I drove Kia's $78,000 EV9 family SUV. It's pricey, but one of the finest EVs money can buy.

• The Kia EV9 is an electric three-row family SUV that's all-new for 2024.
• I was impressed by the EV9's driving dynamics, spacious and high-tech cabin, and striking design.
• Its elevated price tag and a few questionable cabin design choices kept the EV9 from perfection.

The three-row midsize SUV has replaced the minivan and the station wagon as America's preferred form of family transportation.

So it's only natural that carmakers would offer family SUVs in EV form.

Thus far, the three-row electric SUV market has been dominated by premium brands like the Tesla Model X , Rivian R1S , and Mercedes-Benz EQS .

This year, Kia became the first mainstream automotive brand to enter the space with its all-new EV9 SUV.

I recently spent a week behind the wheel of a 2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line SUV on the streets of suburban Atlanta.

I was impressed by the SUV's solid driving dynamics, spacious and tech-laden cabin, and striking looks.

While generally excellent, the EV9's elevated price point, especially compared to capable ICE alternatives, was concerning. In addition, I had some gripes with some interior design choices, such as the climate control screen hidden behind the steering wheel.

My test car came out to $78,430.

The base, rear-wheel-drive 'Light' version starts at $54,900. Those wishing for all-wheel drive will need to upgrade to the mid-tier Wind trim, which starts at $63,900.

My top-of-the-line EV9 GT-Line with AWD starts at $73,900.

Freight fees and optional extras, such as a $2,000 Second Row Relaxation Package, pushed the as-tested price to more than $78,000.

Aesthetically, the EV9's designers were inspired by different elements of nature.

According to Kia, the EV9's look is meant to evoke the looks of a " beautiful sculpture on a rock " with the SUV's wheels and bulging fenders designed to represent a rock in nature.

The EV9's overall front-end design was inspired by a tiger's face.

At the same time, its LED headlights were inspired by a constellation of stars, Kia says.

There are 84 small L-shaped lamps on the front grille between the main headlights that perform configurable dynamic lighting animations when the vehicle is unlocked.

Below the front grille is a set of active air flaps.

The active air flaps automatically open and close to help optimize fuel efficiency and powertrain cooling.

The EV9's rear-end design is highlighted by its striking LED tailight.

The taillights flank the EV9 smart hands-free liftgate, which triggers if you stand within 3 feet of the rear bumper for more than three seconds while possessing the key fob.

My test car had these blacked-out, 21-inch wheels.

The GT-Line wheels consist of a four-spoke wheel with dark silver plastic aero covers.

Base trim EV9s get 19-inch wheels, while the mid-tier models get 20-inch alloys.

The EV9 is comparable in size to the Rivian R1S and its corporate sibling, the Kia Telluride.

The EV9 is half an inch longer than the Telluride but about three inches shorter than the Rivian.

But its 7.8 inches of ground clearance trails both the Telluride and R1S by half an inch and 2 inches , respectively.

The EV9 is built on Hyundai/Kia's Electric-Global Modular Platform or E-GMP.

The EV9 one of a handful of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis branded EVs including the GV60 and Ioniq 5 to share the platform.

Under the EV9's floor, you'll find one of two different lithium-ion battery packs. The base EV9 comes with a 76.1 kWh pack while all other trims are equipped with a 99.8 kWh pack.

My GT-Line test car came equipped with a pair of 189.5-horsepower electric motors, one mounted on each axle, to create a virtual all-wheel-drive system.

The motors come together to produce 379 total system horsepower and 516 lb. ft. of torque.

Kia says the EV9 can charge to 80% in just 24 minutes.

According to Kia, the EV9 can charge from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes using a DC fast charger.

The EV9, like its platform mates, comes equipped with bi-directional charging, too. That means it's able to power small appliances outside of the vehicle.

My GT-Line test car was rated by the EPA for 270 miles of range. However, during my time behind the wheel, I was able to push the vehicle's projected range past the 300-mile mark.

The EV9 delivered solid performance for a large SUV.

The Kia EV9 GT-Line didn't drive quite like a sports car, but it great for 5,800-pound family SUV.

Although a bit numb, the EV9's steering was well weighted and precise.

The EV9's low center of gravity, along with exceptional grip from its all-wheel-drive system and exceptionally wide tires, meant it was surprisingly surefooted in the twisty bits.

The EV9 is fast and powerful, but never felt rushed in its effortless acceleration.

According to Kia, the SUV can do 0-60 mph in 5.0 seconds. However, my experience of testing a few hundred cars tells me that it may be a tad quicker than that.

The EV9's cabin is a thoroughly pleasant place to be.

Kia's designers did a great job curating a quiet and comfortable space with loads of useful storage and charging for mobile devices that's suitable for everyone from families to business executives.

The centerpiece of the dash is a large screen that houses three separate displays.

It's a design that has proliferated the Hyundai/Kia/Genesis family from the Hyundai Santa Fe family SUV to the GV60 EV.

The main infotainment screen is 12.3-inch touch screen running Kia's latest user interface. It was fairly intuitive to use, but some menus took some hunting to find.

There are set of touch-sensitive buttons on the dash immediately below the screen.

The EV9's overall cabin ergonomics are solid, but there were a couple of design choices I found to be questionable.

This is one of them.

While useful, they can be difficult to see and are extremely sensitive. In several instances, the system reacted to inadvertent commands when I accidentally rested my hand on or even momentarily grazed one of the buttons.

Another bad design choice is the placement of the climate control screen.

The five-inch climate control touchscreen is nestled on the dash between the infotainment screen and gauge cluster. While the screen itself is intuitively organized, its location is less than ideal as it's hidden from the driver by the steering wheel.

It's a far reach for those occupying the passenger seat. Even though Kia did place some basic temperature and fan speed controls on the center console, it still doesn't beat the convenience of a centrally located climate control panel.

The last of the three displays, a 12.3 digital gauge cluster.

The digital gauge cluster offers some minimal customizable options, but doesn't offer the type of display variation like maps or multi-media capabilities as other SUVs.

The gauge cluster is also home to the EV9's blind spot view monitor.

The shifter lives next to the steering wheel.

The EV9's shifter is on the right side of the steering column where a traditional ignition key would have lived once upon a time.

The shifter shares the stalk with the EV9's "on" button.

To shift into drive, twist the right end of the stalk forward. Twist it backward to shift into reverse, and press the "P" button at the end of the stalk to put the EV9 into park.

That frees up space in the center console for storage, cupholders, and charging ports.

The EV9's center console is open with lots of configurable storage and charging options.

This includes a pair of Kia's trick cup holders that fold away to create additional general storage when not in use.

The cupholders share the center console with a wireless phone charger and a pair of USB-C plugs.

Above is the center console is a smart rear vision camera.

The system is incredibly useful when the rear cabin of the SUV filled with people or cargo.

The EV9 also has the fanciest driver's seat I've ever come across.

With the leg rest extended and the seat reclined, this is a great place for the driver to recharge with a nap when the EV9 is charging.

On roadtrips, the EV9's driver's seat is equipped with a ergo-motion feature that gently massages you to prevent soreness.

The EV9's second row offers a 42.8 inches of leg room.

That's on par with the Kia Telluride.

But the real party trick is the Second Row VIP Relaxation Package.

The VIP package comes with adjustable leg supports and special "relaxation seats" that create an almost limousine-like experience for passengers.

The captain's chairs come equipped with wing-out headrests that fold like on airplane seats.

The outer edges of the headrest folds to provide additional support, especially when the seat is reclined.

My GT-Line test car came with this optional sunroof.

The smaller front sunroof opens while the larger rear glass roof does not.

The EV9 is equipped with a storage drawer that closes into the back of the center console.

The drawer is perfect for storage place for snacks, books and mobile devices on a road trip.

And a standard third row.

Third row in my test car offered just 29.9 inches in legroom due to the relaxation chairs. Other trims levels get up to 32 inches.

Open the rear liftgate and you'll find 20.2 cubic feet of cargo space.

That's on par with the Telluride.

Fold down the second and third-row seats for additional cargo capacity.

With the third-row seat folded, cargo capacity increases to 43.5 cubic feet. That figure increases to 81.7 cubic feet with the second row also folded.

Under the hood is a small, 1.8 cubic-foot frunk.

The frunk is limited to cargo weighing less than 44 lbs.

The EV9 is equipped with a complete suite of advanced driver assistance and safety tech.

The EV9's standard safety tech includes forward collision avoidance, blindspot collision avoidance assist, driver attention warning, lane keep assist, lane follow assist, rear cross traffic avoidance assist, smart cruise control, rear occupant alert, and navigation-based smart cruise control.

My Verdict: The Kia EV9 is a three-family SUV that can go toe-to-toe with the best in the industry.

The Kia EV9 is a world-class three-row family SUV. And I don't mean for an EV.

It's as good as any three-row family SUV on the market today.

Given the critical and sales success of the Telluride, it should be no surprise that Kia knocked it out of the park with the EV9.

The real sticking point with the EV9 isn't the car itself, which is objectively fantastic.

It's the mental hurdle consumers will have paying nearly $80,000 for the EV9.

Even a barebones base trim EV9's $54,900 is enough to cover the price of a full-loaded Telluride.

I get it.

Those are Mercedes-Benz prices for a Kia.

However, you can't think of it that way. EV SUVs command a price premium, and there's currently nothing else in the segment that starts below $70,000.

So, compared to its peers, the EV9 and its $54,900 starting price are true bargains.

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