Kia EV9

[osu1991]

I had been wanting to get an EV for a couple of years but really couldn't justify it as my Yukon was nearly new and had only 50k miles. Last year we moved my mother into my home and she was having trouble getting into the Yukon, so I decided it was a good time to a vehicle a little easier to get into. The EV 9 had just recently hit dealer lots a little earlier in 2024 and I had been watching them. So in 3 weeks it will have been a year since I got my 2024 Kia EV 9 Light Long Range.

I really enjoy driving it. It's nearly the same size as my 2017 GMC Yukon. I think the Kia has more interior room. It definitely has more rear leg room for the 2nd and 3rd row. It's not the fastest EV out there, but it has plenty of power for normal day to day driving. Made several trips to the lake house this summer. That's usually my longest regular trip. Its 198 miles round trip and the EV9 does that easily even driving 85-90mph on the interstate. Usually charge up to 100% the night before and get back with 20-25% remaining depending on how fast I drive. It was raining and I drove closer to 75mph a few weeks ago and got back with 26%, but was at 20% last week after driving 90mph on a sunny 90F day. Overall I average 2.6m/kWh. Feature wise it's a step up from my 2017 GMC Yukon , which is a nice vehicle but I really hate having to drive it much anymore. The Emporia EVSE in my garage knows my electric rate and logs all the charging. It's been costing me an avg of $20 a month to drive 700-800 miles a month. Less for the year than what it cost me just to change the oil and service the Yukon a couple of weeks ago.

I wouldn't want to go back to a combustion vehicle. The driving experience is just so much better with the EV.

Picture is from the day I picked it up the first week of Nov 2024.

 

[meStevo]

Yeah, my registration is up for renewal, hitting 1 year of 3 on my lease, at about 5700 miles on my 2024 LLR. I moved on from our Model Y and it's joke of a 3rd row and into my EV9 and it's been fantastic for my family of 6. I'll have to post more later when I have some time.


View: https://www.threads.com/@me.stevo/post/DAruDbXSCBf?xmt=AQF0295nFl-8ogKq_W9TTF3X9PJxzMdU7u-I5eBHeWi49IU


Have you had to take it in for service at all? I've have had my 12v battery fail and need to have my head end unit looked at and either software or the infotainment screen replaced. Had one other time w/ service where it wouldn't charge, and turned out it was just my free Electrify America stuff expiring and their app wasn't communicating well to me that it couldn't authorize my card or something . Those days are long gone now, as I finally got a plug put in the garage, and am using my old Tesla mobile charger w/ an adapter to charge to 80% every Tuesday night when my wife goes to work an overnight shift. I'm usually around 40% by then after a week of transporting the kids here and there and a few trips across the valley to see mom or my friends.

 

[navychop]

Haven't they moved to the NACS adapter yet?

 

[meStevo]

Haven't they moved to the NACS adapter yet?

Current models are NACS, osu1991 and I both have a 2024, which was still J1772.

 

[navychop]

I wonder if there's any major carmaker that hasn't announced a move to NACS.

 

[osu1991]

Yeah, my registration is up for renewal, hitting 1 year of 3 on my lease, at about 5700 miles on my 2024 LLR. I moved on from our Model Y and it's joke of a 3rd row and into my EV9 and it's been fantastic for my family of 6. I'll have to post more later when I have some time.


View: https://www.threads.com/@me.stevo/post/DAruDbXSCBf?xmt=AQF0295nFl-8ogKq_W9TTF3X9PJxzMdU7u-I5eBHeWi49IU


Have you had to take it in for service at all? I've have had my 12v battery fail and need to have my head end unit looked at and either software or the infotainment screen replaced. Had one other time w/ service where it wouldn't charge, and turned out it was just my free Electrify America stuff expiring and their app wasn't communicating well to me that it couldn't authorize my card or something . Those days are long gone now, as I finally got a plug put in the garage, and am using my old Tesla mobile charger w/ an adapter to charge to 80% every Tuesday night when my wife goes to work an overnight shift. I'm usually around 40% by then after a week of transporting the kids here and there and a few trips across the valley to see mom or my friends.

I just passed 8100 miles this weekend and next week will be the one year mark since I leased it. I haven't had to take it in for any service problems. I did run over something at around 5500 miles and had a small puncture in one of the tires. My lease included tire warranty, so I took it back to the dealer. They had already ordered a new tire after I called in, but it ended up being a small puncture in the middle of the tire so they were able to fix it and rotate the tires while it was there.

About the only problem I've had is since updating my iPhone 16 Pro to iOS26 that carplay doesn't always automatically start playing my youtube music when I get back in the vehicle after shutting it off. Sometimes it does, other times I have to reselect youtube music and click play or even click a new mix or playlist to start.

My 2 yr lease will be up November 4, 2026. Have to look at prices late next summer and decide if I want to buy it out or lease another.

 

[navychop]

Might want to consider a newer model with NACS. Might make life easier.

 

[meStevo]

My 2 yr lease will be up November 4, 2026. Have to look at prices late next summer and decide if I want to buy it out or lease another.

You're in better shape than me then, my residual is like $33k and I'm not convinced it'll be worth that / much more in 2 more years. We'll see if there's a bit of a bounce w/ the EV credit going away though. My Model Y was down over 50% in 18 months . Basically ate the obscene amount I made giving my Durango to Carvana during COVID to get out from under that - broke even and reduced my monthly out of pocket to own an EV by over $200/mo.

I love it though, I'll keep it if it makes sense. My first lease. My wife's friend was my lease sherpa, they've flipped leases their entire adult life... but we'll see if I got in at the wrong time to do it - new model, changes in economy/policy, etc. A problem for another day.

 

[navychop]

I suspect CCS1 models of every brand will be less sought after, and therefore less valuable, each passing year.

 

[Ronnie-]

Might want to consider a newer model with NACS. Might make life easier.

While everything is moving that way, I cant see how it would necessarily make anything easier, or enough to trade a perfectly good late model ev just to get it.

Adapters are pretty easy and simple to apply, and there are still a heap of fast chargers out there that arent NACS for those that dont want to use the supercharger network for whatever reason.

 

[navychop]

Value analysis. Only you can decide if the decreased market value is offset by other factors- for you.

8 track tapes and players crashed pretty much overnight. Yet some still exist.

 

[osu1991]

Might want to consider a newer model with NACS. Might make life easier.

That's not really needed yet. I've only DCFC once, just to try it out and use some of the 1000 kWh free charging I got from EA with the lease. EA just put in 2 new stations in the Tulsa metro in the last year or so. One on the west side of the metro and one on the east side. The east side one is currently down being upgraded to their latest equipment. They are both 6 miles from me in each direction, so convienent to hit if needed.

Tesla just put in 2 more supercharger locations in the Tulsa metro in the last 6 weeks, so we have 4 now, but outside Tulsa and OKC and along the interstates, there isn't much Tesla infrastructure to use. Much more CCS than nacs as we have crappy Francis Energy chargers in many places, along with some EA, Chargepoint and some misc branded chargers from the electric co-ops and some forward thinking businesses.

WalMart has started adding some of their new chargers to stores in Oklahoma along with a couple of Ionna and GM Energy/EvGo sites. I think those all have dual ports to support ccs or nacs.

 

[osu1991]

My buyout is $35k for next November. I may just lease another EV9. Only other things that currently interests me is the Lucid Gravity and that's more than I care to spend for as little as I drive now.

 

[Foxbat]

The platform mate from Hyundai, the Ionic 9, might be a little more efficient (EPA AWD 38 kWh/100 mi, or 2.6 mi/kWh) with smoother aerodynamics. The price should be similar to the Kia EV9.

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/vehicles/ioniq-9

 

[osu1991]

The platform mate from Hyundai, the Ionic 9, might be a little more efficient with smoother aerodynamics. The price should be similar to the Kia EV9.

View attachment 186747

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/vehicles/ioniq-9

(tee-hee! it's like the Universe wants me to get one!)
View attachment 186748​

Maybe next year the prices will be closer. If doing it today, Hyundai isn't dealing on the Ioniq 9 much as it's a new model. Kia still has some pretty good discounts on the EV9. Personally in terms of looks, I like the EV9 better, but either one will suit my needs.

 

[Foxbat]

Maybe next year the prices will be closer. If doing it today, Hyundai isn't dealing on the Ioniq 9 much as it's a new model. Kia still has some pretty good discounts on the EV9. Personally in terms of looks, I like the EV9 better, but either one will suit my needs.

The dealers will determine the price you pay, and since the Ionic 9 is the "Shiny New" on the lot, can command a higher price. And like you said, some will like the more practical styling of the EV9 over the swoopier Ionic 9 which probably cuts down on the interior storage (I haven't compared the two).

We're past the 3-row form factor stage so I have my eye on the EV5, but that probably won't be coming to the U.S. market except as a Canadian used car.

 

[osu1991]

I started to just get an EV6 but the newer infotainment system in the ev9 and I prefer the 2nd row captain chairs pushed me there. I don't really need the 3rd row. It might get used if I'm at the lake and we decide to go out and have the niece and nephew. It's easier to put my moms wheel chair in the back of the ev9 too when we take her somewhere.