Kia broke the bank. The new SUV outperformed its rivals. Koreans celebrate success

Kia is celebrating success. They have checked 99 thousand cars

99 thousand cars came under the microscope of experts. The American research company JD Power conducted a survey among new car buyers about the first three months of vehicle operation. Drivers evaluated, among others: build quality, performance and reliability of the powertrain. As a result, the JD Power APEAL 2024 report was created.

Mini and RAM are in first and second place. She won third place Kia, which was the only one to triumph in five car classes. The Korean brand scored 853 points – this is the highest result in the almost 30-year history of the survey. Interestingly, six Japanese companies scored below the average (838 points).

Kia is more satisfying than Tesla. Are electric cars better than combustion cars?

The study also shows that Kia electric car users are more satisfied with them than Tesla users are with the cars made by Elon Musk’s company. According to JD Power analysts Tesla is respected only by its loyal customers (followers?), but it performs poorly when it comes to attracting new customers. Traditional brands, however, have no problem winning the hearts of drivers, whose electric cars offer greater autonomy and higher quality interior finishes. With this, two EV models from the Korean brand took first place in their segments and beat not only electric competitors, but also combustion models. However, owners of combustion cars gave their cars an average rating 842 pointsand electric car users – 877 points.

Kia EV9 is the best SUV in its first year on sale

The latest Kia EV9 took first place among upper-middle-class SUVs and already in the first year of sales. The Kia Telluride finished second. The podium was completed by the Hyundai Palisade. Therefore, Korean cars are at the top. It received the highest ratings among compact SUVs Kia EV6. The minivan class is also dominated by the Korean brand – according to drivers, the Kia Carnival is unmatched. Both models have taken first place in their segments for the third year in a row. For the fourth year in a row, the top-ranked midsize car is the Kia K5. Finally, the number one among compact cars is the Kia Forte.

Kia EV9 – what kind of car is this? What does it look like and what are its dimensions?

The EV9 offers us proportions never before seen in Kia cars. The numbers better reflect the scope of the silhouette – the body length is 5,010 mm, the width is 1,980 mm, and the height is 1,755 mm. The wheelbase reaches 3,100 mm. With this, the EV9 becomes the largest car of the Korean brand sold in Europe to date.

The large SUV also boasts refined aerodynamics. In the battle for electric range, the Koreans achieved an air resistance coefficient Cd of 0.28 (for comparison, the Volvo EX90 is 0.29, and the Mercedes EQS, which is a lower and narrower limousine: 0.20). For a powerful SUV, this is a very good result. This was achieved through the use of several technical tricks, including – for the first time at Kia – 3D underbody covers, aerodynamically shaped wheels and special curtains in the front bumper.

The EV9’s interior can accommodate 7 or 6 people with swivel seats

Kia EV9 offers 7- and 6-seat configurations with swivel seats in the second row. Those in the first row are lounge chairs with folding footrests, in the second row there are three seating options to choose from. The car can be equipped with a sofa for 3 people or two separate seats with a lounge or swivel function. In this case, the seats can be rotated 180 degrees so that passengers in the second and third rows sit facing each other. By rotating them 90 degrees towards the door, you can easily install child seats.

Kia EV9 and a large screen inside plus cameras instead of mirrors

Kia has equipped the EV9 with a giant display Ultra Wide-Display consisting of two 12.3-inch screens. The camera system will replace the traditional exterior mirrors – the driver will see the view behind the car on the 7-inch side monitors fixed to the doors in the natural field of vision (so he does not have to look for them somewhere near the pillar or windshield). The interior mirror in display mode will also make it easier to maneuver this five-meter-long colossus.

Kia EV9 has a huge trunk capacity

The Kia EV9 has two trunks. The front trunk in a rear-wheel drive car offers 90 liters of capacity, and in the all-wheel drive version – 52 liters. The traditional trunk in the back, behind the second-row seats, reaches 828 liters. If 6 or 7 seats are occupied, the trunk capacity is 333 liters. After folding the second and third rows of seats, there is a cargo hold with a capacity of almost 2,400 liters, which can tow a trailer weighing 2,500 kg.

Kia EV9 in two power versions

The Kia EV9 is available with rear-wheel drive or 4×4. Both variants are powered by a 99.8 kWh battery. The rear-wheel drive version has a motor with an output of 204 hp (350 Nm). This car will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.4 seconds (top speed 185 km/h).

The 4×4 version is powered by two electric motors with 192 hp each and maximum torque of 250 Nm at the front and 350 Nm at the rear in the Earth version and 350 Nm at the front and rear in the GT-Line version. The maximum speed is 200 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h will take 6 seconds.

Kia EV9 4×4 has two electric motors and huge power

The GT-Line AWD version is faster – it accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds. With such parameters, the Korean brand moves into a completely new dimension -. performance in the world of super SUVs. You can expect that pressing the accelerator pedal will push your back into the seat and hold it until you release it. The manufacturer also offers off-road driving modes – Snow, Mud and Sand.

Kia EV9 and battery charging in 15 minutes

Kia EV9 has 800V architecture (like premium electric cars), which means the possibility of ultra-fast charging with a power of up to 240 kW without the need for additional components or adapters. Thanks to this, just 15 minutes are enough to increase the range of the rear-wheel drive version by 249 km! Charging from 10 to 80 percent will take 24 minutes.

Reception? Kia EV9 will travel over 560 km on a single charge

Finally, coverage. The most efficient rear-wheel drive version will cover up to 563 km (according to WLTP) with an energy consumption of 20.2 kWh/100 km. Even the most powerful GT-Line with 384 hp and all-wheel drive offers 505 km on a single charge.

The Korean company surpassed seven rivals

When it comes to companies whose brands and models have won the most gold medals, this is the best Hyundai Motor Group (Kia, Hyundai and Genesis brands) (seven awards in total). BMW, which owns the Mini, has four wins. Toyota and Lexus together took the top three places.

• Hyundai Motor Group: Genesis GV60, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Carnival, Kia EV6, Kia EV9, Kia Forte and Kia K5;
• BMW AG: BMW 2 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW iX, BMW X4 and MINI Countryman;
• Toyota Motor Corporation: Lexus LC, Lexus RX and Toyota Tacoma;
• Stellantis: Alfa Romeo Giulia and Jeep Wagoneer;
• Nissan: Nissan Titan;
• Volkswagen AG: Porsche Taycan;
• Jaguar Land Rover: Land Rover Range Rover;
• Ford Motor Company: Ford Super Duty.