of the non-Chinese brands – and are riding both horses with some aplomb.

Having put down a flag in almost every sector of the market, Kia is now making a play in the luxury SUV field, previously the domain of German brands, along with Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover.

Kia’s new EV9 is a luxurious, seven-seat all-electric SUV with striking looks, plenty of tech and a massive interior. With prices starting from £65,000, it’s the most expensive Kia yet but it stacks up well against rivals.

Three models make up the range – Air, GT-Line and GT Line S – with all featuring the same sizable 99.8 kWh battery.

Entry-level Air, with some 200bhp, comes with a single motor that drives the rear wheels and has a claimed range of 349 miles… which will vary depending on the type of driving you do. A lot of motorway driving will likely knock 20-30% off that while urban driving will deliver a lot more. 0-60mph time for the Air is 9.3 seconds.

GT-Line and GT Line have more power (around 380bhp) and two electric motors, driving all four wheels. The 0-62mph time comes down to 5.3 seconds though range suffers a bit too… down to 315 miles.

Kia’s 800V ultra-fast charging technology means every version of the EV9 can be recharged from 10-to-80 per cent in as little as 24 minutes when plugged into a 350kW high-powered charger. Anyone looking to tow will need an AWD version, which has a 2,500kg braked trailer towing limit. 

All come with a standard seven seat configuration and an interior that is truly cavernous. Even the rear most seats are comfortable for adults while the seats can be folded, slid and configured in a variety of ways to give more load carrying space.

There’s even a quirky six-seat version (that costs £1,000 more) which has two full-sized middle row seats that can be swivelled round to face the rear.

It’s a very striking looking car, with an imposing front end and a silhouette that’s a full five metres long, which means you’ll need all the parking sensors, cameras etc to feel comfortable driving it in and around town.

The interior finish, though not quite on a par with German rivals, still feels neat and classy. The controls are well-laid out with an intuitive feel.

While the range kicks off at ÂŁ65k, it can go as high as ÂŁ76k, which is an awful lot for a Kia.

But in true Kia fashion, you do get a lot for your money. Entry level versions come with 19-inch alloys, LED headlights, twin 12.3-inch displays plus a 5.3-inch climate-control panel in between, six USB-C sockets (two per row), front and rear parking sensors, a powered tailgate, second-row window blinds, an eight-speaker audio system, and power-adjustable front seats.

The EV9 is a super all-rounder, combining space, practicality, innovation and all at a fairly reasonable price.

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