If you listen closely, you can still hear the echoing sound of countless champagne bottles being popped open at KIA headquarters worldwide. Their ugly duckling just managed to grab two major titles that will most definitely help boost those “rookie” numbers. It’s like winning the Oscars twice in the same night, but without getting slapped by Will Smith.
Kia’s President and CEO, Ho Sung Song, was honored by the double combo from the New York International Auto Show and said, “This triumph is a testament to our unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology and design excellence. The Kia EV9’s continued success will drive us to keep delivering exceptional vehicles that redefine the driving experience for customers around the world.“
In case you’re curious about the judges, as you should be, the “high council” comprises 100 “distinguished” international automotive journalists from 29 countries. The voting ballot is kept secret, and the Kia EV9 was selected out of 38 other vehicles for the World Car of the Year. Aside from the latter, the other two finalists were the BYD Seal and the Volvo EX30.
The Kia competed against 32 other EVs in the World Electric Vehicle category and got into the three finalists’ list alongside the BMW i5 and Volvo EX30. As a fun fact, the EV9 also won Women’s World Car of the Year (WWCOTY) on March 8, which coincided with the International Women’s Day.
Photo: Newspress USA
The Kia EV9 in the United States comes in five versions. The Light RWD costs $54,000 and has 215 hp and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque with an estimated range of 230 miles (370 km) via its 76.1 kWh battery. The Light Long Range RWD model starts at $59,200 and produces 201 hp with 258 (350 Nm) lb-ft of torque with an estimated range of 304 miles (489 kilometers) due to its 99.8 kWh battery pack.
The Dual Motor e-AWD Wind version’s MSRP is $63,900, and it comes with 379 hp and 443 lb-ft (601 Nm) of torque. It can travel an EPA estimated range of 280 Miles or 450 km (99.8 kWh battery). The Land AWD model has some pretty bada** “hub caps” and produces the same power output and range as the Wind AWD. Finally, the GT-Line AWD also has a dual motor, which can deliver 379 hp with 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. It has an EPA-Estimated Range of 270 Miles via its 99.8 kWh battery.
The GT-Line might not look like it was born for speed due to its asymmetrical lunchbox shape, but it will plaster a Volvo XC90 and a Range Rover Velar in drag racing. The Kia EV9 can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and finish the quarter mile in 13.3 seconds. The EV9 didn’t win two major awards for nothing.
Now that the dust has settled and the trophies have been placed on Kia’s mantel, the only question remains: Will they finally make this model a bit prettier?
