EV9 BIG IN SIZE, BIG ON PRACTICALLY, BIG ON EFFICIENCY
So my time with the Kia EV 9 has come to an end, and I have to admit I’m sad to see it go.
This first thing I will say in this review is it is Big. With that though comes a massive amount of flexibility and interior space. This is a full 7 seat vehicle which still retains a usable boot with all the seats up, bare in mind these are all full adult size seats too. On a recent trip to drop my wife and her friends off to bingo to celebrate a birthday it held 7 adults comfortably. The model I have on test here is what is considered the entry level Air model, so you get the lower powered 205bhp motor and only rear wheel drive. It’s worth noting that gives you a considerable range increase over the all wheel drive model with a WLTP range figure of 349miles to a single charge. the power output may seem low compared to some of its competitors but it’s more than enough to keep up with the flow of traffic and not once did it seem slow or struggle.
Back to the specification even though this is the entry level Air version, it come with full powered front seats. Both front and rear seats are both heated and cooled. What is particularly useful due to the sheer size of this vehicle is the digital rear view mirror, blind spot cameras and 360 parking assist. The rear seats also fold electrically making it a breeze to extend the boot space.
The size of this vehicle makes you think that there is no way this vehicle could be efficient but over the 1700miles I had it averaged 3.7mpkwh. Which would have delivered a figure of over 355miles which is above WLTP. On I trip to the Eden Project in Cornwall it actually managed to achieve a total of 370 miles to a charge and a 12min stop was enough to complete the 440mile journey with ease. Round town it was not unusual to see efficiency figures of 4.5mpkwh meaning range easily into the 400s.
On to charging with its 800v architecture this is where it really excels I saw charging speeds of 203kW of the IONITY chargers in Magor. In 6 minutes it delivered more energy to the battery than our first EV a Renault Zoe could store in its whole battery, 28kWh btw.
Overall this car really suprised me, yes it is large, but for those who need a comfortable 7 seat vehicle with excellent mile munching ability. At a £64k starting price you get a lot for your money, especially when you look at the competition in this segment. Well done Kia you have come a long way since the Pride. Also what better way to say goodbye to it than a trip round Forest Drive and it’s spectacular views.
Kevin Booker