EV9 ‘incredible to drive’
After a whistle-stop debut of the EV9 show car at select franchises in late August, Kia says most its 33 locations around the country have the SUV available for sale and demonstration drives.
“It’s really exciting to have the new model on the road,” says Todd McDonald, managing director of Kia NZ. “It’s an incredible vehicle to drive. People are going to be amazed at the all-round power and performance from this full-size, fully electric SUV.
“The EV9 encompasses style, sophistication and seven seats – all in a zero-emissions package. It showcases Kia’s ‘opposites united’ design philosophy and represents the future of sustainable motoring.
“It is also one of the most aerodynamic vehicles of its size thanks to the tech-focused polygonal design language that delivers a fuselage-like side profile, resulting in an exceptional 0.28 drag coefficient [Cd].
“It’s new, it’s dynamic and it’s boundary-pushing from a looks, performance and technology standpoint. It is an exciting addition to the Kia line-up and we’re thrilled it’s now available in New Zealand.”
Firsts with technology
The EV9 boasts an entirely new design built on the advanced electric global modular platform. This has enabled engineers and designers to create a bold exterior combined with a spacious and feature-laden interior – plus the chance to load the model with leading-edge technologies, some of which are new for the marque in New Zealand.
Among the Kia firsts are a panoramic wide display that combines dual 12.3-inch cluster and infotainment displays via a five-inch segment display, a column-type e-shift-by-wire drive selector and, on the GT-Line, digital centre and side mirrors. Fingerprint recognition can be used to start it.
The EV9 marks the Kiwi debut of highway driving assist 2 (HDA2), a next-gen technology that functions on motorways. HDA2 builds on adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, combining with lane-following assist to keep the car centred in the lane even when driving through a bend.
Navigation-based smart cruise control (NSCC) is available on all models and helps drive at a safe speed when using navigation. For example, when using NSCC on a highway and the vehicle approaches a curved section, speed is automatically reduced before entry into the bend. Upon leaving the area, speed goes back to the original setting.
It adds a direct hands-on detection sensor to the torque-sensor recognition method to enhance recognition of the driver’s steering control, providing warnings and – if necessary – deactivation of HDA2.
Additionally, HDA2 includes lane-change assist. When activated while holding the steering wheel and engaging the turn signal in the desired direction, it will automatically steer the EV9 into the respective lane.
Once on the road in the GT-Line, the EV9’s augmented reality, heads-up display projects key information, including speed, navigation guidance and lane-safety information onto the windscreen. There’s also remote smart-parking assist.
All three models available in the range offer the ability to tow, starting with 900kg braked for the Light, which increases to 2.5 tonnes braked on the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive (AWD) Earth and GT-Line.
A fourth-generation battery delivers improved energy density and efficiency, resulting in a WLTP range of 443km in the Light, 492km for the Earth and up to 505km in the GT-Line.
This technology contributes to power and torque outputs of 160kW and 350Nm in the RWD EV9, and 282kW and 700Nm in the AWD variants. The GT-Line can make the 0-100kph dash in 5.3 seconds.
Underpinning the driving characteristics of the new model is a suspension tune developed in an Australian programme spanning more than three years. The result is a unique package for EV9 buyers in New Zealand and across the Tasman.
The EV9 has a MacPherson multi-link type front suspension with frequency selective dampers and multi-link rear suspension featuring self-levelling dampers, and benefits from a rack-mounted motor-driven power steering system.
Kia has committed to carbon neutrality by 2045 and has implemented more than 30 sustainable solutions in various product areas, including fabrics and carpets using recycled PET, bio-based alternative leather, and BTX-free paint – it has no benzene, toluene or zylene.
In the case of the EV9, upcycled waste, including fishing nets retrieved from the ocean, is used to create the floor carpets. Eucalyptus leaves have been used to form the headliners, while seats and interior fabric are made from a composite of recycled plastic bottles and wool fibres.
EV9 model line up
The all-electric SUV is available in New Zealand in three trim levels. They are the Light RWD with standard range, and the long-range and AWD Earth and GT-Line.
Pricing starts at $105,990 for the Light with a 76.1kWh lithium-ion battery. Its key specifications include active and passive safety features, a wide array of airbag protection, LED lighting, heated front seats and steering wheel, and a 12.3-inch TFT LCD infotainment display with integrated 12.3-inch TFT LCD cluster and 12.3-inch display.
A larger 99.8kWh battery complemented by enhanced levels of technology, specification and aesthetic differentiators feature in the Earth and GT-Line, which are available from $115,990 and $134,990 respectively.
