Many brands are exhaustively investing to electrify their whole line-up by 2030. We enthusiasts like it or not are seeing it happen. but there are some brands who are stepping forward towards a sustainable future are bringing out some of the most beautiful and futuristic designed EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6, both of them don’t even look close to your typical ICE powered Hyundai or Kia, looking at them feels like that Hyundai and Kia are nailing their car design game.
Such as with the Kia’s Flagship E-kid on the block the EV9, which has recently broken the covers, based on the Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, means it shares the same underpinnings as the EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 6 and the Genesis GV60.
Kia didn’t even have a second thought about changing the design, they kept it almost similar to the EV9 concept showcased at the Auto Expo 2023. If we take a look at its front facia it has what Kia signifies as a ‘Digital Tiger Face’ which looks as macho yet sedate as the concept with the similar looking DRLs, has normal but futuristic LED headlamp design instead of LED dots integrated into the front grill panel in the concept, where the production-spec gets dotted LED treatment inside the headlamps and has similar looking front skit plate as the concept but unlike the concept, the production EV9 has a bigger front bumper and a lower stance, where the EV9 concept is a bit upright.
When viewed from the side, the production EV9’s silhouette is similar to the concept with 2 very tasty dual-tone alloy wheel designs to add some quirk on the side as well, the concept has a suicide door opening which actually made the production-spec unique in its competition if they had added them to it instead, the EV9 is provided with flush door handles with the typical door opening with black body cladding on the doors with a silver stripe, the wheel arches are shaped as a half decagon and the charging port is placed right behind that wide and muscular looking rear wheel arch and the floating D-pillar.
As the front end of the EV9 looks quirky yet sedate, Kia has added some minimalism with some quirks on the rear end of the EV9 like those taillights look like they are growing out from the sides of the rear roof spoiler indulging with the wide rear wheel arch and the floating D-pillar like the concept, but with a plain looking boot opener and the rear bumper is also has a simple look with the silver skit plate below it, that’s why the overall stance of the production version looks a bit like the ICE-powered Kia Telluride.
Moving to the interior, Kia has focused on giving EV9 a traditional yet futuristic interior layout with 2 floating 12.3” screens and a 5” display between the 2 which controls the climate and other specific functions, a futuristic steering wheel with easy to use steering mounted buttons, there are physical buttons for the climate control to set a desired temperature on the dash with a bunch of touch sensitive digital media buttons and a floating centre console with armrest, cup holders, mobile phone storage, buttons for auto hold, hill descend control and more.
The overall cabin has a grey and white theme and will be offered with 6 and 7-seat variants, where the 6-seat variant will get the 2nd row captain seats with dedicated armrests and the seats can be effortlessly swivelled 180 degrees.
So the 2nd and 3rd row passengers can have an effortless chat, the swivelled seating has only been seen in some of the concept cars but for the first time, this feature is been adapted in a production car, and that makes it an exclusive feature in the EV9 and probably a great selling point as well.
Kia is yet to disclose other information about the EV9, like what will be the battery packs on offer and what will be the range and more, all this will be disclosed by Kia at the end of this month.
