Kia EV9 confirmed for Australia, flagship EV here late-2023

It hasn’t even been revealed yet, but the new Kia EV9 three-row electric SUV has been confirmed for a local introduction during the latter stages of 2023, the brand’s local arm has confirmed.

Kia Australia chief operating officer Damien Meredith confirmed the EV9 will touch down during the fourth quarter of this year, with around “400 units” currently allocated for the remainder of the year.

Further details will be revealed when the EV9 is revealed in production form in the coming months. CarExpert understands there will be some form of unveiling around March-April, though exactly when and where is a mystery.

The EV9 will be the second Kia model based on the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP dedicated electric vehicle (EV) architecture, which already underpins the EV6, as well as the related Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 and Genesis GV60. Hyundai will bring out its own version of the EV9 based on the Seven concept revealed last year.

While it’s unclear what will power the EV9 – we’re expecting single- and dual-motor electric drivetrain options – Kia did say at the reveal of the Concept EV9 that it was capable of driving up to 483km between charges, with 350kW DC ultra-fast charging able to replenish 10-80 per cent in just 20 or 30 minutes.

Earlier this week, however, a market research survey sent to a Kia Telluride owner and seen by Car & Driver revealed the EV9 will be offered with a choice of single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrains.

Five variants were detailed in the survey, starting with a base single-motor model offering 149kW/339Nm and a claimed 0-60mph (0-96km/h) time of 8.5 seconds; all the way up to a high-output dual-motor flagship with 386km of range and 298kW and 651Nm, as well as a 0-60mph claim of 5.2 seconds.

Indicative US pricing from the survey sees the EV9 start from US$56,000 (A$79,650) and top out at US$73,000 (A$103,772). For reference, a high-spec Sorento PHEV in the US costs US$49,990 (A$71,102), and is priced a little over $80,000 here.

This would make the EV9 the most expensive Kia model offered in Australia, eclipsing the EV6 GT’s $99,950 plus on-roads sticker at the upper end of the range. It’s likely to be the first vehicle in the brand’s line-up to have a list price of over $100,000 before on-road costs.

Speaking of firsts, the EV9 should become the brand’s largest and first full-size SUV in the local line-up.

The Telluride isn’t offered locally like the related Hyundai Palisade as it’s produced exclusively in left-hand drive (LHD) at Kia’s West Point facility in Georgia, USA.

The EV9 has some visual design links to the big ol’ Telluride, including its vertical light signatures and boxy design.

Further details of the new Kia EV9 will be revealed in the coming months. Stay tuned to CarExpert for an update.

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