2026
Hyundai Ioniq 9

Our testers liked the smooth, nearly silent power generated by the two electric motors. Acceleration is instantaneous when you press on the accelerator, with power staying on strong until about 50 to 55 mph. At that point, it begins to taper off—which is fine, because Ioniq 9 drivers aren’t likely drag racing for pink slips. Overall, there’s plenty of thrust for a family hauler.

The single-motor version uses a 160-kilowatt, 215-hp motor for the rear wheels and can cover the 0-to-60-mph run in 8.4 seconds. The SEL that we are buying will have a 66.1-kW, 88-hp front motor and a 160-kW, 215-hp rear motor, for a total of 226.1-kW and 303-hp. It has a 6.2-second 0-to-60-mph time. Top trims, like the Calligraphy we rented, feature dual 157.3 kW, 211 hp motors, for a total of 314.6-kW and 422-hp. They have a very fast 4.9-second 0-to-60 time. (All figures are supplied by Hyundai; we will test the SEL ourselves to verify.)

One of our testers wrote in the log book that the SUV hesitated for a moment when they tried to accelerate hard at around 60 to 65 mph. However, given that this was a preproduction model, we’ll see if our own Ioniq 9 has this same pause.

Overall, the Ioniq 9 we rented was very quiet, particularly around town and at moderate highway speeds. It’s only when you crest 75 mph that wind noise becomes noticeable. Road noise, too, becomes evident as speeds increase. There wasn’t much electric-motor whining other than a faint amount under hard acceleration at lower speeds.

Another Hyundai EV brings yet another opportunity to enjoy the automaker’s excellent implementation of recapturing energy. Using one-pedal driving is smooth and easy, and there’s a flat learning curve to master slowing and stopping. Hyundai EVs don’t have the abrupt, sudden slowing that many other EVs tend to exhibit, as if you threw an anchor out the back and it pulled taut.

We also enjoy the ability to tailor the intensity of regenerative braking using the paddles attached to the back of the steering wheel. What’s impressive is that there’s no difference from vehicle to vehicle in how levels operate across Hyundai models: Level 2 in the Ioniq 9 delivers the same experience as in the Ioniq 5. As one tester said, the execution of regenerative braking is among the high points for the Ioniq 9.

There are plenty of nooks and compartments for storing small items. The center console can move forward or backward to suit the driver and passengers’ needs, and a big pull-out bin beneath it gives the rear passengers somewhere to toss loose items. Up front are two open bins beneath the center stack of climate controls. The top tray is nicely sized and reasonably easy to access. However, the bottom one is low to the floor and out of easy reach, negating use for anything that you may need to access while driving.

Our testers were all able to find a comfortable seating position that gave them a good view out and easy access to key controls. There’s plenty of headroom even for drivers taller than 6 feet, and the center console doesn’t intrude on the driver’s right knee—even when the adjustable console is in its forward position. The left foot dead pedal is generously sized and well placed for most drivers, though one tester felt it was too close and forced them to sit with their left leg uncomfortably bent.

The most significant issues were with the door and center armrests. Both could use more padding, and some drivers found that their right elbows would naturally fall right onto the seam that separates the padded center armrest from the console itself.

Our testers praised the Ioniq 9’s forward visibility, with most drivers commenting on the thin windshield pillars and big, expansive glass. The long, tall side windows give a generous view out, especially when the driver looks over their right shoulder. But drivers looking over their left shoulder may see more of the B-pillar than what’s outside. The thick D-pillars, the curved rear glass (a result of the boattail styling Hyundai touts), and the raised third-row-seat head restraints compromise the view directly back.

The Ioniq 9 has the same collection of controls that we have seen in recent Genesis, Hyundai, and Kia models. That means there are some good things, such as specific controls for the climate system that aren’t hidden in the infotainment system. Another is the physical button on the door that turns the massaging seats on and off.

However, there are a few things we aren’t fans of.

Those climate controls are mounted relatively low on the center of the dash, which forces the driver to look away from the road to use them. Beyond temperature adjustments, all the climate controls are small capacitive touch “buttons” that are hard to tap while moving and impossible to operate by feel alone.

A number of testers expressed ongoing frustration with the location of the gear selector stalk on the steering column and how the ignition button is hidden by the steering wheel.

As one tester said, “[I’m] always searching for the ignition. . . . I assume I’d get used to it if I owned the car.” They would often bump it into neutral with their hand or knee, so it ended up being more than just a basic annoyance.

Numerous drivers have said that when they find a comfortable position for the steering wheel, it often blocks the top and upper corners of the gauge cluster/instrument panel. We’ve often encountered this problem as automakers move away from gauges housed in a curved binnacle to flat digital interfaces. The Ioniq 9 isn’t immune to this, so consumers on a test drive should make sure they can see the screen clearly.

We found the Calligraphy trim to be a mix of “luxury” and “basic” trim and materials. For example, we loved the soft microfiber suede used on the headliner, roof pillars, and sun visors, as well as the premium-grade synthetic leather on the seats and the leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The rest of the interior struck testers as “okay, but far from stunning.” The unlined glove box and bin under the center armrest really stand out, as do the rough and visible mold lines on the equally unlined door pockets. Below the infotainment system is a large swath of hard silver plastic, which feels flimsy when you touch it. And the textured piece of plastic above the glove box looks weird. The door trim isn’t special, and the buttons all feel like standard Hyundai.

Perhaps this is where Hyundai is entering a territory that General Motors often finds itself in: how to differentiate among the various brands without outrageous pricing. The Genesis brand is the luxury level, while Hyundai and Kia are more mainstream. But a $74,990 Calligraphy trim should be much nicer inside. Lest you think the $76,490 Calligraphy Design trim addresses this, all it gets you are matte paint and different wheels.

Since we’re buying an SEL trim, we’ll compare and contrast the interiors to see what the nearly $9,000 price difference does to interior ambience.

The Calligraphy version features synthetic leather-trimmed seats in all three rows, with the first and second rows covered in a more premium-grade material. While most drivers found the seats comfortable and supportive, that sentiment wasn’t universal.

The driver and passenger seats also feature “ergo motion,” which uses air bladders to adjust firmness levels as the driver desires. They can also automatically adjust based on the selected driving mode: Bolsters will fill with air during hard cornering, then release as the vehicle straightens out.

These bladders contributed to the variety of available adjustments (most trims get eight-way, power-adjustable driver and passenger seats), and most drivers found the seat comfortable for multihour drives. The seatback contouring fit nearly everyone, with lumbar support that provided plenty of bracing without being intrusive. One driver said the seatback felt overly firm, and they weren’t a fan of the various bolsters moving on their own.

Similarly, the bottom cushion mostly garnered praise for comfort, though some testers said that it is fairly wide and lacks substantial bolstering. This led to them sliding about in some hard turns.

The Ioniq 9 we bought to test won’t have these advanced seats, so we’ll see if their more conventional design pays dividends.

The big SUV did a commendable job absorbing most bumps and ruts, even large transverse ridges like a frost heave or highway expansion joint. Every tester said that the Ioniq 9’s ride was better than that of the EV9, which felt overly firm for a nonsporty SUV.

But the Hyundai had a harder time dealing with single impacts, such as a big pothole, which would punch through to the occupants. This could be in part due to the large 21-inch wheels that are shod with 285/45 tires. A big wheel and a tire with a fairly short sidewall can make the ride harsh.

We also found that the suspension didn’t handle undulating roads particularly well. Occupants would experience head-toss as the SUV bounded up and down excessively. It would pitch forward and back as the suspension would rebound from an initial motion.

Our SEL will come with 20-inch wheels and 275/50 tires, and may have a better ride, thanks to the smaller wheel and taller sidewall. And we’ll be able to spend more time evaluating how the body motions are transmitted to the driver and passengers.

Perhaps it’s damning the SUV with faint praise, but most drivers reported that the Ioniq 9 “handled well for its size.” The big battery mounted down low really contributes to the low center of gravity, even though this is a tall vehicle. It goes around corners well, although we experienced a decent amount of body lean, which is not unexpected for an SUV this size.

The bigger issue is the relatively light steering, which isolates the driver from the road. It has just a tiny bit of heft, and it doesn’t get any heavier as the driver keeps turning the wheel further into a corner. It’s vague, and doesn’t communicate to the driver much information about how close the tires are to losing grip with the pavement.

As quiet as our rented Ioniq 9 was, keep in mind that Limited and Calligraphy trims both feature active noise control. Hyundai says this system “uses information from microphones and accelerometers to cancel out road noise.” We will see how noisy or quiet our SEL is without this feature.

We’ll see if our SEL trim can match the Environmental Protection Agency estimate of 320 miles of range on a full charge. To do so, we’ll put the Ioniq 9 through our 70-mph highway range test. There are three different range estimates for the Ioniq 9 line: 335 miles for the rear-drive S trim, 320 miles for the all-wheel-drive SE and SEL trims, and 311 miles for the Limited, Calligraphy, and Calligraphy Design trims.

Hyundai equips each Ioniq 9 with a charge port for the North American Charging Standard (NACS), and an adapter to use Combined Charging System (CCS) chargers. NACS is most often referred to as the Tesla charger because it’s the system the automaker pioneered. Cars with NACS are compatible with both Tesla low-speed home chargers and Tesla Superchargers (which are DC fast chargers). CCS ports allow for low-speed home charging as well as high-speed DC fast charging. The Ioniq 9 features an 11-kW onboard charger. Hyundai told us that they can get up to 237 kW at Electrify America chargers. This is in line with the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, which have the same 400- and 800-volt architecture that allows a maximum of 250-kilowatt charging output.

The time it takes to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent full depends on the charger, according to Hyundai

• NACS V3 Tesla Supercharger: 41 minutes
• 50-kW DC fast charger with CCS adapter: 1 hour, 49 minutes
• 350-kW DC fast charger with CCS adapter: 24 minutes
• 240V/48A Level 2 AC charging: 9 hours, 40 minutes

As the data above show, the Ioniq 9 will take longer to charge on a Supercharger than at other chargers that run at higher voltages.

Hyundai says owners can use the MyHyundai App or the in-car app to find, connect to, and pay for charging. The automaker also says owners can just show up to a charger, plug in, and start a session outside of the different apps.

In practice, we’ve found some public chargers are more seamless than others, so we will take our Ioniq 9 to Superchargers and CCS chargers from one of the various supported networks (ChargePoint, Electrify America, EVgo, and Ionna) to see how the charging experience unfolds.

The Ioniq 9 comes standard with a suite of active safety features, including automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, a collision avoidance feature, lane keeping assistance, a rear-seat occupant reminder, automatic high beams, a speed limit assist feature, rear cross traffic collision avoidance, and a driver attention alert.

Starting with the SEL trim, the Ioniq 9 comes with a blind spot monitor, which displays an image of the adjacent travel lane when the turn signal is used to indicate a lane change. This image shows up in the gauge cluster. In addition, these trims all feature a surround view camera, rear cross traffic braking, and parking distance sensors.