Photo: CarPix
Kia is preparing yet another battery-electric crossover, one that is almost as big as the ICE-powered flagship Telluride, and has a longer wheelbase. It will be dubbed the EV9, just like the concept that previewed it at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, and will primarily target American buyers, though it will go on sale in other markets too.
Seen here testing in prototype form on and around the Nurburgring, the 2024 Kia EV9 looks a bit more mature than last year’s study. The face was toned down, featuring a more realistic bumper, and very similar lighting units with integrated LED DRLs.
Save for a few lines here and there, the profile is about the same. Nonetheless, the B pillars are chunkier, for safety reasons, and there are no suicide-opening rear doors anymore, as suggested by the handles mounted in front of the C pillars. Also, the wheel arches have a round shape, and they are filled by a set of five-spoke alloys.
The camouflage on the rear three quarter windows might hide other novelties compared to the show car, and out back, it has similarly-shaped LED taillights, and a clean-looking tailgate. The bumper has a more down-to-earth approach, and this is where the Korean company chose to position the rear license plate holder.
We have yet to catch a glimpse of the interior, but in all likelihood, it will have a less dramatic approach. Also, the prototype featured front bucket seats with Recaro branding in the headrests, and a roll cage, which indirectly tells us that this is an early tester.
Still, the automaker has enough time to make the final adjustments, with the unveiling already confirmed for 2023. The Kia EV9 electric crossover will go on sale in various markets, including North America, Europe, and Asia, as a 2024 model.
Save for a few lines here and there, the profile is about the same. Nonetheless, the B pillars are chunkier, for safety reasons, and there are no suicide-opening rear doors anymore, as suggested by the handles mounted in front of the C pillars. Also, the wheel arches have a round shape, and they are filled by a set of five-spoke alloys.
The camouflage on the rear three quarter windows might hide other novelties compared to the show car, and out back, it has similarly-shaped LED taillights, and a clean-looking tailgate. The bumper has a more down-to-earth approach, and this is where the Korean company chose to position the rear license plate holder.
We have yet to catch a glimpse of the interior, but in all likelihood, it will have a less dramatic approach. Also, the prototype featured front bucket seats with Recaro branding in the headrests, and a roll cage, which indirectly tells us that this is an early tester.
Still, the automaker has enough time to make the final adjustments, with the unveiling already confirmed for 2023. The Kia EV9 electric crossover will go on sale in various markets, including North America, Europe, and Asia, as a 2024 model.
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