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We’re getting closer to the KIA EV9 release date with new spy shots. The company is now testing developmental mules of the seven-seat all-electric full-sized SUV. The Kia EV9 is the next vehicle in line for Kia in its EV line after the EV6. The 2024 EV9, however, is expected to take on premium SUVs like Land Rover and Mercedes Benz with avant-garde styling, size, and performance to match.

What is the Kia EV9?

The Kia EV9 concept in sand
Kia EV9 concept | Kia

The all-electric SUV has three rows, but because it’s electric and can be packaged better, Kia is expecting it to take on the full-sized three-row SUVs like the 2023 GMC Yukon instead of mid-sized SUVs. Though its outside dimensions won’t scream “Full-sized SUV,” its interior will. The Concept EV9 measures 194 inches in length, 81 inches in width, 70 inches in height, and has a wheelbase of 122 inches. Compared to a GMC Yukon, it’s 16 inches shorter but about the same width.

A lot of that length, however, is in the Yukon’s engine bay which will be frunk, or front trunk, in the EV9. The EV9 has a longer wheelbase on its new platform, too, which could contribute to a more stable highway ride. We expect captain’s chairs in the second row to be an option on higher-level trims. Speaking of top-level trims, Kia’s first autonomous driving option, AutoMode, will be launched in the 2024 Kia EV9.

We can see some details of the 2024 EV9 released in spy shots

It looks like Kia has toned down the aggressive styling that made the concept EV9 so successful in a mule spied testing by CarBuzz in advance of the Kia EV9 release date. Though the developmental version is heavily camouflaged, it has lost the funky three-spoke wheels and suicide-opening rear doors. You can clearly see a conventional door handle in the second doors. But, the mirrors have sharp edges, and in the taillight cluster area, you can see the muscle car-inspired haunches are retained. A conventional windshield replaces the near-flat front glass and roof from the concept, which now looks like it could come from a Telluride.

When will the Kia EV9 release date be?

The 2023 Kia EV9 release date should be soon, and we expect it to start at about $50,000. Kia is planning to release it first in Europe as a 2023 model and then in the U.S. But it’s much more than Kia’s popular Telluride SUV, which starts at about $33,000. But that puts it at about $2,500 cheaper than a full-sized GMC Yukon.

The all-electric SUV delivers a driving range of up to 330 miles. It also features next-generation ultra-fast charging technology with a 350-kW charger that allows its advanced battery-electric powertrain to replenish energy from 10% to 80% in 20-30 minutes. Kia promises 62 miles of range on a six-minute charge.

The EV6 kept a lot of the styling cues. Maybe the EV9 will, too

A red 2022 Kia EV6 GT sits parked in front of a mountainous terrain.
2022 Kia EV6 GT | Kia

Kia’s EV6 is hot. The Kia EV6 has the first 800-volt muti-charging allows it to charge from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes, and that system is expected on the EV9 too. The EV6 is also fast, with 576 horsepower in the upcoming GT model, that can hit 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds, putting it on par with the new Chevy Blazer SS and Mustang Mach-E GT SUVs. But Kia’s modern “opposites united” styling sets it off. That styling blends modern coupe-like proportions with SUV utility in the EV6.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.