Hyundai IONIQ 9 - Global Premiere

[echerod]

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/vehicles/2026-ioniq-9

Not quite the same segment, but I would still expect some overlap with R1S target market.

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[wjhdrew]

Been waiting for this one for a long time. Probably wouldn't have bought the R1S if it was available at the same time. Now I have to do the math to see if/when I could make the switch to the Ioniq 9 and an R1T, instead of the Ioniq5 and R1S I have now.

 

[RivianMatt]

It will be a compelling SUV for many. But as is the case with its sister SUV, the Kia EV9, range would be an issue for me. I suspect AWD its range will be less than 300 miles (as is the case with the EV9). A RWD option will give you 335 miles. I learned some interesting things about range for me this summer. For day-to-day use - which is the vast majority of my driving - the Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9 AWD range would be fine. But I take my SUV on remote camping trips. We got a Gen 1 R1S in September 2023, and on one camping trip I was on this summer, I found I was needing more juice. Couple driving up into the mountains and then having fun over a couple of days driving to fishing holes and swimming holes and various hikes, all while pretty far away from the charging infrastructure, and I cut it pretty close! That's why when I traded in our Gen 1 R1S for a Gen 2 R1S last week, we got the Max pack. If you truly are being Adventurous, range is critical!

 

[Dark-Fx]

Why does every auto company seem to give up design wise once they get to the rear quarter?

 

[Jumpjack]

Kinda interesting that the highest performance version of the Ioniq9 is slower (on paper) than the least powerful R1.

 

[Rividiculous]

Is it just me or does it look kind of stodgy?

I have to say I prefer the unfussy R1 styling by far.

Maybe it will grow on me but they should have parked it next to a Cyberdumpster so it would look gorgeous by comparison.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

An elegant interior let down by an inelegant exterior. Once again, it's like the interior and exterior teams never worked together or never saw one another's work until the first car rolled out of the assembly line. What's with all the extra lines and creases in the exterior that don't seem to serve any purpose whatsoever?

 

[Mellowyellow]

I was super into comic books as a kid and this reminds me of several artists that just could not draw hands or feet for the life of them so they would always just give up and cover or block them with stuff. They would be standing behind rubble, behind a table, etc. It was hilarious and also embarrassing

Why does every auto company seem to give up design wise once they get to the rear quarter?

 

[DuoRivians]

Vibes

 

[ndmiller]

Kinda interesting that the highest performance version of the Ioniq9 is slower (on paper) than the least powerful R1.

The Rivian starts $5K less than the highest spec EV9, so yes but they are apples/oranges different design philosophy. Another choice is always great.

I think Rivian R1S $75-$115K is an over the top flagship product first try impress everyone with stats and capability beyond what most drivers will use. I will never use my R1T to its capability, for god sake I don't even really use the bed much but I love it.

The EV9/Ioniq 9 $55-80K is a mainstream EV interpretation of a pretty sold SUV offering without much excess capability beyond what most drivers will use. This would be a great comfortable family offering that may never go off-road or exceed the speed limit by huge amounts over its entire life.

 

[lovetowait]

I expect the IONIQ 9 will be a compelling option in the 3-row EV segment.

All the info released in the last 24 hours shows that it is a more compelling offering than the EV9 and at a price point lower than the R1S or EX90. (Anticipated price point, anyways)

People will have their own styling preferences, but I already like & own the IONIQ 5 and its interior/exterior styling. I think the IONIQ 9 looks better than the EV9 but not as good as the Rivian.

Off-road vehicle it may not be, but it'll get the family around just fine and I'm damn sure it can handle some camping and ski trips.

I held off on the R1S purchase because it didn't quite do enough of what I needed, while overachieving in other areas. I'm leasing a Santa Fe PHEV and holding onto our existing minivan while I wait for newer options. I could end up with an R2 or maybe an IONIQ 9.

The IONIQ 9 appears to hit the mark in all my R1S concern areas. I'll list a few:

Price: I missed the R1S early reservation date by a couple months. So I've never been in a hurry to pay full price while a lot of Rivian demand was coming from early reservation holders. The IONIQ 9 is expected to have similar pricing to the EV9. I expect insurance rates will also be cheaper. Rivian is starting to offer incentives...will have to wait for official trim levels and pricing.

Rebate: Fully qualifies for the $7500 rebate if that still exists later. (Not wanting to go political in this post)...

Range and charging. 300+ miles of range, when paired with the 800V quick-charging architecture, is totally adequate for road tripping in my experience. The 25 minute 10-80% is no joke. As quick as the family can go to the bathroom, grab a quick bite and get back in the car. With NACS this should remain only moderately annoying at randomly unreliable charging stations for the foreseeable future. Nice they are upping the battery capacity to 111kWh over the existing EV9's 99.8.

2nd row passenger space. The IONIQ 9 looks massive in the second row. So much so, there may be a few inches you can lend to the 3rd row when needed. The R1S is just sufficient in the 2nd row and basically kids only in the 3rd.

Captain's chairs in 2nd row. My kids are rapdily approaching 6 feet in height (and proportional width), so I basically need all seating for adults. Sitting 3 across isn't really a thing anymore. So the 6 seater option looks great, and it improves access to the 3rd row.

Pano roof, or not. It looks like there is a built-in cover for the pano roof, which is great. Or you can get a trim level without one altogether. My wife gets migraines from sunglare so the mandatory R1 pano roof would need after market covering.

Acceleration. I'm fine with sub 5 second 0-to-60 times! Thanks! My IONIQ 5 AWD already does 4.5 seconds and that is plenty of acceleration for me.

Braking behavior. I'm not a huge fan of single-pedal driving. You can already see the IONIQ 9 will continue with the wide range of Regen braking options Hyundai already supports. I'm glad Rivian added the Low Regen setting in standard drive mode but you still have to feather the accelerator.

Suspension. Rivian addressed my issues with the R1S suspension with the Gen 2 release, but it was a deal breaker until recently. So I will still need to assess the IONIQ 9, but with the large wheelbase and the amount of time they've had with the platform I expect it will be fine. An air suspension, as nice as it is, is not a hard requirement for me.

Drive assist features. Standard adaptive cruise control, lane departure, collision avoidance, Android Auto, etc. etc., and the existing infotainment setup I'm already familiar with. KISS.

Interior power outlets and camp mode. USB-C, 12V, and regular outlets tied directly to the HV battery. Yes please! Fold flat 2nd row with similar room to R1S. Minus auto-leveling suspension in camp mode.

Other things are worse too. Frunk, ground clearance, top spec range, exterior styling, the weird stalk location with the gear selector, etc. Everyone will have their own list, this is just mine.

It's great to see some new EV options coming to the market!

 

[strykerwsu]

Good God that’s ugly. I’m usually a fan of HY/Kia vehicles.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Not the market I’m personally in but it’s not bad. Looks like a little Volvo, a little bit Lucid Gravity and a little bit Kia. I like the KIA 3 row exterior better, but the tech and interior is cheap in that car.

I also like a little pep in my step with my car so I need something with more performance. I think for the person who looks at practicality and price this is a hit.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I still can't figure out those creases in the fenders. Snack drawers?? What kind of mushrooms are they serving the designers?

 

[Chinna]

Kia EV9 a way looks lot nicer

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