2025 Best Overall SUV: Kia EV9

The 2025 Kia EV9 has been voted as the Best Overall SUV in the AutoTrader Awards by a jury of over 20 automotive experts, marking the first time an electric vehicle has won this coveted prize. This futuristic three-row SUV was also voted as the Best Mainstream EV and Best Overall Green Vehicle, a huge feat for a brand-new model in a competitive segment that’s ever-expanding. For an SUV to win this category, it has to be better than every other model in this segment, no matter the powertrain. The EV9 is impressive, not just as an electric vehicle but as a vehicle, period. It raises the bar and makes it an SUV our experts can confidently recommend.

As a three-row family hauler, the EV9 excels, helped in no small part by the packaging advantages of an electric architecture. Its flat floor and lack of a space-hogging internal combustion engine or a bulky transmission means this Kia can make the most of its large footprint. The wheels are pushed out much farther than in a gas-powered three-row SUV, easing access to the third row. Outward visibility is excellent, and second-row space is generous. Even the third row is viable for adults thanks to the EV9’s low, flat floor.

Behind the third row is a usable 583 litres of cargo space, expandable to a cavernous 1,233 L with the seatbacks folded. There is also a useful frunk (front trunk) that adds 52 litres of storage space in the all-wheel drive (AWD) model or 90 litres in the rear-wheel drive (RWD) model, and when properly equipped, the EV9 will tow up to 2,266 kg (5,000 lb). The big Kia checks all the boxes when it comes to what families need from a full-size three-row SUV.

And what’s not to like about the Kia EV9’s rugged stance and edgy futuristic styling? If you want to make a statement at the school dropoff lane, this lengthy electron-eating Kia has your back. 

Inside, the EV9 continues Kia’s tradition of sensible ergonomics paired with fine build quality. It’s family-friendly and functional, and we certainly appreciate the physical controls for heating and ventilation that go along with the 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and its logical menu structure. A well-rounded suite of advanced safety and driver-assistance features is included in every version of the EV9.

Despite its considerable mass, the Kia EV9 is quick and proves to be a competent handler, showing an impressive blend of ride compliance and body control. The steering also has a nice heft and natural feel. This big electric SUV effortlessly glides down the road with the kind of composure, quiet, and calm that can only be a blessing while driving through today’s hectic traffic. Both parents and kids will get a thrill from the EV9’s sport mode and the AWD model’s 379 horsepower and instant 516 lb-ft of torque. The two rear-drive models temper forward progress with a more modest 215 hp and 258 lb-ft but offer up affordability and the most range (489 km) when RWD is paired with the larger battery pack.

Range and charging are always top of mind for those considering a fully electric vehicle, and with its 800-volt architecture, the EV9 is one of the fastest-charging EVs on the market. Hooking up to a high-powered DC charger means it can make the benchmark jump from 10 to 80 per cent in about 20 minutes. Range is also generous. I drove a dual-motor AWD Kia EV9 for a week in the summer, and after a few days of leisurely driving up north, a full charge indicated 535 km of range, which it was on track to deliver under these ideal conditions.

With a starting price of just under $60,000 for the nicely equipped base rear-drive model, Kia is not asking families to break the bank to get into their electric three-row SUV, although adding $20,000 to that will net an AWD model with all the bells, whistles, and luxury trappings one could ask for. There’s really something for everybody.

AutoTrader’s Road Test Editor Dan Ilika wraps it up nicely: “Families in need of space for people and their stuff have an emissions-free alternative that fits the bill. The EV9 also happens to deliver the sort of special experience we’ve come to expect from EVs while feeling every bit as functional as a sport utility like it should.”