Kia's 2026 EV9 Delivers More Miles for Less Money
The Kia EV9 debuted just a couple of years ago. It's a three-row, all-electric SUV in a small but blooming segment that only touts a handful of good options like the Rivian R1S, Volvo EX90, and the EV9 itself. For 2026, despite being half a market segment on its own, it doesn't get any pricier. What's more, Kia's juiced the model up a bit to make it an even more compelling value than it already was.
The most impressive news for prospective shoppers will most likely be the range increases that many 2026 Kia EV9 trim levels see. The most substantial changes come to the GT-Line, which is, for now, the range-topping model. Kia massaged another ten miles of range from the battery, bringing the total range to 280 miles from 270 miles. The two models under the GT-Line see little bumps, too. Both the Land and Wind trim levels see three-mile gains, bringing total range up to 283 miles. The Light LR (Long Range) model sees a one-mile increase in range, bringing it up to a nice round 305 miles.
In fact, the only model that didn't see any sort of changes is the standard EV9 Light SR, which presumably stays at 230 miles. The EV9 GT, a high-performance model that's confirmed to exist but lacks any real details, hasn't been assigned official range numbers or any sort of production schedule. Kia did introduce a new option package to the 2026 Kia EV9: the Nightfall Edition. Available on the Land AWD trim level only, it adds 20-inch gloss black wheels that you can't find elsewhere in the lineup. It also bundles black badging, gloss black trim, and other special interior bits. No pricing confirmed there yet, either.
You may think that with more usability comes a higher price tag, but you would be wrong. The 2026 Kia EV9 actually becomes, on the whole, less expensive than the 2025 model. While the base model and EV9 Wind stay the same, every other trim level gets a sweet five-figure discount. The 2026 Kia EV9 Land is $1,000 less expensive than last year's model, now starting at $70,395, including delivery fees of $1,495. The 2026 Kia EV9 Light LR and top-dog GT-Line see double the savings: that's right, $2,000 off compared to last year's models. They start at $59,395 and $73,395, respectively.
The 2026 Kia EV9 remains a big fish in a small pond. While competition exists from the likes of Volvo, Mercedes, Tesla, and Rivian, it's about $20,000 less expensive than the nearest competitor. Assuming, of course, you need usable back seats, as the Mercedes EQB/Model Y technically offers a third row, but usability is a bit suspect. Handsome styling, average range, and great interior space already separate the EV9 from the other guys, but Kia's pricing changes for the 2026 EV9 widen the gap even further.
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