New Hyundai Ioniq 9 teased inside and out
Yet another teaser image of the new flagship EV has dropped, a week ahead of its expected LA Motor Show reveal
More teasers of the all-new Hyundai Ioniq 9 have been released online ahead of its world debut, likely taking place at the fast-approaching LA Motor Show. The latest image gives us a cross-sectional view of the car’s interior, showing what looks like three rows of seats, and the inclusion of a high-end Bose stereo.
This sketch joins a number of other images released earlier this week, which gave us a sneak peek of the electric SUV’s front end, as well as its interior – including its reclining captain-chair-style second-row seats.
One image in particular shows the front end of the Ioniq 9 undisguised for the first time. Not quite as bluff as its Kia EV9 sister car, the Hyundai looks to get a lightbar running across the entire width, while vertical headlights are embedded in the bumper below – exactly like the Hyundai Seven concept from 2021. We expect most of the lighting elements will feature the pixel-style LED design found on other Hyundai’s electric cars, such as the Ioniq 5.
Other images shared by Hyundai confirm the Ioniq 9 will have a sleek and slightly more rakish silhouette than the more upright Kia, which is also true to the original concept, as is the distinctive kink in its rear window.
Looking at the profile of the Ioniq 9, its windscreen is steeply raked and the roofline slopes noticeably towards the rear, whereas the EV9 is much more boxy. By following more closely in the footsteps of the svelte Hyundai Ioniq 6 saloon, this should help the large SUV’s aerodynamics and range, but could restrict headroom for those sitting in the rearmost seats.
These new images come after spies managed to get a look at the Ioniq 9’s minimalist interior earlier this year, revealing that the forthcoming Volvo EX90 rival will borrow a few elements from other new-age Hyundai models, particularly the latest Santa Fe.
Both feature the same curved dual-display set-up, blocky steering wheel and gear selector on the steering column. There’s also a similar set of shortcut buttons and touch-sensitive climate controls on the dashboard, but the Ioniq 9 appears to have a floating centre console, which the more traditional technical layout of the Hyundai Santa Fe doesn’t allow.
We should get a proper look at the Hyundai Ioniq 9 soon, given that the brand has confirmed it’ll be revealed in November. We’re all but certain the world debut will take place at the 2024 LA show, partly because the Seven concept was also revealed there three years ago.
The Ioniq 9 will be based on the same E-GMP platform as the EV9, and should be offered with the same combinations of batteries and motors as its fellow seven-seat EV. In the UK, every EV9 is powered by a 99.8kWh battery that feeds either a single 201bhp motor or a 379bhp dual-motor set-up. The EV9 is capable of covering close to 350 miles on a single charge according to Kia, so we expect the same of the Ioniq 9.
The Ioniq 9 will also benefit from an 800V electrical architecture, which in the EV9 allows for a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in only 24 minutes.
Kia is also rumoured to be working on a high-performance GT version of its EV9. And while a hot N model might not seem the most natural fit for a seven-seat family hauler, it suggests a potential Ioniq 9 N will have a set of high-performance components to borrow from. If it’s made, this will join the existing 5 N and the forthcoming Ioniq 6 N that has been spied packing an even more potent EV powertrain.
Now read our list of the best electric SUVs to buy...
