If you still think EVs are small, slow, and quirky-looking, Hyundai is out to prove you wrong with its dedicated lineup of Ioniq-badged battery-electric vehicles. The original Ioniq 5 crossover now has company, with the addition of the Ioniq 6 sedan and, debuting at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9 SUV.
With the Ioniq 9, Hyundai’s lineup of battery-electric vehicles expands in several ways. It’s the third model to wear the Ioniq badge and the biggest of the line. Yet the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9’s drivetrain promises to retain the sporty performance of the brand’s smaller EVs, along with a range of 335 miles between charges.
It joins an emerging list of three-row EVs, such as the Rivian R1S, Tesla Model X, and the EV9 from sibling South Korean brand Kia. It can accommodate up to seven passengers and boasts up to 46.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the back bench folded down.
When Ioniq 9 rolls into showrooms next year, there will be several trims to choose from. It will also offer a choice of powertrain configurations delivering as much as 335 miles between charges — or, if you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of range, sporty 0-60 launches of less than 5 seconds.
The new Hyundai EV adds various premium features and onboard technology and will allow motorists to add new features and functions, the automaker promises, using Ioniq 9’s smartphone-style Over-the-Air update system.
Exterior Design
Underpinning Ioniq 9 is a version of the E-GMP “architecture” used for the smaller Ioniq 5 and 6 models. This flexible platform here boasts a 123.2-inch wheelbase. It stretches 199.2 inches in total length. If you’re checking my math, that is nearly 2 inches longer than the EV9 but an inch shorter than the R1S.
The Hyundai SUV stands tall, at 70.5 inches, making it easy to get in and out and ensuring plenty of headroom, even in the back row. It has a width of 77.95 inches, providing ample shoulder room, as well.
Terms like “athletic” and “muscular” have become painful cliches regarding new product previews. Still, Ioniq 9 does exude a feeling of power and roominess with a design that Hyundai dubs “Aerosthetic.” That’s marked by some distinctive features, starting with the “Parametric Pixels” lighting design, front and back, a vertical cut line slicing through the rear doors, and a large, angled D-pillar.
You’ll also spot the curious inserts atop the wheel wells. In an exclusive interview, designer Simon Loasby told me that they will make it easy to add bolder, flaring arches if Hyundai follows through on plans to add an off-road-oriented Ioniq 9 XRT package.
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Interior Design
One of the key benefits of using a skateboard-style platform like the E-GMP is that key drivetrain components, including the big battery pack, are moved under the floorboards. That frees up passenger space – with Ioniq 9’s rear bench now more than a penalty box.
And there’s plenty of cargo space: 21.9 cubic feet with the back row up, and 46.7 cubic feet with it down. Add a modest frunk under the hood, providing more room for your stuff while keeping it locked away.
Ioniq 9’s interior is a handsome affair and has a more upscale feel than many might expect from a Hyundai-badged vehicle. If anything, it’s better appointed than the Tesla Model X, ostensibly a luxury vehicle. The layout doesn’t stray far from that of the smaller Ioniq 5 and 6 models, with a horizontal layout accenting its width.
What appears to be a panoramic display conceals twin 12-inch digital screens, one providing driver data, the other serving infotainment duties. And there’s plenty more to discuss about what the latter touchscreen can do in a moment.
During a sneak preview for a handful of us automotive scribes, Hyundai showed off the U.S. and overseas versions of Ioniq 9. Among the most notable differences, the European package gets a cutting-edge exterior camera system that replaces its conventional side view mirrors.
Images are displayed on small monitors at the forward part of the front doors. This approach reduces wind noise and range-cheating drag. Unfortunately, camera mirrors have yet to be approved by American safety regulators — though that might change soon.
Powertrain
All versions of the electric SUV draw power from a 110.3-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. But there are several different drivetrain layouts:
- Ioniq 9 Long-Range RWD has a single rear motor producing 215 horsepower and getting you to 60 in 8.4 seconds
- Ioniq 9 Long-Range AWD adds a second, small motor up front kicking in another 80 horsepower, with launch times cut to 6.2 seconds
- Ioniq 9 AWD Performance uses identical motors, front and back, to boost a combined output of 422 horsepower, yielding launch times of 4.9 seconds
Ioniq 9’s electronic control system allows dynamic torque vectoring to help improve cornering at higher speeds. And the EV also features an Auto Terrain system that recognizes different road conditions to instantly adjust various vehicle settings.
Towing is rated at a maximum of 5,000 pounds for U.S. models.
Range & Charging
Hyundai has yet to release additional specs for each model but confirms the Long-Range RWD package will yield an EPA-estimated 335 miles per charge.
Meanwhile, according to Hyundai, all versions will be able to go from a 10% to 80% state-of-charge in as little as 24 minutes, largely thanks to an unusual 400/800V electrical architecture. This architecture allows Ioniq 9 to tap the full potential of the most powerful 350kW DC public chargers.
The automaker hasn’t yet released charging data for 240-volt Level 2 systems, but, based on the size of the battery pack, that likely should be an overnight operation with a drained pack.
Technology
As you’d expect of an EV targeting family buyers, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9 boasts a wide range of safety features, starting with 10 airbags. There’s an extensive list of standard advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS, including forward collision warning with auto-braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and more.
Hyundai keeps everyone powered up with an assortment of 100W USB-C ports for all three roads. If needed, motorists can tap into the EV’s big battery pack to power up a camp or worksite or even keep the lights on and refrigerator running at home in the event of a blackout. There’s even a tray you can slide your smartphone into for a dose of sterilizing UV rays.
Ioniq 9 has a built-in Alexa-style voice assistant and adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Speaking of smartphones, the EV’s OTA technology allows Hyundai to send software updates to fix glitches or offer updates and even entirely new software-driven features.
This “Features on Demand (FoD) service is a unique offering that allows IONIQ 9 customers to further personalize their vehicle with digital upgrades purchased from the online store,” Hyundai noted.
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Pricing & Availability
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9 will be one of the first EVs to roll out of the newly opened Metaplant in Georgia. Hyundai has not yet confirmed whether that will qualify it for all or some federal EV tax credits when purchased outright. When leased, it should qualify for up to $7,500 in those incentives.
Production is set to begin early in the new year, and the vehicles will go on sale during the first half of 2025.
Hyundai has yet to reveal pricing, but we can get a rough sense of where it will land by checking out the similar Kia EV9. That three-row model starts around $56,000 — before factoring in delivery fees and discounts — and tops out in the low $80,000 range.
