Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. Features

The Kia EV9 is the template for a modern car interior — here’s why

By
Kia EV9 GT-Line Three Quarters
Christian de Looper / Digital Trends

Carmakers are in the process of reinventing the wheel. While some companies are simply slapping an electric powertrain in an existing chassis and calling it a day, the majority of companies are taking the transition to electrified as an opportunity to redesign their lineups completely — both outside and in. Just look at the EV6, a car that would be impossible to imagine in Kia’s lineup just five years ago.

But while the fresh and new exterior designs are fun to look at, it’s the interior that really impacts the driving experience. And while plenty of companies are making great changes to their car interiors, in my opinion, there’s no carmaker that has created a better experience than Kia with the new EV9.

And other companies should be taking notice.

Recommended Videos

Wireless connectivity, wired charging

The Kia EV9 finally offers wireless CarPlay, making it one of Hyundai Motor Group’s first EVs to support wireless connectivity. That means that you can get in, plop your phone down on the wireless charging pad that’s easily accessible, and drive away. No messing around with cables if you don’t want to.

Kia EV9 GT-Line Cupholders
Christian de Looper / Digital Trends

If you do want to charge with a cable, though, there are plenty of places you can do so in the EV9. There are two USB-C ports at the front of the car, with one of them offering a button that toggles between charging and data connectivity. And there are more USB-C ports for second and third-row passengers. There are enough ports in the car for every occupant to charge at least one device if they choose.

Related

Considering the fact that this is a family car that could potentially go on road trips, touches like this are hugely helpful. If that weren’t enough, second-row passengers have access to a large storage bin that doubles as a small table, and there are cupholders for every passenger, at least in the higher-end configuration that offers second-row captain’s chairs instead of a bench seat.

Keeping things comfortable

Comfort is one area where plenty of companies have gotten things right, but it’s also perhaps the most important aspect of a car’s interior. The great experience of driving the Kia EV9 starts with comfortable seats that are easy to sit in for hours on end without issue.

Kia EV9 GT-Line Controls
Christian de Looper / Digital Trends

The seats in the Kia EV9 are plush and padded, with good lumbar support and easy adjustability. Front seat heating and cooling are standard and also available in the second-row captain’s seats, depending on the trim you get. There are three climate zones as standard, and the second-row passengers can control that third zone.

The climate controls at the front of the car are intuitive, too. Unlike Kia’s EV6, the EV9 has some physical climate controls. It has a dedicated display for climate controls, which is unfortunately a little blocked behind the steering wheel. However, there are paddles in easy reach of both the driver and passenger to control temperature and fan speed quickly and easily — meaning you only have to use that display for more advanced controls. I love this system — it means that you can always see what fans are in use and make quick adjustments without having to poke around on a display.

A template

None of this is radically new or different. Kia hasn’t invented any crazy new technology or fundamentally changed what makes a great car interior. Instead, it has simply pulled together all the key details into a cabin that’s comfortable and pleasant to be in. Carmakers can replicate this, and they don’t have to build an SUV to do it. All of this really boils down to ensuring that climate controls are intuitive and there are features like cupholders and USB-C ports for charging in the back. Sure, with more space, additional features like storage bins and lots of legroom come in handy, too — but at this point, there’s really no excuse not to include modern tech in a car interior.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper
Contributor
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
I review EVs for a living. Here’s the one I’m waiting to buy
Kia EV 9

Electric SUVs don't come cheap. Sure, there are some decent options out there, but for anyone who wants something larger than a midsize crossover like the Tesla Model Y or Kia EV6, you're looking at spending some serious change. But there's one EV that will be here soon, and it could finally breathe life into the accessible electric SUV space -- the Kia EV9.

After a flashy concept, over a year of rumors, and finally, more public details, the Kia EV9 is finally on the way. And while it won't be the best EV of the year, it's certainly the one I'm most excited about. In fact, once it's released, it could be the car that I eventually buy, after holding out on an EV to date.
A true SUV
As mentioned, there are plenty of excellent electric SUVs out there -- if you're flexible with your definition. Many vehicles are often called SUVs, but are actually closer in size to crossovers. The best of these include the Tesla Model Y, the Kia EV6, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E. At the upper end, you'll also find cars like the Tesla Model X and Mercedes EQS SUV.

Read more
Kia makes one of the best car infotainment systems out there. Here’s why it works
2022 kia ev6 first drive review frist 15

Let's be honest -- the infotainment system in your car probably sucks. Built-in car infotainment systems are notoriously slow, unresponsive, and confusing. That's given rise to systems like CarPlay and Android Auto, which essentially act as projections of your phone, allowing you to play your music, access maps, and more, without the need to navigate your car's own software. I hope those continue to grow in popularity and in how widely they're supported -- but until then, Kia and Hyundai actually have a decent infotainment system on their hands.

Now, carmakers seem to be terrible at naming their infotainment systems and the different iterations of those infotainment systems, and there's little about what they're naming their latest offering. Because of Kia and Hyundai's ties, they share much of the same technology -- and that extends to the infotainment system, though their separate options have a different color scheme and overall skin. But regardless of which company's car you use it in, the infotainment system built into Kia and Hyundai's most high-tech EVs (not their older cars and many of their non-EVs) is actually setting a high bar for how these systems should work.
Very phone-like
Perhaps much of what I like about this infotainment system stems from the fact that the experience of using is quite similar to that of using a phone. The home screen, which shows when you turn on the car, isn't all that interesting beyond showing a few bits of information, but, swipe right, and you'll straight to a grid of what looks a whole lot like apps. From these icons, you'll be able to dive straight into different settings, your maps, and more.

Read more
Kia EV6 vs. Niro EV: Why you’re better off paying more
A front three-quarter view of a white Kia Niro EV.

For the past year, the Kia EV6 has been making headline after headline, thanks to its stylish design, competitive price, spacious cabin, and superfast charging. That's been the case to the point that Kia's other EV efforts have been perhaps a little ... buried. But the company is far from stepping back from its EV efforts. It's developing new products to build out the EV line like the upcoming EV9. And it's transitioning its current lineup to at least offer an EV option -- which is exactly where the 2023 Kia Niro EV comes in.

The Niro EV is in a bit of a weird spot, thanks in large part to the EV6 itself. They're both crossover EVs that occupy a similar spot in terms of pricing, and much of the same technology in terms of infotainment and driver-assist. And because of the fact that they're both Kia EV crossovers, you might assume that it's worth saving a few grand on the Niro EV over the EV6.

Read more