Kia EV9 vs Volvo XC90: a large luxury SUV brawl

Wind the clock back almost 25 years, and Kia’s range-topping model in the UK was the Sedona MPV. In the present day, there’s still a seven-seater representing the upper end of the brand’s line-up, but the similarities end very abruptly there.

While even the most extravagant version of the Sedona cost about the same as a base-spec Ford Galaxy, the Kia EV9 has a more ambitious price point in its sights. Not only has a rather forgettable minivan shape been replaced with a striking SUV body, but with prices starting from £65,025 and climbing to £77,025, the EV9 is also the most expensive car that Kia has ever offered in the UK by some margin. 

These figures pitch it against premium seven-seat SUVs such as the Audi Q7, Land Rover Discovery and Volvo XC90. But those models use ageing internal-combustion powerplants for the cash, while the Kia sports a fully electric powertrain. 

To see if it’s worth such a lofty price, we’ve lined it up against the Volvo XC90. Despite it being with us since 2015, there’s still a huge amount to admire, but will the EV9 make the Volvo feel its age? Or will the Kia fail to deliver the premium feel buyers expect at this price?

Kia EV9

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From the dinky Picanto that costs from £15,595 to the vast EV9, few manufacturers today can match the broad spread of vehicles that Kia currently offers buyers. 

As its flagship model, everything at Kia’s disposal has been thrown the EV9’s way, and true to the brand’s roots, that means that equipment levels are superb for every trim level. The car in these pictures is the Air, which gets the least powerful powertrain available, but that also means it’s the least expensive option, too. 

Testers’ notes

• The EV9 comes with five levels of brake regeneration, which range from complete freewheeling to one-pedal driving. The latter means the car is able to bring itself to a complete stop without the driver needing to touch the brake pedal at all. 
• Even within our test team, there’s a difference of opinion when it comes to which we’d rather use, so the fact that Kia gives drivers the choice – and that the levels can be so easily adjusted via steering-wheel paddles – is welcome. We wish every electric car maker used this system.

Volvo XC90 

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A revised version of the Volvo XC90 is due to arrive soon, and will be sold alongside the recently unveiled all-electric EX90. The new XC90 offers a small spruce-up, with the introduction of a more modern infotainment system, plus suspension tweaks and a little extra soundproofing to improve comfort.

However, when it comes to powertrains and overall practicality, the refreshed car is fundamentally the same as the XC90 MHEV Core, priced at £61,675 and available from stock, that Volvo has fielded here.

Testers’ notes

• When it comes to hauling a trailer, the XC90 has the EV9 well beaten. The Volvo is rated to handle a braked trailer weighing up to 2,400kg, compared with the Kia’s 900kg limit. To make the most of this ability,  a foldable towbar is a £1,400 option on the XC90’s list of optional extras. 
• But neither can match a Land Rover Discovery; a maximum towing limit of 3,500kg, not to mention the hefty 700Nm of torque from the D350 diesel mild-hybrid engine, makes it a better option than either when it comes to pulling power.

Head-to-head

On the road

As a result of those figures, the XC90 is quicker flat out, but with no transmission losses to overcome, the Kia feels closer to its rival than the numbers suggest. Thanks to its more natural steering feel and the low centre of gravity afforded by its battery pack, it also is less lumbering through the corners, with the Volvo slightly ahead in terms of comfort. But the EV9’s silent powertrain makes it more refined.

Tech highlights

Kia offers two versions of the EV9, with a dual-motor option pumping out 378bhp, giving it hot hatch-baiting performance. Here, we have the cheaper single-motor variant that offers a much more modest 200bhp from its rear-mounted motor. The XC90 in these pictures is powered by a mild-hybrid petrol powertrain, which with 47bhp more than the Kia and less weight to haul around, makes it feel more sprightly.

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Price and running

A recent drop in petrol prices has made cars such as the XC90 more affordable to run, but a WLTP figure of 33.6mpg is still thirsty and we struggled to match that economy in the real world. Based on the WLTP claim, the Volvo will cost £1,832 to fuel over 10,000 miles. We achieved 3.2 miles/kWh in the EV9; if you charge that at the UK home price cap of 22.4p per kWh, then it costs £700 over the same distance.

Practicality 

Both cars offer seven seats that are genuinely usable for seven adults. The Volvo’s third row has fractionally more kneeroom and the raised seating position gives a great view out. But the Kia’s middle and back rows offer better headroom, and its wide cabin makes it very comfortable for elbows and shoulders. Both have plenty of load capacity, yet in all seating configurations the EV9 is able to carry slightly more.

Safety

Volvo has always led the way in safety, and despite the fact that the XC90’s Euro NCAP rating is now considered too old to be valid, it performed extremely strongly when originally tested. The Kia’s assessment in 2023 makes it tricky to draw direct comparisons, but it also achieved a five-star rating. All EV9s have Lane Follow Assist, where the car can steer itself within a motorway lane for short periods.

Ownership 

Kia took third spot overall in our 2024 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey of brands, while Volvo was 16th out of 32. Volvo is offering good finance discounts on the outgoing XC90, with £9,000 off if you order on PCP finance or fund the purchase yourself. A three-year PCP with a £6,000 deposit costs between £609 and £1,054 per month for the mild-hybrid depending on trim; the EV9 Air costs £876 per month.

Verdict

First place: Kia EV9

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Kia is breaking new ground with such a lofty price point for the EV9, but it’s managed to pull it off. Here is a seven-seat SUV that looks like nothing else on the road, drives superbly, is huge inside and is packed with standard kit, wearing a price tag that should give premium rivals such as the XC90 a lot to think about. 

When you factor in its fully electric powertrain – which, thanks to its incredible charging speeds and 300-mile plus real-world range, makes it incredibly easy to live with – then it’s a hugely appealing proposition.

Second place: Volvo XC90

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It may finish second here, but the XC90 still deserves a huge amount of praise, because it remains an excellent all-rounder. 

Despite the car’s age, the Volvo still scores brilliantly for practicality, interior design and comfort, and the last of the pre-facelift models are currently available with some very tempting deals, too. 

The Kia EV9 really shows up the weaknesses in the Swedish model’s mild-hybrid and PHEV powertrain line-up, though, both in terms of driving and overall running costs. 

Prices and specs 

What we would choose 

Kia EV9

Options are in short supply on the EV9, because it’s so well equipped in the first place. The base Air trim gets fewer exterior colour choices than the rest of the range. Red metallic is standard, with another three priced at £725.

Volvo XC90

A 360-degree camera isn’t standard on the base Core trim, and the extra £695 will be well worth it when manoeuvring a car so large. Every paint colour except grey is a £795 option, so that’s another worthwhile investment.