2024 Kia EV9: Swiveling seats put a spin on 3-row electric SUV

On Mar 15, 2023

Kia on Tuesday provided an inside-and-out design preview of the EV9 three-row electric SUV, due for the U.S. by early 2024

Put simply, it appears to combine some of the best aspects of the brand’s EV6 electric hatchback with a family-friendly cabin layout that may even best that of the popular Kia Telluride gasoline SUV. While some game-changing concept-car seating functionality is jumping into production—to possibly give those considering the Rivian R1S, Cadillac Lyriq, and other premium-brand electric SUVs some rivalry.

Case in point: The EV9 managed to make it through to production form with one of the coolest features from Kia’s 2021 EV9 Concept on which it’s based: pivoting second-row seats that can be swiveled around 90 degrees to the side for access, or 180 degrees to interact with those in the third row, who get their own cup holders and charge ports.

This could be the most innovative seating arrangement since fold-into-the-floor Stow ‘n Go seats offered in the Chrysler Pacifica minivan.

2024 Kia EV9

The EV9 will be offered in six- or seven-passenger layouts, and while the pivoting may be reserved for six-passenger versions, the seven-passenger EV9 may share a feature that allows those sitting in the first and second row seats to recline their seats to an almost flat position “to relax and rest when the EV9 is charging.”

They likely won’t be waiting to charge very long, though. The EV9 is built on the 800-volt E-GMP dedicated electric vehicle platform that’s shared by a whole family of EVs from the Kia, Genesis, and Hyundai brands. Although charge rates will likely be comparable to those of the EV6, the bigger, boxier SUV will likely require a larger battery pack in the vicinity of 100 kWh—meaning its peak charging time from 10% to 80% won’t be quite as speedy as the EV6’s 18 minutes.

2024 Kia EV9

The production EV9 departs the most from its concept-car inspiration in its dash design. Like the EV6, it’s a clean but not austere dash and interface that includes two 12.3-inch screens laid side by side under a single pane of glass, with a separate 5.0-inch segment display in the middle for climate-control functions. A center console leans forward but allows open footwells, another advantage of the EV platform. Kia points to a flat floor as helping maximize interior space throughout, and likely enabling a quite usable third row.

2024 Kia EV9

There’s far less to report about the exterior. In short, it’s the EV9 Concept carried forward, with dynamic LED lighting and an upright SUV profile mated with a mix of chunky cues like angular wheel wells and a blend of creases and smooth contours for the sheet metal. Thinner lighting at the front and rear, a tapered roofline and fuselage-like body, and flush door handles altogether set the stage for other future Kia EVs.

Check back for more for features, specs, and a lot more about the EV9 later this month.