A 3-row crossover SUV is not one thing you dream of driving. Most of them provide the dynamic excellence of a minivan, simply with much less practicality. You usually find yourself in a single as a result of it’s important to—possibly you have bought children and tons of drugs to haul round on the common, or it’s important to be ready for sure excessive use instances, like that one time a yr when all of the in-laws all come to go to directly. 

For anybody dealing with the three-row doldrums, I would say: Good friend, have you ever heard the excellent news about battery energy?

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It seems that including on the spot electrical torque can boost any massive family-hauler. So can options like outboard energy for tenting or different adventures, and a Tesla plug to ease any road-trip charging anxiousness.

The brand new American-made Hyundai Ioniq 9 could also be precisely what you are searching for. Even from an organization whose electrical autos are its finest merchandise ever, full cease, the Ioniq 9 could also be its most interesting work but. Actually, it is among the finest examples of the three-row SUV style in America, and one of many higher methods to spend time in an vehicle in 2025.

If there’s any draw back, it is that you’re going to be paying extra for that “H” badge than is to be anticipated. Then once more, you are getting rather a lot from this SUV, too.

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(Full Disclosure: Hyundai despatched me an Ioniq 9 to check for per week with a totally charged battery.

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9: Overview

The Ioniq 9 is a brand new mannequin for the 2026 mannequin yr. On its face, it appears to take all the things that was profitable about Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, which underpins the massively profitable Ioniq 5 and different EVs, and makes it greater. However that is solely a part of the story. 

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In actuality, the Ioniq 9 seems like a sort of second-generation EV product from Hyundai, as a result of it builds on the success of the vehicles that got here earlier than it and debuts with a raft of enhancements that simply arrived on the Ioniq 5 and the remaining. It has the biggest battery pack this household of vehicles has seen but, at 110 kilowatt-hours. It has an up to date software program suite with—lastly—wi-fi Apple CarPlay. And it comes straight from the manufacturing facility with a Tesla-style North American Charging Normal (NACS) plug, although getting the charging speeds the Ioniq line is legendary for would require a CCS adapter. 

Greater than that, the Ioniq 9 feels like a extra mature, extra dialed-in automobile than the primary Ioniq 5 or my very own Kia EV6 and the remaining. The general construct high quality feels higher, and your entire automobile simply appears to be a extra cohesive EV product, as if made by an organization that is accomplished with electrical first drafts and actually is aware of what it is doing. 

It is greater than only a re-badged and restyled Kia EV9, too. It’s kind of greater and roomier in each dimension, has a much bigger battery with extra vary throughout all trims, and solely is available in a seven-seat configuration. The 2 stay very comparable in value and specs, however I would give the slight edge to the Hyundai. 

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And regardless of which Ioniq 9 trim you select, you will not skimp on vary, in contrast to a few of the different lower-end Hyundai and Kia EV variants. The Ioniq 9 is available in single-motor rear-wheel-drive or dual-motor all-wheel-drive kinds. Probably the most fundamental one, the RWD S mannequin, begins at $58,955 and will get 335 miles of vary.  This Ecotronic Grey Matte (what a reputation!) tester you see right here is an AWD Efficiency Restricted mannequin, third from the highest of the trim line, rated at 311 miles of vary and priced at $74,300 with all its choices.

Loads for a Hyundai? Certain, however when you think about that this Georgia-built EV additionally qualifies for the total $7,500 EV tax credit score (for nonetheless lengthy that lasts) and the tools and specs you are getting, it may be a stable deal.

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2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9: Driving Expertise

I do not take care of driving most three-row crossovers. And as an individual whose fast household consists of one partner and one small canine, I do not actually need one. However the Ioniq 9 was an SUV I regarded ahead to driving each single time, and even made excuses to drive.

In dual-motor Efficiency type, the Ioniq 9 places down a formidable 422 horsepower. There is not any hiding its nearly 6,000-pound curb weight, however the factor can nonetheless scoot. Hyundai estimates it’s going to do zero to 60 mph in slightly beneath 5 seconds, and in actuality, it feels a bit faster.

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However the Ioniq 9 is not about brutal pace. It is about smoothness. Consolation. Whereas the dealing with is much from sloppy, it is most at dwelling when it is cruising in near-silence. And it is nonetheless way more enjoyable and way more athletic than any gas-powered three-row crossover I can consider. Driving an Ioniq 9 is a nice and calming expertise, even when you might want to smoke somebody on the freeway in Sport mode.

One large plus right here is Hyundai’s up to date i-Pedal system, which presents 4 ranges of regenerative braking (or none in any respect) through the paddle shifters. It is a good diploma of customization when most EVs simply do “on” or “off.”

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And in “Auto” mode, the i-Pedal robotically adjusts the extent of regenerative braking relying on what’s detected in entrance of you—an upcoming flip, one other car, and so forth. This function is polarizing on the InsideEVs places of work, however I’ve discovered that for those who be taught to work with it and perceive what it will do in most conditions, you will not wish to dwell with out it. 

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9: Exterior and Inside

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I give props to Hyundai’s designers for doing one thing sort of totally different with every member of the Ioniq line. The Ioniq 9 is not only a stretched-out Ioniq 5 (which I am not even positive would look all that nice); neither is it an apparent cousin to both technology of Ioniq 6 sedan. As a substitute, it is a curvaceous streamliner with a definite grille and rear gentle setup, formed nearly like an enormous wagon than simply one other anyodyne faux-rugged SUV, and it even packs a few enjoyable colours besides. 

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However the Ioniq 9 shines probably the most on the within. This no low cost, bargain-basement Hyundai; it is a high-tech, fashionable, near-luxury automobile that might be convincing sufficient if it wore a Genesis badge. The supplies are all first-rate and a whole lot of consideration was clearly paid to their designs, from the door handles right down to the cupholders. Oh, and bodily buttons and air vents—it has them. Thanks, Hyundai. 

My greatest criticism was how far-off the dashboard felt. I needed to lean over and attain additional than I might’ve appreciated to function the controls, which felt irritating on longer drives. However Hyundai’s voice controls are first-rate, so attempt these when you may as a substitute. 

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After all, this can be a three-row SUV, so what issues most might be behind the motive force. And it is one of many roomiest and most comfy locations in its class. I am 5’11” and had loads of headroom and legroom within the second row. And the third row? The Ioniq 9 has the one one I would wish to sit in. It is lots spacious again there even for adults, particularly if the second-row people are prepared to maneuver up only a smidge.

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Thank the packaging excellence that EVs provide. With no engine or transmission tunnel to account for, they are often roomier than gas-powered SUVs. And most of these have a 3rd row in identify solely, or exist just for babies and solely in a pinch. Not the Ioniq 9. It is a true long-distance people-hauler.

You additionally rise up to 87 cubic toes of cargo area, together with 22 cubic toes of cargo space behind the third row, which outclasses even Hyundai’s spacious gas-powered Palisade. Not dangerous in any respect.

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2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9: Expertise

The Ioniq 9 launches with Hyundai’s up to date software program suite. Among the many finest upgrades right here: a spread meter with three figures, together with “minimal” and “most” scores. It feels designed to keep away from low-range surprises. It is also very proactive in providing cost time estimates. 

Past that, Hyundai’s software program recreation continues to be simply mid-tier within the EV race. It was by no means buggy, like some choices we take a look at. However the infotainment system is not as versatile or as customizable as a few of the Android Automotive OS-based techniques we have examined. And the selections made by Hyundai’s navigation system are as irritating as ever—you may be lacking Google Maps very quickly, or utilizing your cellphone for instructions as a substitute. 

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Hyundai’s Freeway Drive Help 2 (HDA2) automated driving help system is first rate, providing automated lane adjustments and speed-limit monitoring. However it isn’t a real hands-free, eyes-on driving help system like Common Motors’ Tremendous Cruise or Ford’s Blue Cruise, each of which have it handily crushed for freeway highway journeys.

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And Hyundai’s smartphone app will not have Tesla’s tech crew staying awake at night time. As nice because the Hyundai and Kia EVs are with design, efficiency and electrical powertrains, their software program and tech suites may stand to be much more aggressive. 

Nonetheless, it is nice on the EV stuff. Route-planning, charing scheduling, battery well being scores and battery administration are all among the many finest within the trade.

Vary, Noticed Effectivity and Charging

Nonetheless, you may’t argue with 300-plus miles of vary on each Ioniq 9 trim stage. At 100% cost in my driveway, I commonly noticed scores of 330 miles or extra in temperate New York summer season climate. In our testing, we recorded round 3.3 to three.5 miles per kilowatt-hour, and typically greater. Fairly wonderful for its weight, general. 

You will want an adapter to make use of a non-Tesla plug like my dwelling charger right here, however it’s not a nasty expertise in any respect. 

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Like the remainder of the 800-volt E-GMP household, the Ioniq 9 will see max charging speeds of round 235 kilowatts. When hooked as much as a 350 kW fast-charger, it is rated to cost from 10% to 80% in as little as 24 minutes—completely excellent for a battery this dimension, and just a few minutes greater than an Ioniq 5 with its smaller pack. (Hyundai says utilizing a CCS adapter is not going to have an effect on the automobile’s charging efficiency in any respect.)

I’ve had nice experiences with fast-charging these vehicles earlier than; it is why I purchased one for myself. I wished to attempt it on a Tesla Supercharger, which it really works with natively because of that NACS port. As a consequence of variations in voltage between Hyundai’s 800-volt setup and the Tesla chargers’ 400-volt system, you will not see the same old crazy-quick speeds.

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However the Ioniq 9 nonetheless went from 20% to about 75% in 25 minutes on a Tesla plug at a constant 126 kW. And truthfully, that is not dangerous. It is about what any Tesla will do on the identical plug, and it passes my “Are you able to plug it in and get again on the highway fairly rapidly?” take a look at.

And with entry to greater than 20,000 Tesla Superchargers (simply observe that not all of them work with a non-Tesla EV, even with that NACS port), you will not actually end up worrying about vary all that a lot in your subsequent highway journey. 

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Hyundai Ioniq 9 Verdict: High Suggestion

I did not stroll away with many criticisms of the Ioniq 9. It is among the finest EVs you should buy in America in the present day, and likewise among the finest EVs inbuilt America. 

Sure, that $74,300 price ticket (earlier than any tax credit or reductions) is steep. And loads of individuals might scoff at paying that a lot for a Hyundai—however they should not. Not like a few of these so-called “luxurious” EVs which might be coming to market with half-finished software program and sufficient remembers to maintain the oldsters at NHTSA busy till the following decade, the Ioniq 9 is an entire, well-executed and very competent electrical SUV.

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My suggestion can be the mid-range dual-motor SEL mannequin, with 320 miles of vary and a beginning value of $66,320. Seize the EV tax credit score whereas it lasts, and that is $58,820, about on par with most nicely-equipped gas-powered three-row crossovers. And this presents a greater expertise, particularly while you add in Hyundai’s complimentary dwelling charger. 

If you should buy a greater three-row people-hauler, purchase it. However I am undecided you’ll.

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Supply: Patrick George

Contact the creator: patrick.george@insideevs.com