2024 Kia EV9 Long-Term Update: Do We Still Love Our Top Rated Electric SUV?

• We named the Kia EV9 Edmunds Top Rated Electric SUV in 2024.
• We also named it Edmunds Best of the Best winner for 2024.
• Now that we have one in our long-term fleet, let's see how things are going with this EV SUV.

Bad: It's not very exciting to drive

You could rightly say the EV9 isn't meant to be particularly thrilling. But given the performance chops we've grown accustomed to with other electric vehicles, the EV9 stands out. 

"I found the EV9 pretty unremarkable to drive," wrote Kaufman. "Like most EVs, there are moments where you can feel the weight, but beyond that the powertrain feels smooth and pleasant and the ride is soft, bordering on floaty at times. Overall, it seems well judged for a family SUV. It might not quite be what you're expecting when you look at the aggressive styling, but it works." 

Good: It's quite comfortable

"As the daily driver of a B-list three-row SUV, driving the EV9 was a major upgrade," wrote Carrie Kim, creative services project manager. "I was concerned about its size (it's big), but it doesn't feel that way behind the wheel. It's so comfortable; I felt very coddled in the EV9 on my slog down the 405." 

It's quiet, too. "One very small thing that stood out to me in the EV9 is just how quiet the little motors in the cabin are," Kaufman added. "I'm talking about stuff like the window and seat-adjustment motors. It's a quiet car, but even without much noise to cover them up, those motors are basically silent." 

Bad: The automatic headlights are too aggressive

Director of editorial content Steven Ewing requests the automatic headlights be dialed back a bit. 

"Driving on a sunny day, the EV9 will turn on its auto headlights when you go under a slightly wider-than-usual freeway overpass and then immediately turn them off once you're back in the daylight. After driving a stretch of the freeway, I got off at an exit and the person in the car in front of me rolled down their window and asked why I kept flashing them. I wasn't! It's just the too-proactive auto lights." 

Good: We're really happy with the build quality

Great build quality on a brand-new electric vehicle has been anything but a given in our experience over the years. It appears Kia has bucked that trend. 

"Build quality appears to be nailed-on," wrote Andy White, senior director of social media. "This is readily apparent coming from a Model Y Performance daily driver. Ride quality is also night and day: You will fly over the many potholes and the awful pavement of Los Angeles. There's also space, so much of it. My 3-year-old fell in love with the captain's chairs, something you can't get on any Tesla that isn't an optioned-out Model X. The adaptive cruise system is comparable to Autopilot, and in some regards superior. For example, you cannot get something as simple as lane change assist on a Tesla unless you pay $8K for FSD [Full Self-Driving]. On the Kia, it's included with its driver assistance suite. However, Autopilot is nailed-on center lane almost 100% of the time. If you approach a turn in the Kia that's anything more gradual than a light turn, it will sail out of its lane unless you turn the wheel manually old-school." 

Edmunds says

Despite its few quirks, we're looking forward to putting thousands and thousands of miles on our long-term EV9.