The EV9 a very special place to travel

At £77,025, in GT-Line S trim, the Kia EV9 features a whopping 99.8kWh battery capable of powering its huge 5.02-metre long, 1.98m wide frame over 313 miles between charges.

Front and rear motors deliver a combined 383PS and 700Nm of torque, enough to propel its 2.65-tonne kerb weight to 62mph in just 5.3 seconds.

Seven seats are standard, but ‘our’ EV9 came with six, featuring two second-row armchairs that could be spun 180-degrees to face rearward.

Boot space ranges from 333 litres, with all the seats in place, to 2,393 litres with them folded. There is a further 52 litres beneath the bonnet.

The EV9’s styling is futuristic and attracts lots of positive attention.

Inside, though there is quite a lot of grey plastic, the luxury of space combines with remarkable refinement to make the EV9 a very special place to travel.

Among Kia’s spec highlights are: heated and ventilated front and second-row seats; a heated steering wheel; a 14-speaker Meridian sound system; adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assistance; and two sunroofs.

A 12.3-inch driver display and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment top the dashboard. There is a wireless phone charger, head-up display, while a view of blind spots is displayed on the instrument cluster whenever an indicator is activated.

The real joy of the EV9 is the sheer polish of its drive.

A vast 3.1m wheelbase, impressive body control and excellent sound-deadening ensure it cossets as much as the sector’s most premium SUVs.

It would be an excellent vehicle to cover huge distances in.

Locate a 350kW charger and you can even boost the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 24 minutes.

And, consider this: if EVs are all about transporting people with a minimal environmental impact, then the ability to accommodate seven could make this one of the most efficient available.

Kia’s EV9 needed to be a whole lot of car to justify that price tag. In its week with the Advertiser, it proved it most certainly is.