Kia EV9 first look

The Kia EV9 is about to become available to the general public and as of yet, most people haven't been able to see it in person. That included us but we had the chance to meet up with the flagship SUV here on the Old Continent and snap a few images and gather some early impressions.

We got a look at the higher-end GT line model which comes in a satin Blue paint job with black matte accents. It's a mature but sporty look that goes nicely with the full-sized SUV. The satin finish has a really cool look to it, but it does take a lot of extra effort keeping clean.

Opt out of the GT and you could have a silver glossy model with silver accents. In either case, regular and glossy or GT and matte, the Kia EV9 has elegant vertical LEDs upfront.

Kia EV9

From the side, the EV9 moves against the mold of sloping-roofed cars. It's very angular and has an unfaltering flat roofline. The windows are wide and tall all the way to the C-pillar, where they cut sharply to the roof spoiler.

At the back the trend of vertical LEDs continues. The taillights slope from the roof spoiler down to where the bumper meets the quarter panel. The indicators have an interesting vertical bar design, though they light up simultaneously and aren't breathing, which would've been cooler.

Kia EV9 from the back

There's a strong presence about the EV9, especially from the front. It's wide and broad and aggressive. There's a small front boot under the hood, which is smaller than you'd expect, looking at the car's size. It's perfectly fine for grocery bags or a small suitcase.

You can have the EV9 with a choice of 19-inch, 20-inch or these 21-inch alloys. These are particularly sexy with the black paint, which ties in with the all-around matte black accents.

The interior of the GT line Kia EV9 is very spacious and high-tech. You get a lot of niceties like a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled front and middle seats, and separate glass roofs.

The GT line seats are bolstered and very comfortable. They're made of Bio PU materials and feature a dual-toned design. Kia boasts that the interior is made with plant-sourced oils and quite a bit of recycled materials.

We like the two 12.3-inch horizontal displays that sit front and center. We also love the fact that the climate controls are physical. Underneath is a big center console with a wide wireless charging pad and nicely adjustable cup or bottle holders.

The build is excellent and there are no unwanted noises anywhere in the cabin no matter how much you try and invoke them. On the other hand the choice of materials is not quite fit for the price range and a bunch of hard plastics can be found.

Inside

The rear doors open very wide and it's a breeze to get into the EV9, though that's to be expected on such a large vehicle. The 6-seat version comes with so-called captain seats in the middle - two separate chairs with an adjustable tray which can be retracted to create more room.

The captain seats can swivel to accommodate you looking at the front, to the side, or facing backward to the third row. You can also specify the Kia EV9 with a middle three-seat bench, like a conventional car. The third-row seats are narrow for an adult. They fall mostly flat, expanding the boot to a gargantuan 25.8 ft³.

The captain seats, rear boot, underfloor storage

You'll be able to get the Kia EV9 with two batteries - a 76.1 kWh in rear-wheel drive or with a 99.8 kWh pack and rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. The RWD model has either a 150 kW (long-range model) or a 160 kW (standard range) motor, while the AWD has motors on each axle, outputting a combined 283 kW. The AWD we experienced goes from 0 to 62 mph in just 5.2 seconds.

In Europe, the Kia EV9 comes in two trims - Earth with the full 99.8 kWh battery and RWD, priced $83,200 and the GT line with 6 or 7 seats, both priced $91,700.

In the States you get the $59,200 EV9 Light Long Range RWD, the $63,900 Wind e-AWD and the $69,900 Land e-AWD. The EPA-estimated range for the bigger battery models is 304 miles, and 230 miles for the 76.1 kWh battery.