Hyundai Ioniq 9 vs. Kia EV9: Which 3-Row Electric SUV Is Best?

Hyundai and Kia's electric siblings go head-to-head, with one clear favorite

Hyundai Ioniq 9 vs. Kia EV9 hero

written by Brian Wong
edited by Steven Ewing
9/19/2025
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The Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9 offer two takes on a shared electric SUV formula.
The EV9 is quicker and better to drive overall.
However, the Ioniq 9 offers clever interior features and longer driving range.

Hyundai and Kia are two brands from the same overarching company, so their vehicles often share a lot of common parts and features. We thought that might make it difficult to pick a winner when comparing the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9, two electric SUVs that utilize the same basic architecture. But once we put the two through our full round of testing, a clear favorite emerged.

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2nd place: Kia EV9

Edmunds Rating: 8.3/10
The good: The best-driving EV of the pair
The bad: Less range and cargo space than the Hyundai

Since its debut in 2024, the Kia EV9 has won many accolades, including Edmunds Top Rated Electric SUV in both 2024 and 2025 and our coveted Best of the Best award in 2024. And though it falls just short of the Ioniq 9 in this comparison, we still think it's a super-stinkin'-good electric SUV.

Despite having 40 fewer horsepower than the Ioniq 9 (379 hp vs. 422 hp), the EV9 GT-Line is ever so slightly quicker in our 0-60 mph acceleration test, mostly due to the fact that Kia's SUV is about 200 pounds lighter. The Kia impresses with its handling and agility, too; where the Ioniq 9 can occasionally feel floaty and vague, the Kia has a much stronger sense of athleticism that inspires confidence on the road.

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2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 pricing in Ashburn, VA

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2025 Kia EV9 front 3/4

Both the Ioniq 9 and EV9 have tons of space in the first and second rows, with seats that can fully recline (and even extend a footrest). But the Kia gets extra credit for its mesh headrests that we want to rip out and put in every single car we drive. They're supportive and ventilated, keeping you nice and comfortable. It's a little thing, but considering these two SUVs are so closely related, it makes a big difference.

1st place: Hyundai Ioniq 9

Edmunds Rating: 8.4/10
The good: Excellent range and space-age style
The bad: Vague, floaty on-road manners

The Ioniq 9's battery pack is about 10% larger than the EV9's: 110.3 kWh vs. 99.8 kWh. As you might expect, that gives the Hyundai more range. In the Edmunds EV Range Test, the Ioniq 9 covered 349 miles, besting the Kia's 306-mile showing. The Ioniq 9 charges faster, too; in the Edmunds EV Charging Test, Hyundai's SUV was able to add 606 miles of range per hour, compared to the Kia's 543 miles.

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9 rear 3/4

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 one-ups the Kia for a few other reasons, like the menu in the touchscreen that lets you electronically raise or lower all of the SUV's second- or third-row seats — a major convenience boon. The Ioniq 9 offers slightly more cargo space behind its third row than the Kia, with 21.9 cubic feet of room compared to 20.2 cubes. But because of the way the cargo area is shaped, we were able to fit an extra piece of large luggage in the Ioniq 9 (the kind you'd have to check at the airport) without issue. There's better small-item storage inside this SUV, too.

In the end, you really can't go wrong with either of these familial EVs. But for our money, the Ioniq 9 takes the cake. Might there be a new Edmunds Top Rated Electric SUV?

Photos by Ryan Greger

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Brian Wong has worked in the automotive industry since 2010, writing over 1,000 car-related articles and testing and reviewing hundreds of vehicles over the course of career. Brian is a senior reviews editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Cars.com, Motor Authority and Green Car Reports. Brian has also been featured on MotorWeek as an expert for several car comparisons. He loves convertibles (the smaller the better) and hates paying for parking, so Los Angeles is both the right and wrong city for him.

edited by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

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