How we would equip our Greatest Automobile To Purchase 2024 winner

The brand new Kia EV9 three-row electrical SUV gained our Greatest Automobile To Purchase 2024 award (in addition to our Greatest Household Automobile To Purchase 2024), outranking the greater than 250 automotive fashions on sale now. This complete package deal of fashion, efficiency, good vary, distinctive options, and an structure that permits fast DC fast-charging elevates the electrical household car to the plenty. However with a value delta of $19,000, starting from the cheap $56,395 to the questionable $75,395, which EV9 hits the candy spot?

There are basically three powertrain configurations throughout 5 trim ranges. The base Mild mannequin prices solely $56,395—about $1,900 greater than a loaded 2024 Kia Telluride—however it’s the solely mannequin provided with a smaller 76.1-kwh pack and a spread of 230 miles. It has a 160-kw motor rated at 215 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It is a good possibility for households with a second automotive that could possibly be used for road-tripping, whereas the EV9 would deal with all of the every day calls for of household dwelling. 

It comes properly geared up with seating for seven, together with three seats within the center and two within the wayback. It rides on 19-inch alloy wheels, and options twin 12.3-inch screens break up by a 5.0-inch show below a single pane of glass. Key consolation options embrace artificial leather-based seating, 8-way energy entrance seats which can be heated and cooled, a sensible key, two USB ports in every row, a wi-fi smartphone charger, and wi-fi smartphone connectivity. Kia is aware of its viewers, and is aware of {that a} value this excessive have to be matched with options that exceed expectations. 

Like different Kia autos, the EV9 comes with a 5-year/60,000-mile fundamental guarantee and 10-year/100,000-mile electrical powertrain guarantee. This could give customers who’re anxious to change to an EV some solace.

Extra safety comes within the type of a set of ordinary driver-assist know-how meant to keep away from or mitigate crashes. It has computerized emergency braking entrance and rear, energetic lane management, blind-spot displays, adaptive cruise management, and computerized excessive beams. A restricted hands-free driving system is approaching high GT-Line fashions. 

All of these options in a single package deal usually add as much as a luxurious price ticket, with solely the vary holding it again. The query is that if 74 miles of vary is value an additional $4,300?

Each different EV9 comes with a 99.8-kwh battery pack. The $60,695 EV9 Mild Lengthy Vary is the vary horse of the lineup, and perfect for drivers who haven’t got to fret a lot about moist, chilly climate, and who do not care a lot for punchy acceleration. It makes use of a smaller 150-kw rear motor rated at 201 hp and 258 lb-ft, however its vary extends to 304 miles. It comes customary with second-row captain’s chairs, nonetheless. 

We suggest the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive fashions that begin with the $65,395 EV9 Wind. It has all of the options talked about above, with a warmth pump and a heated steering wheel, but it surely solely comes with the seven-seat configuration. That is the one disadvantage. With dual-motor output rated at 379 hp and 443 lb-ft, it sprints to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, and handles prefer it’s extra planted than different three-row SUVs thanks partially to its low middle of gravity and lengthy wheelbase. Vary is 280 miles. Shiny paint in white, black, or blue prices $695 extra on the Wind. 

The $71,395 Land rolls on terra firma with 20-inch wheels and it provides a Meridian 14-speaker sound system, ambient lighting, a second-row console with a drawer and heated and cooled second-row captain’s chairs, in addition to extra energy changes for the driving force’s seat.

That is too scorching for our blood. On each the Land and GT-Line, an possibility for reclining second-row captain’s chairs with leg extensions prices $2,000, but it surely comes on the expense of third-row passengers. Solely get it if the third row will principally be folded down on highway journeys.  The Land may be had with a $1,500 towing package deal with a 5,000-pound tow capability, but it surely’s included on GT-Line fashions.  

As tempting as it’s, we would skip the highest GT-Line and its double shot of efficiency. Certain, the dual-motor output jumps from 443 lb-ft to 516 lb-ft to get the massive SUV to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, however the vary drops to 270 miles and the worth climbs to $75,395. That is a couple of thousand shy of the bottom Rivian R1S with related vary however with real off-road functionality and a extra luxurious package deal.

The scales swing again to the Kia EV9, nonetheless, when contemplating that it is higher geared up for the long run and for household highway journeys. With an EV, the moans of “Are we there but?” morph into “Can we depart but?” when stopped for DC fast-charging on the highway. These cries get muted with the EV9: it is the one electrical three-row SUV constructed on an 800-volt structure. It might recharge from 10-80% in lower than 25 minutes, and dual-motor fashions embrace a warmth pump to protect vary in chilly climate use in addition to to precondition it to cost rapidly.

One different notice, late this 12 months all Kia electrics will likely be constructed with North American Charging Customary (NACS) ports that may allow entry to Tesla’s Supercharger community. Present fashions will likely be offered with a CCS1 to NACS adapter by early 2025. That ought to resolve a lot of the charging infrastructure anxiousness.    

There should not be a lot anxiousness in shopping for the Kia EV9, nonetheless. It is the Greatest Automobile To Purchase 2024. 

Take a look at all of our Greatest Automobile To Purchase 2024 protection right here, together with our phase winners in addition to the Greatest Automobile To Purchase from our fanatic arm, Motor Authority, and our effectivity leg, Inexperienced Automobile Experiences.