Large Company Car of the Year 2024: Kia EV9
The Kia EV9 is the 2024 Auto Express Large Company Car of the Year, with the BMW iX and Volkswagen ID. Buzz commended
It’s not often that a car can genuinely be considered a game changer, but the Kia EV9 is one of those models that altered the automotive landscape when it was launched last year.
This is a huge, five-metre-long electric SUV that offers space for seven adults, a real-world range of more than 300 miles and ultra-fast, 800-volt charging. And that’s before you consider the long kit list that even in base Air spec features large widescreen infotainment displays, 19-inch alloy wheels, heated and ventilated front seats, 360-degree parking cameras and a long list of standard safety aids.
Of course, in the company-car world, Benefit-in-Kind tax rules all – and despite its size, the EV9 slots into the same two-per-cent tax bracket as every electric car. Given how much metal you’re getting for your money, stepping up to a premium-feeling SUV with room for the whole family has never felt so attainable; a lower-rate earner will pay as little as £260 per year for an EV9 Air. If you can charge at home on an off-peak electricity tariff, the EV9 could be a genuine Mercedes rival with Smart-car running costs.
The Kia may be almost as long as a canal boat but that doesn’t mean it handles like one. The large SUV drives really neatly and is incredibly refined. That, along with the super-rapid charging speeds (you can top up from 10-80 per cent in just over 20 minutes), makes it more capable than most when it comes to long-distance driving. Welcome to the future: the EV9 is a great company car that just happens to be electric.
Our choice
Kia EV9 Air (£65,025)
Any EV9 is a wise buy, but the base Air model does almost everything the flagship car can do, but for a fraction of the price. It’s still not cheap if you’re buying privately, but even at £65,000, you’re getting an awful lot of car (plus space, features and kit) for the cash.
Commended
The BMW iX is a fantastic large company car, but if ‘large’ is what you’re after, then it falls ever so slightly short in this company. While the futuristic SUV drives like a BMW, is built like a BMW, and – for better or for worse – even looks like a BMW, it’s a strict five-seater. Still, if you can’t compromise on the premium badge, the iX is hard to beat.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz range is soon to be extended (literally) with the introduction of a long-wheelbase model this year. But even before then, the retro-inspired electric MPV rewrites the rulebook when it comes to cool, practical family cars. Of course, the low BiK rating makes it a brilliant large company car, too.
You can find all the information on our New Car Awards 2024 winners and the reasons why we chose them on the pages below. Just follow the links to read more…
New Car Awards 2024: the winners
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