Perhaps the most surprising stat that absolutely blew my mind: Despite that oversquare, upright profile, the EV9 manages a 0.28 drag coefficient. And over the course of the day, real-world range bore out that figure despite the typical smattering of journalistic drag pulls and triple-digit experimentation. Doing it entirely for the science, I noted that the EV9 went through an estimated 155 miles of remaining range to travel 164 miles. Not bad, especially on a chilly day—possibly thanks to a heat pump system that Kia included to keep the big battery pack in its optimal temperature range.
The EV9’s engineering clearly prioritizes comfortable cruising over such shenanigans, though. Lifting off the go pedal revealed excellent modulation from acceleration to each level of regenerative braking, and Kia cleverly attempts solves our “throttle” confusion by printing a “+” on the right pedal and a “-” on the brake. Paddles on the steering wheel allow for adjustment of four levels of regen, from almost pure coasting to full one-pedal driving.
With regen turned down, the EV9 drives almost exactly as a standard ICE SUV might, which should help to convert those remaining hesitant EV adopters (and it’s even got a real on-off button!). But without an engine to mask untoward noises from entering the cabin, significant efforts to enhance NVH need to match the luxurious seats and interior appointments. Here, despite those Hankook ion Evo AS tires, the EV9 perhaps falls a bit short as road hum and wind noise clash within the otherwise sumptuous cabin. My GT-Line wore 21-inch wheels and 285-millimeter wide tires, so perhaps lower trims on smaller wheels and narrower rubber will benefit from further decibel reductions.