2026 Kia EV9

I LOVE this car as a decently affordable, midsize fully electric SUV. Because let’s face it, there’s not a ton out there. I currently have 3 kids in car seats, soon to be 4 and we fit mainly because of the car seat tilt + a rotating car seat to achieve rear facing and still get 3rd row access. So that is a hugeeeee pro. But the con there is that we have to compensate that space somewhere- which comes in the third row. Because I’ll have 2 rear facing in the second row and 2 forward facing in the third, leg room is tight up front. In order to fit the rear facing in the middle and accommodate my kids’ legs in the third row, driver and front passenger cannot be giant people. Also not great trunk space with third row up. BUT because we don’t need gas and we have solar in SoCal, that’s a huge pro of this car. I also think it looks great inside and out and it’s fast!

This car has everything I need as a family of 4. The second row captain’s chairs has ceiling vents and the ability to move seats forward and back from the driver’s screen, which is a game changer when they’re kicking the back of my seat or other kids are climbing into the third row. The third row has 2 seats so kids in boosters can comfortably buckle themselves without struggles. The car zips (because it’s electric) and is very quiet internally and externally. A few complaints from a mom’s perspective: the rear truck doesn’t often open remotely when the car is locked. I am always having to either go to the driver’s side to unlock the vehicle fully or dig for my keys, which isn’t convenient when your hands are full of little hands and a shopping cart at the grocery store. The second row captain’s chair also don’t sit upright (slight recline) when there is a car seat latched. However, I love this car and will be choosing a newer model when our lease is up.

I think the Kia EV9 is one of the most underrated 3-row SUVs in the market for its price. We have the 2024 GT-Line trim, which is both the most performance-oriented trim and have all of the options in terms of luxury. It's not a cheap vehicle (i.e., costs more than a base/decently optioned BMW X5), but for the price, we think it easily has more features and luxury comforts than a car that could be twice as expensive. We have ventilated front AND second row seats (in addition to heated), massage driver's seat, incredible electric vehicle pickup from zero to 60, and also have great second and third row leg room. In fact, the third row easily fits 2 adults (there are only 2 seats), and in default day to day driving, we put our front facing daughter (5 years old) in the third row and rear facing baby (18 months) in the second row in case one parent needs to sit next to him when he's fussy. We tested out multiple cars in the segment (including Rivian R1S, other 3 row SUVs that weren't quite as big as the full size SUV line up), and the Kia EV9 felt like it had the best second row and third row leg room without compromise on luxury. The only downside is that the turning radius feels a bit more sluggish than cars of similar size, but this is a relatively small gripe. We truly think this is the perfect car for our family, and if you're in the market for a 3 row SUV, think this is the perfect mix of features for the price.

This is the ultimate mom car. With captains chairs in the second row and descent sized seats in the third row, everyone fits. My 8 year old easily accesses and sits in the third row in a booster, the 100lb dog fits next to her. My 4 year old sits in a car seat in one of the captains chairs in the second row and my 5 month old’s rear facing car seat fits easily behind the driver’s seat. All with room for backpacks on the floor near the kids, plenty of c charger outlets for the iPads on longer drives. Driver has a massage seat (I do wish the passenger did as well) and the stroller fits in the rear. The built in sunshades for the second row seats are a must with kids. The 300 mile range is great. I feel the safest I ever have in a car driving this one and aesthetically, it’s sleek and sporty.

Love this car as a driver. It is so incredibly comfortable. Handles well. A very smooth drive. Has real pep to it when you need it. Technology is fantastic. Interior finishes are top notch. We went with top trim “GT Line” and wow what an incredible value, let alone for 3 row EV!. Truly luxury feeling at a Kia price tag. Space wise…It’s def not a full size SUV or minivan but, I think it’s very competitive with other three row SUVs. Very pleased with our car seat set up though - RF Graco 4ever behind driver with plenty of clearance and enough space for a FF Diono Radian in the 3rd row driver side behind it. We have oldest in a Diono Cambria HBB in thr 2nd row behind the passenger. With third row up, we can fit a stroller fine — though admittedly not much else. The frunk is pretty useless as far as meaningful storage goes. For third row, I would not try to deal with anyone rear facing or a younger forward facing child that couldn’t assist with buckling a five-pt harness. I’m 5’6” and can fit back there comfortably with 2nd row seat halfway back. My biggest gripe is the cup holders in the GT Line. They’re the spinning/pop-out ones, my water bottle/tumbler always rattles, and they’re offset rather than next to each other which feels like wasted space.

We love this car for our family of 5. We’ve been able to use the 3rd row which has been great and surprisingly roomy. The one downside of the car is that there’s a lot of rattling. We’ve had it serviced many times but this continues.

We are so happy with our EV9. It doesn't feel like I'm driving a giant car, but I have SO much room. We get great miles on a charge for the size of the car.

If you’re in the market for a spacious, 3rd row EV, the EV9 won me over! With Captain’s Chairs, it’s so easy to navigate and use both 2nd and 3rd rows for cargo, carpool with extra friends or family in town. The EV range is fantastic and it drives intuitively like a car. Substantial trunk space even with 3rd row up, and appreciate the overhead vents. Compatible with Tesla charging stations and gets better mileage than my former Audi E-Tron Q4. Feels like such an upgrade with space while still being mid size and appreciate the various safety driving features like lane assist. Overall this car won us over and it was an easy choice compared to other hybrid and EV models.