2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 first drive review: Southern charm

When it comes to three-row crossovers that are powered exclusively by electricity, the field is limited by growing. One of those vehicles to make a splash was the Kia EV9, a car I first drove almost a year and a half ago. It was excellent, and we all knew that a version from Hyundai would be on the way. As it turns out, it’s even more excellent-er than the Kia. This is likely the best, well-rounded, everyday Hyundai Motor Group (HMG, which includes Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia) that I’ve ever driven. Full stop.

Hyundai invited me to experience its new 3-row E-GMP crossover in Savannah, Georgia. The significance of the location lies in the fact that just outside of town is Hyundai’s new Metaplant. This plant will produce some 500,000 vehicles a year domestically, and is where every single U.S.-sold Hyundai Ioniq 9 will be constructed. Combined with materials sourcing for the battery, the Ioniq 9 will be eligible for the full $7,500 federal EV incentive as long as Trump and his minions in Congress don’t kill it.

Each version of the Ioniq 9 comes with a 110.3 kWh battery pack, and delivers over 300 miles of EPA-estimated range on each trim. My drive for the day was a Calligraphy trim with 422 horsepower and all-wheel drive. Hyundai claims that this version can hit 60 mph from a standstill in less than 5 seconds, which isn’t really that necessary in a family hauler, but it is quite brisk.

The only version of the Ioniq 9 that doesn’t come with all-wheel drive is the base trim — the S RWD — that makes 215 horsepower. It’s also the maximum-range version, with up to 335 miles of range. My Calligraphy is rated for 311 miles.

Which, I should point out, is plenty for most people. If you are on a road trip and need to use a fast charger, the Ioniq 9 can recharge from 10 to 80% in just 24 minutes. If you’re using a Tesla Supercharger, that speed slows to 40 minutes, but the Tesla Supercharging network is almost entirely a 400-volt setup, which caps peak charge rate. If you use the native NACS port on the Ioniq 9 at an Ionna station, for example, you’ll get the peak rate.

It should also be noted that Hyundai is including a CCS1 to NACS adapter, so you can charge at a CCS station, plus a J-1772 to NACS connector so you can use a level 2 connector that isn’t a NACS plug.

While charging isn’t something that a normal family buyer is all that worried about — or should be worried about — it’s worth pointing out that for the price, having an 800-volt setup with all the charging options you need to future proof your vehicle is a smart move from Hyundai and helps make the transition as easy as possible for buyers not only going from gasoline to electric, but from CCS to NACS.

When it comes to hauling that family around, the Ioniq 9 is prepared for nearly everything. There are 7 USB-C ports on board, and the 6 that are charging only ports will do a rated 100 watts of charging. Not only will that recharge a phone or table quickly, but should also recharge a great number of laptops as quickly as a native charger would.

Interior space is also expansive. While the car might seem smaller than other crossovers on the outside, it’s expansive on the inside. It’s shorter in length than a Rivian R1S, and within a tenth of an inch of a Tesla Model X. But, the wheelbase is longer than both (and longer than the Palisade), which leads to a ton of interior space.

There’s 41 inches of headroom in the second row, which is more than the Rivian and matches the Tesla. Remember, the Tesla has the falcon doors which help with headroom in some places, while the Hyundai retains normal operating doors and still hits the headroom number.

Legroom is far superior in the second row, at 42.8 inches compared to 36.6 in the Rivian and 38.7 in the Tesla.

In the third row, the Ioniq 9 crushes the headroom with 39.7 inches compared to 38.6 in the Rivian and a paltry 37.1 in the Tesla. Legroom is nearly an inch better in the Rivian, but the Hyundai’s 32 inches beats the Tesla by a few tenths.

If you’re hauling people and not cargo, the Ioniq 9 is the clear winner. Behind the second-row, it matches the Rivian at 46.7 cubic feet of cargo. The Tesla only has 33. Behind the third row — so if you’re hauling humans and stuff — the Ioniq has 21.9 cubes, while the Rivian makes due with 17.7 and the Tesla only has 15 cubes.

It should be noted that the Rivian is an excellent vehicle, and if you’re looking for a family hauler that can also do some light off-roading, camping, or other outdoor activity, it might be the way to go. The Ioniq is the on-road champ, though.

At highway speeds anywhere in the United States, the Ioniq 9 is incredibly quiet. Not just quiet for a Hyundai, but quiet for a Genesis (and maybe even a Rolls Royce, though I’d have to measure for sure). Using double-paned acoustic glass both in the first and second row pays dividends here. Additional insulation helps with tire noise, and active noise cancelling plays a role. Even the tires have sound-absorbing pads in them. But, as I said, the real choice here was the glass, and I’m glad Hyundai spent the money to include it.

Because it was a first drive, I didn’t have a ton of opportunity to use the Ioniq 9 in a variety of scenarios, but there are some areas that are obvious improvements of the Kia EV9. The EV9 is an excellent vehicle, but the extra year and a half that the Ioniq 9 baked in the oven really benefits the overall driving experience.

The steering is a little nicer on the Ioniq, but the ride and handling is noticeably improved. Where the Kia might be a bit jittery over bumps, the Hyundai just deals with it. Rebound is controlled better, and the car gives you more confidence. On the cobblestone roads around Savannah, the ride is borderline sublime. For not having an air suspension or magnetorheological, it’s impressive.

The springs are still a bit stiffer than I’d prefer overall, but on EVs springs have to be stiff to help hold up the weight of the battery pack. Though, with each new EV I drive, I notice it less and less. Engineers are definitely trying to find creative ways to deal with it, and are mostly successful.

When I get a chance to spend more time in one, I’ll test Hyundai’s charging claims and see how everything is to actually live with, but first impressions are incredibly solid.

Pricing is still a bit pricey, but you do get a lot for your EV money. The Ioniq 9 in S RWD trim starts at $60,555 with the $1,600 delivery charge. Considering an Ioniq 5 N, from Korea, has a $1,475 delivery charge and something built in Georgia is more expensive to ship is an article for a different day.

The version I tested, with destination, was $76,590. Which is a lot of money. The tax credit, as long as you can still get it, helps drop it to below $70,000. That still feels like a deal in today’s day and age with car pricing. The volume models will be around $60,000 or less with the tax incentive, which makes it a much better bargain.

I love the Ioniq 5 N. For me, it’s a great car. But for someone who isn’t a hardcore performance junkie, and likes or wants more space, the Ioniq 9 is excellent. It drives well. It hauls stuff well. It charges well. When you factor in how much more enjoyable driving an EV is in the day-to-day slog, this could very well be the best HMG product I’ve driven.