2025 Kia EV9

The volume configuration for 2025 is the dual-motor e-AWD Wind/Land on the 99.8 kWh pack, rated 379 hp. 2025 is a carry-over year in the first generation (launched 2024), and the 501 hp GT did not reach the US lineup until 2026, so 379 hp is also the 2025 range maximum.

Dual-motor trims make 443 lb-ft, rising to 516 lb-ft with the Boost function; RWD trims make 258 lb-ft.

Instrumented testing of the dual-motor Land AWD returned 5.1 s to 60 mph, quicker than Kia's conservative 5.7 s claim. The 2025 dual-motor powertrain is unchanged from the 2024 car that was tested.

Dual-motor delivery on the 800V E-GMP platform is instant and lag-free, with no combustion or hybrid hand-offs. Reviewers consistently describe the power as effortless and unstrained, even with the vehicle fully loaded.

Single-speed direct drive means there are no shifts. Regen is paddle-adjustable, and i-Pedal one-pedal driving is predictable and easy to modulate. The 2025 lineup has none of the synthetic gear-shift gimmickry the later GT adds.

Dual-motor AWD trims are rated at 5,000 lbs with the tow package, which leads most three-row EVs but falls well short of body-on-frame gas SUVs.

Dual-motor e-AWD is standard on Wind, Land and GT-Line, three of the five 2025 trims, with Snow/Mud/Sand terrain modes and an instant electronic torque split. There is no low range and no locking differential.

AWD trims have 7.8 in of ground clearance and electronic terrain modes, enough for gravel roads and snowy driveways. There is no off-road trim, no skid plating, no low range and no extra battery protection, so this is a pavement-first family EV.

The EV9 is battery-electric only, with no gas, hybrid or PHEV option. For 2025 it comes in three outputs (201/215 hp RWD and 379 hp AWD) on two battery sizes, and the 501 hp GT had not yet arrived.

The volume dual-motor AWD rates 83 MPGe combined, about 40 kWh/100 mi to move a heavy three-row body. That is honest work for its size but sits low in the EV field.

City is the EV9's strongest EPA figure because regen recovers energy in stop-and-go driving. Mass still keeps it in the lower part of the EV city band.

Highway is 16 MPGe below city because the upright, boxy three-row shape pays an aero penalty at speed. That makes it a weak result against other EVs.

The 99.8 kWh pack gives the volume dual-motor AWD 280 miles, which is mid-pack for EV SUVs. The 304-mile headline figure requires giving up AWD.

The 800V E-GMP system accepts a rated 210 kW and holds near 200 kW across much of the charge curve. That is quick, though not class-leading among newer 800V EVs.

Kia quotes about 24 minutes from 10–80% for the big pack on 350 kW hardware, and logged sessions land in the 23–25 minute range.

EPA estimates $900 a year at 15,000 miles, well under half the cost of a comparable gas three-row SUV. The figure assumes home charging.

It burns no gasoline, and cheap overnight home charging is the normal case thanks to the 10.9 kW onboard charger and V2L. The 2025 car still has a CCS1 port, so Tesla Superchargers need an adapter. Kia supplies one free for deliveries from September 4, 2024, but that is a step behind the 2026's native NACS port.

NHTSA rates the 2025 EV9 5 stars overall, the top of the SUV band, though the frontal and rollover sub-ratings are 4 stars each.

A 2025 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ with Good ratings in small overlap front, the updated moderate overlap front (which grades rear-passenger protection) and the updated side test. Every crashworthiness result is Good, so it sits at the top of the band.

Every 2025 trim from the base Light up has the full Drive Wise suite: forward collision-avoidance, lane keeping and lane following, blind-spot collision-avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance, Safe Exit Assist, high beam assist, stop-and-go Smart Cruise and Highway Driving Assist 2. For 2025 the camera aids (surround view, Blind-Spot View Monitor) are limited to Land and GT-Line, which is narrower than the 2026 lineup.

IIHS rates the standard system Good in both the tougher vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention 2.0 test (higher speeds plus a motorcycle target) and the pedestrian test, which includes nighttime conditions. That puts it in the top band.

Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, which can steer or brake, is standard on all trims. Rear Cross-traffic Collision-avoidance Assist (with braking) and Safe Exit Assist are also standard. The Blind-Spot View Monitor camera is limited to Land and GT-Line, and there is no trailer-aware coverage.

HDA 2 adds map-aware lane centering and assisted lane changes on top of lane keeping and lane following, and it is standard on every trim. Owners say it holds the lane confidently on long highway runs, but it sometimes drifts slightly side to side within the lane.

Every trim has full-speed-range stop-and-go Smart Cruise with navigation-based speed adjustment, integrated into HDA 2. The score is held back by owner reports that it accelerates sharply in curves once the lead car leaves the sensor's view.

The 2025 EV9 has no hands-free driving option in the US. HDA 2 is a hands-on Level 2 system that warns after a few seconds hands-off, unlike BlueCruise, Super Cruise or Tesla's supervised systems.

IIHS rates both headlight variants Good, and high beam assist is standard on every trim. The Light, Light Long Range and Wind lamps score slightly lower than the Land and GT-Line units on some curves.

The boxy, upright cabin and large windows give good natural sightlines, but thick A- and rear pillars create blind zones. On 2025 models, the 360° camera and blind-spot camera that offset those pillars are only on Land and GT-Line, so the volume Light and Wind trims go without.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware Good. Cars.com found the second row works very well for car seats thanks to accessible anchors and plenty of legroom, and the third row has exposed anchors and tethers. Points come off because the third row's fixed head restraints and tight legroom make it harder for car seats.

Volume Wind AWD trim seats seven; captain's-chair trims seat six.

Wind's standard dual sunroof trims front headroom to 39.6 in; the sunroof-free Light offers 41.2 in.

Front legroom is modest for a three-row SUV this large.

Second-row headroom is generous even under the dual sunroof.

Second-row legroom of 42.8 in is at the very top of the segment, aided by the flat EV floor.

Third row offers 39.5 in headroom and 30.8–32.0 in legroom, usable by adults on shorter trips; knees sit high over the flat battery floor.

Behind-second-row space is competitive for a three-row midsize, and a usable 20.2 cu ft remains behind the third row.

Maximum cargo is good but trails boxier three-row rivals.

Flat floor, frunk, 50/50 folding third row and six USB-C ports; V2L exterior outlet on Land/GT-Line provides onboard power.

Ventilated power front seats standard and a roomy, well-shaped second row; reviewers praise long-trip comfort, though third-row cushions sit low.

Well-damped and controlled most of the time, but the heavy EV's firm tune sends sharper impacts through on potholes.

Silent powertrain and good isolation; some reviewers note more highway wind noise than the quietest EVs.

Tri-zone climate, roof-mounted rear vents and heated/ventilated front seats are standard; heated wheel from Wind and heated/ventilated rear seats on Land/GT-Line, with app-based preconditioning.

The entry Light RWD (76.1 kWh) is $54,900 before a $1,495 destination charge. It is a premium three-row EV, so even the cheapest one sits high in the SUV price band.

Reviewers consistently recommend the Wind AWD (99.8 kWh, dual-motor), and it is the configuration that dominates dealer stock. At $63,900 plus destination it sits near the top of the SUV volume-price band. Purchase and lease incentives in 2025 put real transaction prices well below sticker.

With no oil, plugs or belts, routine service is cheap. The real cost is tires and brakes on a 5,700-lb SUV with 19–21-inch wheels. The KBB 2025-specific figure is used because it is the more conservative of the two sources.

Depreciation is the EV9's weakest ownership metric. Heavy $7,500 lease cash and purchase-credit pricing through 2025, followed by the end of the federal credit on Sept. 30, 2025, pushed used three-row EV values down. That leaves the EV9 below the bottom of the SUV band.

Kia's 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty tops the framework band outright.

The 10-year/100,000-mile EV system coverage includes the drive motor, high-voltage battery, EPCU and on-board charger, with a 70% capacity guarantee. This is maximum-band coverage.

Kia includes no scheduled maintenance, which keeps this out of the 80+ band. The perks are meaningful for 2025, though: 1,000 kWh of free Electrify America charging over three years, a free NACS adapter, Tesla Supercharger access from early 2025, and 5 years of roadside assistance.

$65,395 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (37% retained, or about $24,196) leaves about $41,199 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,400 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $45,599 in total.

Both major predictors are negative for the 2025 model year. Consumer Reports rates the 2025 EV9 much less reliable than the average new car, with powertrain and build quality as the main trouble areas, and ranks it below the Rivian R1S and Tesla Model X. J.D. Power's 67/100 sits in its below-average "Fair" band. That puts it near the bottom of the segment.

Kia is a credible mid-pack-to-upper-mid brand on dependability. In the 2025 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study it posted 181 PP100, better than the 187 mainstream average, and it has ranked in the top half of recent Vehicle Dependability Studies. It has not been consistently top-5, which keeps it in the mid band.

The 2025 build has its own propulsion recall: rear gear drive unit motor shafts on dual-motor AWD EV9s built Oct–Dec 2024 may have been improperly welded, which can cause loss of drive power. The generation also falls under the E-GMP-wide ICCU recall and service campaign, and early EV9s had a high-voltage cell recall. Several of these campaigns affect drivability.

The E-GMP motors and 99.8 kWh pack have no broad catastrophic failure pattern. However, the platform's ICCU is a known weak point: it can stop the 12V battery charging, causing limp mode or a no-start. Consumer Reports names powertrain as a major trouble area for the 2025 model, and the AWD rear-drive-unit weld recall adds to that.

The cabin is above the mainstream three-row norm. Plastics are well textured and tightly assembled, synthetic SynTex upholstery is standard, and recycled and bio-based materials are used throughout. For a Premium price class it is not class-leading, because lower trims use plenty of plain black plastic and have no metal accents.

Consumer Reports' survey names build quality as one of the 2025 EV9's two main trouble areas. Owners report squeaks, rattles, loose driver-seat mounting and misaligned trim or latches on early Georgia-built units. Long-term test cars have needed only minor alignment fixes, so it is not in the poor band.

Kia has roughly 800+ franchised US dealers, far wider physical coverage than direct-sales EV rivals. Service satisfaction is below average, though, and EV high-voltage work is limited to stores with trained technicians.

Routine maintenance is light, and Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and EV battery warranties cover the expensive failure modes for most of the ownership period. High-voltage parts such as the ICCU are dealer-only with little aftermarket support, and some owners have waited a long time for ICCU parts.

Every trim gets the 12.3-in navigation touchscreen within the panoramic display.

The ccNC system is quick and graphically sharp, but the 5-in climate screen is partly hidden behind the wheel rim and many functions are touch-only.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all trims, with wireless connection supported on the ccNC system.

Native navigation with charger search plus voice recognition; functional, but most owners default to phone projection.

The volume Wind trim gets an 8-speaker amplified system; the 14-speaker Meridian with subwoofer is limited to Land/GT-Line.

A crisp 12.3-in configurable digital cluster is standard on every trim.

Over-the-air updates are standard and reach vehicle systems, not just maps; the Kia Connect Store sells feature add-ons.

Kia Connect app with remote climate/charging plus Digital Key 2.0 (phone-as-key) and fingerprint authentication standard.

Six USB-C ports (two per row) and a wireless charger are standard; V2L outlet on Land/GT-Line.

Smart key, push-button start, Smart Power liftgate and Digital Key 2.0 are standard throughout.

Front and rear parking sensors are standard, but surround view, blind-spot view and Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 are reserved for Land/GT-Line.

A head-up display is offered only on the top GT-Line trim.

Flat floor, wide rear doors, 42.8 in second-row legroom and IIHS-Good LATCH make it an easy family hauler; third-row anchors also provided.

IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and NHTSA 5 stars, with HDA2, Safe Exit Assist and Rear Occupant Alert standard on every trim.

Tri-zone climate with rear roof vents, USB-C in every row and 20.2 cu ft behind the third row; range and charging stops temper long trips.

Smooth, quiet electric drive with adjustable regen and one-pedal mode makes traffic easy; sheer size is the main annoyance.

EPA $900/yr energy cost is low against gas three-row rivals, though 83 MPGe is below average for EVs.

A large body and 40.6-ft turning circle make it unwieldy in cities; surround view is only on Land/GT-Line.

Up to 5,000 lb towing on AWD and 81.7 cu ft of cargo handle light duty, but towing sharply cuts range.

A family-oriented premium EV with no fleet track record under hard use.

V2L exterior outlet on Land/GT-Line offers onboard power; the hitch is port/dealer-installed and the upfit ecosystem is thin.

Comfortable, quiet cruiser with standard HDA2 and ~24-min 10–80% DC charging, but the 280-mile range of the volume AWD trim shrinks at highway speed.

AWD with Snow/Mud/Sand modes, ~7.8 in clearance and V2L for camping on upper trims; not built for rough trails.

Fold-flat second and 50/50 third rows, 81.7 cu ft max, a frunk and an available hitch give strong gear flexibility.

Low-mounted battery keeps body roll well controlled and it feels secure, but its heavy curb weight blunts agility.

Light at low speed and weights up appropriately, but offers little feedback.

Firm pedal with smooth regen-to-friction blending; four-wheel ventilated discs.

Dual-motor AWD delivers smooth, strong, seamless thrust with well-calibrated, adjustable regen.

Near-silent electric drive with no vibration; optional synthesized sound on upper trims.

A wide turning circle for the segment, reflecting its long wheelbase.

Commanding, adjustable seating and good forward sightlines, but thick A-pillars and the wheel-obscured climate screen are demerits.

Quick and composed but ultimately a calm family hauler rather than an engaging drive (the GT variant is not in the 2025 US lineup).

Even the $54,900 Light comes with heated and ventilated power front seats, twin 12.3-inch screens and the full Drive Wise ADAS suite. The Wind and Land trims are well equipped for the money. The base Light's 230-mile range and single motor make it the lean entry point.

In 2025 a dual-motor three-row EV with up to 5,000 lb towing cost $63,900, undercut luxury three-row EVs by a wide margin, and was cheaper still after the federal credit (non-GT, Georgia-built trims) or $7,500 lease cash. The value case weakens over time because resale is soft.

The lineup has five US trims spanning $19,000, two battery sizes (76.1/99.8 kWh), RWD and AWD, and 6- or 7-seat layouts including swiveling second-row captain's chairs. That is unusually broad for an EV. The one gap is that the high-performance GT was not offered in the US for 2025.

US sales fell by about a third in calendar 2025 despite tax-credit eligibility and heavy lease cash, and the decline steepened after the credit expired in September. It is still one of the better-known three-row EVs, but the trend is clearly down.

Kia's image has improved a lot on design and awards, and the brand set US sales records in 2025. It is still a mainstream badge with no luxury pull, which limits resale halo against premium-priced rivals.

This is scored on buyer benefit. During the 2025 model year buyers could get the $7,500 federal credit on Georgia-built trims or $7,500 lease cash, often stacked with dealer discounts and subsidized APR. That makes transaction prices well below MSRP, though the discounting also reflects soft demand.

This is the second model year of a generation launched for 2024, on the 800V E-GMP platform with 210 kW charging, and no redesign is imminent. 2025 is essentially a carry-over: NACS adapter access arrived, but no native port until 2026.

It is one of the most decorated SUVs of its era, with World Car of the Year, NACTOY and a second straight Edmunds Top Rated Electric SUV award for 2025. Reviewers praise its space, utility and value. It held down the class until the Ioniq 9 arrived.