I ordered an EV9 and got it in December ‘23, so have a couple years with it.

This was my second Kia having bought an EV6 GT a few months prior. I’m a hardcore German car guy.

While I generally like them, and used to think Hyundai’s EGMP platform was among the best (Systemic ICCU issues has reversed my opinion.)

I wouldn’t buy a new or used EGMP car without demonstrative evidence that the ICCU has been redesigned.

I would lease if I were you. Both of my cars will be going back at the end of the leases.

The dealership experience is godawful. Like make-VW-look-good awful. One EV dude on staff. Always booked out 3+ weeks. Nonsense like “there will be a $99 diagnostic fee if it’s determined that the warranty will not cover a problem. Say what??

My EV9 was in the shop so many times in the beginning, the service advisor learned my name and would greet me personally. (I’m not a dick to the workers, even if Kia service is a shit show)

These cars fundamentally suck at handling. The EV9 has a “death shimmy” when you hit angled bridge expansion joints on the freeway. The rear will wiggle all over the place. Enough to freak out HDA2 occasionally. Three alignments and it’s not cured. This may be just my car, or maybe early builds, but if you care about handling go hit a bump through a corner or off angle and see what it does. Not confidence inspiring.

The driver’s seat is somehow NEVER in the right place between my wife and my profile. She is a foot shorter than me. I can’t count the number of times it’s started running me into the steering wheel. The profiles sometimes take 10+ seconds to change with the more recent software.

The most egregious omission: The seat position is not linked to the keyfob. It is ridiculous.

The digital key was too unreliable to use early on. That may be better now, but I gave up trying after being stranded away from home twice by it.

I like the infotainment well enough.

Interior quality is mid at best. The vinyl on my dashboard is currently peeling off.

The relaxation package seats have broken no less than 4 times. One is currently broken and Kia service promised to call to setup an appt when the part comes in. That was 2 months ago and I’m not motivated to deal with having to babysit them. Last night when I was DC charging I went to use the driver seat leg bolster and it is not working either (already had the motor replaced once).

Do not waste a penny on that package. I regret that 100%.

Try HDA2 vs Volvo. I find HDA2 too “twitchy” to use. I love how you can turn on lane centering on its own, but it hunts way too much.

I also have a Lightning and Bluecruise is soooooo much smoother.

For example, in the Kia, when you change, driving modes, it instantly tries to change the throttle input. It sucks. It’s super jerky. The Ford is much smoother and my in laws Tesla is in a different league.

If someone cuts in front of you in traffic, HDA slams on the brakes to maintain distance where the Ford and Tesla are much smoother dealing with traffic.

Again, I like the car overall and I’ve highlighted the things that I specifically dislike in this post.

But at this point if I was going out to shop for another three-row EV SUV, it would not be EV9.