

William Stopford
4 Days Ago
Marketplace Editor
The Kia EV9 has finally landed in Australia – and it’s the most expensive model in the Korean brand’s stable, ever.
Prices start from $97,000 before on-road costs for the entry-level Air RWD, and top out at $121,000 plus on-road costs for the flagship GT-Line AWD.
The Air and GT-Line versions are hitting dealerships now, with the mid-spec Earth AWD ($106,500) due to land early in 2024. According to Kia Australia, the mid-tier version was affected by component shortages.
Kia’s Australian division claims it has received over 12,000 expressions of interest for its new all-electric SUV flagship, with over 200 pre-launch orders already placed. First vehicles are arriving this month.
In addition to being the most expensive model the brand has offered in Australia, the Kia EV9 debuts a number of new features for the local range, including a new infotainment system with over-the-air updates, a more sophisticated navigation-based semi-autonomous highway drive assistant, as well as camera-based Digital Side Mirrors on the top-spec variant.
All prices exclude on-road costs.
The base Air RWD features a single-motor drivetrain, with a 160kW/350Nm power unit on the rear axle. Claimed 0-100km/h is 8.2 seconds, with top speed rated at 190km/h.
Both the Earth and GT-Line get a dual-motor AWD drivetrain, with 141kW/350Nm electric motors mounted to each axle – system outputs are 283kW/700Nm. Quoted acceleration times differ slightly for the AWD models, with the Earth claiming 6.0 seconds and the GT-Line cutting that to 5.3 seconds.
In Korea the 700Nm tune (up from 600Nm) is an over-the-air upgrade available for purchase via the Kia Connect store, which brings the faster 0-100 time. Kia Australia maintains both variants get 700Nm locally as standard, though only the GT-Line gets the faster acceleration time.
The EV9 Air features a 76.1kWh lithium-ion Standard Range battery, featuring 348 cells and a voltage rating of 632V. Kia quotes a battery pack weight of 463.3kg, mounted under the floor. WLTP range is up to 443 kilometres for the Air (19.5kWh/100km), which is the lowest of the line-up.
Both the Earth and GT-Line get a dual-motor AWD drivetrain, with 141kW/350Nm electric motors mounted to each axle – system outputs are 283kW/700Nm.
AWD models score a Long Range battery with 99.8kWh of capacity, featuring 456 cells and a voltage of 552V. Battery weight is 566.5kg.
WLTP range is 512km (22.3kWh/100km) for the Earth on 19-inch alloys, while the flagship GT-Line quotes 505km (22.8kWh/100km) on its larger 21-inch rims.
The EV9 Air measures 5010mm long, 1980mm wide and 1755mm tall on a 3100mm wheelbase. The GT-Line is slightly longer (5015mm) and taller (1780mm).
There’s a claimed 333L with seven seats in use, expanding to 828L in five-seat configuration and 2318L with the second and third rows folded. All quoted measurements are VDA.
As with the wider Kia line-up, the EV9 is covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The high-voltage battery and motor are covered for seven years or 150,000 kilometres – whichever comes first.
The EV9 requires maintenance every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, with several pre-paid packages available. Kia offers three-, five- and seven-year packages which list for $706, $1351 and $1997 respectively.
Unfortunately Kia doesn’t offer a public charger subscription like many premium brands do at this end of the EV market, though representatives told media it’s working on a “potential supplier” for public and home charging solutions – the former likely for dealers – with announcements to be made next year.
Kia Australia is also looking into a guaranteed future value program to give buyers of such a new and expensive vehicle added peace of mind around residuals when it comes time to trade-in.
The EV9 is being crash tested by Euro NCAP imminently, but at launch there’s no ANCAP or Euro NCAP safety rating.
Kia Australia’s team is firmly aiming for a five-star safety rating though, and the EV9 is equipped with one of the most comprehensive suites of safety features and technology in the brand’s portfolio.
Standard safety features include:
EV9 Earth adds:
EV9 GT-Line adds:
EV9 Air highlights:
Exterior
Interior
Convenience
EV9 Earth adds:
Exterior
Interior
EV9 GT-Line adds:
Exterior
Interior
Convenience
Standard: $NCO
Premium Paint: $990
Matte Paint: $3495*
*Includes ceramic paint protection
MORE: Everything Kia EV9
Take advantage of Australia's BIGGEST new car website to find a great deal on a Kia EV9.
James is an automotive journalist based in Melbourne, Australia. Before joining CarExpert.com.au in 2020, James has worked at leading auto media outlets including Carsales and CarAdvice, as well as at Pulse agency for Ford Australia's communications team. In 2019 James made Mumbrella's 'Top 20 most prolific web authors in Australia' list after publishing 1,360 articles between March 1, 2018 and February 28, 2019 for CarAdvice. James is also an Ambassador for Drive Against Depression – an Australian charity whose mission is to support mental wellness through the freedom of driving and a shared love of cars.
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