First look Hyundai Ioniq 9 prototype: Seven-seat electric SUV set to be a smash hit
New seven-seat SUV takes everything its sister car, the Kia EV9, does and does it better. It’ll be on sale in late 2025, but we’ve driven an early prototype
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Hyundai’s range-topping Ioniq 9 EV moves the brand further upmarket with its poshest, most stylish model yet. It fulfils the brief of a seven-seat all-electric SUV better than any other – including the Kia EV9, with which it shares much of its tech. The battery is bigger for starters, 110kWh for the Hyundai versus the Kia’s 100kWh, meaning the range is slightly better at 385 miles rather than the Kia’s 349 miles.
Although we’re still some way off the UK launch of the Ioniq 9 and some of the figures are still to be confirmed, there are early whispers that the pricing may well be below the Kia’s giving it another advantage. Outside of the family, the Ioniq 9’s biggest rival is likely to be the Volvo EX90, which is considerably more expensive still – starting at over £96,000.
Our drive of an Ioniq 9 prototype reveals a car that drives really nicely, feeling comfortable over bumps – and Korean roads aren’t that different to those in the UK – as well as being super-quiet inside thanks to the double-glazed windows of our test car.
You can decide whether you prefer the looks of the Ioniq 9 to the Kia EV9, but despite the roofline sloping down towards the back on the Hyundai, there’s still decent headroom in row three, while the middle row will slide to free up more legroom if needed. With deep windows it feels spacious and airy, with good visibility for the driver, too.
We’ve no doubt when the Ioniq 9 goes on sale at the end of the year, Hyundai will have another Ioniq hit on their hands.
How we test
We got behind the wheel of the Ioniq 9 prototype on a secret test based at Hyundai’s HQ in Namyang, South Korea. As well as driving around the company’s R&D base, we also drove on local roads around town and on the motorway. We also managed to crawl all over the Ioniq 9 at the car’s reveal in Los Angeles at the end of last year.
Hyundai Ioniq 9: From £65,000 (estimated), Hyundai.com
Independent rating: 9/10
- Pros: Long range, ride comfort, interior space, advanced tech
- Cons: Not on sale until late 2025
- Price range: £65,000 to £80,000 (estimated)
- Battery size: 110 kWh
- Range: 385 miles
- Miles per kWh: TBC
- Maximum charge rate: 250 kW (estimated)
Battery, range, charging and performance
The 110kWh battery in the Hyundai Ioniq 9 is bigger than that in the Kia EV9 meaning it’ll go further – Hyundai is claiming a range of 385 miles for the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive model. Our Long Range All-Wheel Drive car with its twin motors – one on the front axle and one on the back – would probably cut that slightly, while the third model expected is a Performance All-Wheel Drive car with higher powered motors that may cut the range a bit further, but are expected to give that Ioniq 9 a 0-62mph time of 5.2 seconds.
There’s no news yet on charging speeds or times for the Ioniq 9, but as the car uses Hyundai’s E-GMP platform with its 800-volt technology, we’d expect charging speeds up in the region of 250kW – the latest Kia EV6 uses the same tech and manages 258kW. We’d expect a 10 to 80 per cent charge in an Ioniq 9 to take a little over 20 minutes. Hyundai has confirmed that the car will have V2L (Vehicle to Load) tech that lets you power appliances from a three-pin socking in the car.
We were impressed with the feel of the Ioniq 9 prototype on the road in our test in South Korea where it felt really comfortable over the bumps – more so than an EV9 – while the acceleration was smooth and swift. Our car rode on the biggest 21-inch wheels, too, although 19- and 20-inch versions will be available, too.
The level of refinement inside the car was very good, thanks to double-glazed windows, tyres with foam inside for sound deadening and an active noise cancelling system on board, too.
The steering felt accurate and nicely weighted to balance the feeling of control on the move and manoeuvrability around car parks. The car does feel big, but visibility out – plus the help of numerous cameras that can inside digital side mirrors with seven-inch screens just inside the doors – makes parking relatively easy.
There’s also clever tech underneath the car – Hyundai calls it a Chassis Domain Control Unit – that uses torque vectoring to improve handling (although this isn’t a sports car), while there’s also Lateral Wind Stability Control to to improve high-speed stability. In our experience, the car would lean if you pushed it hard through corners, which you’re unlikely to do anyway with the family on board.
Our car had eco, normal, sport, snow and me (for personalisation) driving modes, while there’s also an Auto Terrain Mode that uses AI to recognise the road surface and select the perfect driving mode.
Interior, practicality and boot space
Hyundai’s design team has done a great job of disguising the Ioniq 9’s size from the outside – it’s actually marginally bigger than the Kia EV9 but doesn’t look it. The ‘coke bottle’ rear end narrows towards the back, yet the third row of seats still feel really spacious with enough leg and head room for adults to sit in reasonable comfort. Deep windows enhance the feeling of spaciousness inside.
We’re not sure many will go for the optional swivelling seats in row two – not least because the Ioniq 9 then becomes a six seater – but everyone will be impressed by the quality of the materials used throughout the cabin, most with a strong sustainability story, while there are numerous storage spaces for everyone. There’s even a novel Universal Island – a sliding storage unit with 18.2 litres of space inside that can move back and forwards so those in the front or second row can use it.
The rear door opens usefully wide and high to allow excellent access to the boot with an impressive 620 litres of space when all three rows of seats are in use. Fold the third row and that increases to 1.323 litres, while there’s an added 88 litres of space under the bonnet in the frunk.
Technology, stereo and infotainment
Although the dashboard was covered for our prototype drive, we did get a chance to see the cabin in all its glory at the reveal event in Los Angeles. As with the other Ioniq models, there are twin 12-inch displays perfectly joined and curving around the driver – one is for driver information, the other for infotainment.
We were delighted to spot on our drive that there were physical buttons, too, with separate controls for heating and ventilation rather than relying on the touchscreen for everything – there are even heating controls for those in the back.
We’re told that software-over-the-air updates will keep everything current, while Features on Demand (FoD) will mean you can buy additional gadgets like lighting effects and content streaming. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Andoid Auto should be standard, as is wireless phone charging, plus myriad USB sockets dotted around the car.
We didn’t get to test out the audio system, but it’s supplied by Bose and is also used to power the car’s noise cancellation feature that makes the interior so quiet.
Prices and running costs
The Hyundai Ioniq 9 won’t make it into UK showrooms until well into the second half of 2029, so we’re some way off final prices and specifications being revealed. However, whispers coming out of Hyundai suggest that the Ioniq 9 could well slightly undercut the Kia EV9 with prices starting at around £65,000 going up to close to £80,000 for the Performance version.
Our experience of the EV9, plus other Hyundai and Kia models, suggest that the range claims for the Ioniq 9 should be fairly achievable – Hyundai and Kia cars tend to predict ranges reasonably accurately.
Hyundai Ioniq 9 rivals:
FAQs
How does Hyundai Ioniq 9 compare to the Kia EV6?
The Ioniq 9 and EV6 both share the same E-GMP platform. This means they use the same 800-volt electrical system and plenty of other bits, but the Hyundai gets a larger battery with more range and lots of other technical updates that will probably make their way through to the Kia EV9 when that car is updated probably in 2026. The Hyundai is actually slightly longer than the Kia, although it doesn’t look it. It’s expected that the Ioniq 9 will get a price advantage over the EV9 when it goes on sale later this year.
How much does it cost - is it worth it?
Prices haven’t been released yet, but we expect the Ioniq 9 to slightly undercut the Kia EV9 with starting prices around £65,000 to £80,000.
Does Hyundai replace batteries for free?
As with all EVs, the Ioniq 9 battery will be covered for eight years and 100,000 miles, while Hyundai still has its impressive five-year warranty on the car as a whole.
The verdict: Hyundai Ioniq 9
The Ioniq 9 feels like an EV9 with the benefit of hindsight – which is exactly what it is. So it feels slightly more comfortable on the road, will go further on a charge, is every bit as premium and – crucially – could be set to undercut its Kia cousin. It has got plenty of space for seven and their luggage on board, and we really liked the way the car drove – it’s impressively quiet and rode over the bumps on our test route really well. Judging by our early experience driving the prototype Ioniq 9, when we finally get to drive a production version in the UK, we wouldn’t be surprised if it became one of our favourite electric cars.
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