- Meet the Hyundai Ioniq 9, the model’s first three-row electrical SUV.
- It targets as much as 335 miles of EPA vary and can come from the manufacturing facility with Tesla’s NACS plug design.
- It goes on sale early subsequent 12 months, however its value remains to be TBD.
When you’ve been trying to find an electrical three-row SUV however by no means beloved any of the alternatives obtainable, you’re not alone. The Rivian R1S and Tesla Mannequin X have their compromises, and whereas we love the Kia EV9, some selection can be good too.
The state of affairs is bettering, thanks once more to the Hyundai Motor Group. Following the house run it scored with the EV9, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 makes its debut as the most recent and largest addition to its acclaimed Ioniq household of EVs.
Picture by: Hyundai
The Ioniq 9 builds on what makes its smaller siblings nice: lengthy ranges, quick charging and head-turning design. It’s simply all in a much bigger package deal that, for higher or worse, American households more and more crave.
And it is greater than only a re-badged and re-bodied EV9 this time. It beats the EV9 on vary and even comes with the Tesla-style North American Charging Normal (NACS) plug proper out of the gate, so it will be prepared to make use of the hundreds of Supercharger stations on the market on the following household street journey.
The Fundamentals
First got here the Ioniq 5 as a compact crossover aimed on the Tesla Mannequin Y. Then Hyundai launched the Ioniq 6, a streamlined sedan with epic effectivity and vary. Hyundai’s third U.S.-market EV on its fashionable E-GMP platform is the Ioniq 9. It presents as much as seven seats and is an electrical various to the Hyundai Palisade.
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Hyundai
It’s a part of Hyundai’s plan to have a lineup of 23 electrical fashions by 2030. It goes into manufacturing this coming spring at Hyundai’s Georgia plant, so the automaker expects it to qualify for the complete $7,500 federal tax credit score, which requires automobiles to be assembled in North America. (That’s, if that coverage nonetheless exists when the car goes on sale.)
Hyundai hasn’t introduced pricing but, solely saying it will likely be “aggressive.” On condition that the EV9 begins at round $55,000, someplace round there may be most likely a superb guess. It’ll value much more than a Palisade or Santa Fe, I can inform you that a lot.
Vary, Charging and Different Specs
Hyundai is focusing on an Environmental Safety Company vary ranking of as much as 335 miles, which is properly above common and positive to dampen some consumers’ vary nervousness. Much more impressively, the model says that it doesn’t matter what Ioniq 9 trim you purchase, it’ll be rated for no less than 300 miles. The identical can’t be mentioned of its cousin, the EV9, which is nice for anyplace from 230 to 304 miles, relying on the trim.
Picture by: Hyundai
A lot of that has to do with the Ioniq 9’s 110.3 kilowatt-hour, nickel-cobalt-manganese battery, which is about 10% bigger than the most important pack obtainable within the EV9. Lengthy vary and super-fast charging is a successful mixture, and that’s simply what the Ioniq 9 serves up. Hyundai says the 9 will have the ability to recharge from 10%-80% in 24 minutes on a sufficiently highly effective plug, due to its 800-volt structure. And it comes from the manufacturing facility with Tesla’s NACS plug design. So house owners will have the ability to plug in at some 17,000 Tesla Superchargers with no need to make use of an adapter.
Each main automaker is switching over to NACS from the Mixed Charging System, the present customary, however Hyundai is forward of the curve. Different automakers are nonetheless placing out new or up to date fashions with the outdated charging port, necessitating the usage of a dongle at Superchargers.
There might be three powertrain choices on supply. The Lengthy-Vary RWD is the vary champion, whereas the Efficiency AWD is the quickest. The AWD Lengthy Vary matches within the center.
Right here’s how they break down:
| Drivetrain | Entrance Motor | Rear Motor | Whole Energy | 0-60 MPH | Tow Capability | Est. Vary |
| Lengthy-Vary RWD | N/A | 160 kW | 215 HP | 8.4 sec | 3,500 lbs | 335 miles |
| Lengthy-Vary AWD | 70 kW | 160 kW | 303 HP | 6.2 sec | 5,000 lbs | 300+ miles |
| Efficiency AWD | 160 kW | 160 kW | 422 HP | 4.9 sec | 5,000 lbs | 300+ miles |
Inside and Design
At first look, the Ioniq 9 provides off minivan vibes. I imply this in a great way; the 9 lacks the usual upright boxiness of different large SUVs and that provides it a placing presence. Its brief hood, steep windshield and curving roofline give it a smooth, distinctive look. Similar to on different Ioniq fashions, the outside is dotted with tons of of little squares, or “pixels,” that tie collectively the in any other case disparate-looking EVs.
And a stretched-out wheelbase—the longest of any Hyundai mannequin—creates loads of room to stretch out inside. After all, as a three-row SUV, the Ioniq 9’s predominant promoting level is how a lot stuff and other people you may match inside.
Picture by: Hyundai
The Ioniq 9’s cabin does certainly really feel large, as I discovered after I acquired a preview of the mannequin earlier this month. It has a flat ground all through, which frees up room to your toes, significantly within the center seat. The second row is downright cavernous and could be optioned with both a three-seat bench or reclining captain’s chairs. The third row is completely usable, even for adults. After I crawled again there, I didn’t really feel cramped within the legroom or headroom departments.
One enjoyable contact up entrance is the addition of a sliding middle console. So while you need further room between the entrance seats for a handbag or one thing, you may slide the unit backward. While you want extra room within the rear, you may shift it ahead. An analogous characteristic can be obtainable within the Ioniq 5.
Up entrance, the 9 presents high-output, 100-watt USB-C ports that get their energy straight from the high-voltage battery. That’s along with vehicle-to-load, or V2L, a characteristic that lets house owners use the Ioniq 9 as a cellular battery pack to energy virtually something.
Tech
The Ioniq 9 has the identical dual-screen setup that’s shared with different Kia and Hyundai EVs. On this one, although, it’s curved somewhat than flat, which is a pleasant contact. Each the driver-facing cluster and the primary display are available at 12 inches. And the system can deal with over-the-air software program updates, identical to earlier fashions.
Picture by: Hyundai
What’s new right here is one thing referred to as “Options on Demand,” an in-vehicle retailer the place house owners can purchase “digital upgrades” for his or her vehicles. It’s debuting with just a few choices: some lighting signatures for opening or closing the doorways, new themes for the shows, and streaming providers like Amazon Music and Soundcloud.
Don’t fear—Hyundai says paying to activate one’s heated seats is off the desk.
Ought to You Purchase This Or The EV9?
Picture by: Peter Holderith / Motor1
We gained’t know for positive till we are able to get the Ioniq 9 out on the street and spend some high quality time with it. But it surely’s principally a query of design desire. These two SUVs share a platform, they’re each large and spacious, and their person interfaces will really feel comparable too. The Ioniq 9 has the agency edge on vary, although, which will be the deciding issue for some people. And we all know that the EV9 will quickly pack the NACS port as properly, together with an adapter for the prevailing vehicles.
On the finish of the day, it’s simply nice to see one other stable electrical choice for larger households.
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