- Hyundai unveils Ioniq 9
- Electric SUV set to arrive second half 2025
- Rival to the Kia EV9
- Estimated 385-mile range and 800V EV architecture
- Full UK specs and price still to be confirmed
This is the ‘game-changing’ new Hyundai Ioniq 9 - and the electric SUV will arrive later this year to rival the award-winning Kia EV9.
In case you weren’t aware, Hyundai and Kia are inextricably linked, with Kia’s parent company being the Hyundai Motor Company.
The incoming Ioniq 9 is, then, very much a companion car to the Kia EV9, which arrived in the UK early last year.
And with the EV9 having been named World Car of the Year 2024, the Ioniq 9 will need to be impress if it’s going to outshine its Korean cousin.
Like the EV9, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 is a three-row, six or seven-seater with room for the extended family. You still get a massive 620-litre boot even with all of the seats in place.
There are three main versions; Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range All-Wheel Drive, and Performance All-wheel Drive.
All models will come equipped with a 110.3 kWh battery, which is slightly larger than the 99.8 kWh unit you get in the Kia EV9. As such, the Ioniq 9’s range will max-out at around 385 miles (for the Long Range RWD variant) while the EV9 will journey for up to 349 miles before you need to stop and plug it in.
And, like the Kia EV9, the Ioniq 9 will also be rapid enough to startle some sports car drivers, with Performance AWD variants capable of accelerating from 0-62 mph in 5.2 seconds.
Modern 800-volt EV architecture and 350 kW public charging capabilities means you’ll be able to restore the energy in the battery from 10-80% in just 24 minutes. Vehicle-to-load (V2L) skills are equipped as standard.
A new dual-motion active air flap (AAF) system has been applied for the first time, designed to enhance aerodynamic efficiency by allowing cooling air for the drive system and battery to flow through only when necessary. When this level of cooling is not required, the flaps close to minimize air resistance.
Where the Hyundai Ioniq 9 might also differ from the Kia EV9 is in how plush the cabin is. The EV9’s interior is built to stand up to the rigours of having kids dropping their ice creams in the back while the family dog clambers across the seats.
The Ioniq 9, meanwhile, will have a ‘premium, high-quality and beautifully executed cabin that provides a spacious, airy feeling’, Hyundai tells us.
There’s a panoramic roof, relaxation seats with massage function, and the seats also swivel to create a ‘lounge-like’ atmosphere when you’re parked up. A secondary climate control system has been introduced for the second and third rows, which operates independently for front and rear seating areas, and helps to maximise interior space.
Specially honed EV suspension combines a MacPherson multi-link front and multi-link rear setup, self-leveling dampers and hydro-bushing that improves ride quality and comfort.
Triple door seals, acoustic glass, sound-absorbing tyres and Active Noise Control-Road (ANC-R) technology also bring you a cabin that’s a ‘haven of tranquility’.
The Hyundai Ioniq 9 will come fully-loaded with safety tech, including forward collision avoidance, lane keep assist, blind spot collision avoidance and safe exit warning.
We’ll bring you UK pricing and spec when we get it.
Besides the Kia EV9, other rivals to the Hyundai Ioniq 9 will include the Volvo EX90, Audi Q8 e-tron and BMW iX.
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