28-06-2025
2024 Kia EV9: A Year of Testing Cemented Its Award-Winning Status
Brady added, "Love that there's a physical button to activate the 360-degree camera system. That camera view was essential when I was navigating the EV9 in and out of an especially tight spot. The only way to improve this would be to position that camera activation control on the steering wheel the way Tesla does with the current Model 3 and Cybertruck."
The EV9's lightning-quick fast-charging capability was another big perk. Kaufman again recounts, "Took the family on a road trip to San Diego and only had to charge once. I found a 150-kW fast charger in a mall parking lot not too far from our hotel, and just had half an hour of quiet time in the car while it added a little over 200 miles of range. At this point, I would absolutely prioritize charging speed over range for any EV I'd buy for myself."
The EV9's seating flexibility also meant that whether we needed to ferry the kids, the dog, or half of a living room, the EV9 had the space. From ample legroom across all three rows (yes, even adults could fit in the third row) to quick entry via the power second-row seats, everything about the EV9 lent itself to practicality to suit whatever we needed to move.
While we never truly needed it, the EV9's vehicle-to-load feature — which allows you to power home appliances using the car's battery — provided a level of comfort to the inner doomsday prepper within us.
