Hyundai Ioniq 9 (2025 - )

Hyundai has just launched a new three-row, six or seven-seater, full-sized SUV called the Ioniq 9. And while this wouldn’t normally cause too much of a stir, it has raised a number of questions. After all, the seven-seater Hyundai Santa Fe has proven a global success scooping bundles of awards sinch launch last year. So, why the need for another giant people-mover then?
The answer is simple. The Santa Fe is powered by traditional combustion engines, while the Ioniq 9 is purely electric, so customers have a choice of powertrain now too.
There are three trim levels called Premium, Ultimate and Calligraphy and, while all models feature the same capacity 110kWh battery, there are differing power outputs. Additionally, entry-level Ioniq 9 Premium is only sold as a rear-wheel drive model, with the rest of the line-up featuring  all-wheel drive.
Customers can also specify the range-topping Calligraphy version with six rather than seven seats. And it was that model that we tested, costing £78,595.
 

There’s no denying the size of the Ioniq 9 – you’d have to blink more than once to miss it, that’s for sure. It bears a strong resemblance and shares its platform with the award-winning Kia EV9 as both companies fall under the Hyundai Group umbrella.
It has quite a futuristic front end with distinctive lighting that includes vertical and horizontal clusters, plus a strip of pixel LEDs across the front of the bonnet. The side profile clearly shows the slightly tapering roofline, along with privacy glass and upgraded 21-inch alloys on the Calligraphy model. The rear is squared off for practicality purposes and there are once again vertical light strips. And the design is completed with flush door handles, plus body-coloured mirrors and wheel arches.
Move inside and the Ioniq 9 is like the Tardis – it has a huge amount of space for occupants and they benefit from a raft of creature comforts. Up front, the Nappa leather seats are powered, can be heated or ventilated and even offer a massage function. The steering wheel can also be warmed against the winter chill as can the pair of seats in row two.
The infotainment set-up looks great with a pair of 12.3-inch screens merging seamlessly behind a single curved glass panel and this is angled towards the driver for added convenience.
The right-hand screen is where all the main driving data is clearly displayed, such as speed, battery charge levels and existing driving range. While the left-hand screen is the access point to the many on-board features. These include full smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 14-speaker Bose sound system, DAB radio, sat nav, Bluetooth, a voice-activated personal assistant, along with Hyundai’s Feature on Demand set-up whereby owners can access their subscription-based services and downloads.
Everything is perfectly positioned for ease of use and the leather-wrapped steering wheel has four small pixel LEDs across it that alter as you go through the various drive modes. Quirky, but a nice subtle touch.
There is a separate panel for all the climate settings, along with a head-up display to keep that speed readout right in the driver’s eye-line.
Our Ioniq 9 Calligraphy also had a digital rearview camera that displays a live camera feed showing exactly what’s going on behind the vehicle. If that’s too much of a sensory overload, it can be flicked back into a more traditional view.
 

While all Ioniq 9 models are fitted with the same 110kWh battery, we were testing the higher-powered Calligraphy grade car. With 427PS and a whopping 700Nm of torque, it can reach 62mph from a standing start in just 5.2 seconds and tops out at 124mph. That’s not too shabby for a car that weighs just over 2.6 tonnes.
But possibly the main figure for any potential EV driver is the range between charges. This varies between models with the RDW Premium delivering a WLTP-tested 385 miles, dropping to 372 miles for the AWD Calligraphy test car.
Despite its size, the Ioniq 9 is actually quite agile when put to the test and the nicely weighted steering offers plenty of driver feedback.
Yes, it feels large on particularly narrow lanes and if you push on too hard, you’ll notice a little body roll, but that aside it copes really well.
It quickly reaches national speed limits on dual carriageways and that instant turn of pace makes it simple to join fast flowing traffic from a slip road. And it will sit at 70mph effortlessly eating up the miles on longer journeys.
In busy town centres, you will need a large parking space as the Ioniq 9 measures in excess of five metres in length, but there are all manner of cameras and sensors to help squeeze into tight gaps. Additionally, the car has Remote Smart Parking Assist which means you can control the vehicle via your key fob from outside the car.
Another handy function for city driving is the regenerative braking, which recoups energy that would otherwise be lost when the car is slowing down. The strength of the braking can be adjusted via the steering wheel paddles and, in its strongest setting, the i-Pedal comes into force which means the car can be brought to a complete standstill without touching the brake pedal.
Additionally, there are drive modes called Eco, Normal, Sport and My Drive to alter the performance and handling characteristics. And when faced with more adverse driving conditions or venturing off-road there are settings called Snow, Mud and Sand to keep you moving.
Comfort levels are good with a fairly soft suspension set-up smoothing out the road undulations, and the cabin is well-insulated against outside noise. That said; there is some wind noise from the large mirrors at faster speeds.
 

The Ioniq 9 boasts a strong road presence thanks to its larger-than-life proportions. It stretches 5,060mm in length, is 1,980mm wide (excluding mirrors), 1,790mm in height and has a 3,130mm wheelbase.
Those figures make for an exceptionally spacious cabin with room for six or seven adults – depending on the model, And, unlike some rival three-row vehicles, those relegated to the pair of back seats are blessed with bundles of leg and head room. It’s even okay for six-footers without any complaints.
Up front, there is oodles of room to stretch out and our six-seater featured a second row consisting of two individual captain’s chairs rather than the three-seat bench set-up. These offer sublime comfort levels, and if you stop for a break to charge up the battery, these two seats can be swivelled 180 degrees to face back row passengers for a catch up.
The boot is accessed via a powered tailgate and with all seats upright, there is 338 litres of storage room. Drop the seats in rows two and three (at the press of a button) and that capacity increases to a very generous 2,419 litres. Additionally, pop the bonnet and there is a frunk (front trunk) with 52 litres of extra storage space, which is ample room for a couple of shopping bags or to keep the charging cables. This space is slightly larger at 88 litres on the rear-wheel drive models.
Then, throughout the Ioniq 9, are various handy compartments. The centre console can be accessed by front and second row occupants and this whole unit can slide back and forth for added convenience. Elsewhere, there is a glovebox with a tray above it, door bins with a bottle section, a deep cubby, six cup holders, a wireless charging pad, seat back pockets and ample USB-C ports to go round.
The Ioniq 9 supports ultra-fast charging at up to 350kW. That means it can be boosted from 20 to 80 per cent in just 24 minutes. This will be expensive though, so it’s cheaper to top up at home or work, where a similar charge of 20 to 80 per cent takes 6 hours, 42 minutes via an 11kW wallbox.
And the Ioniq 9 also offers Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capabilities so it can power up external sources, such as camping lights, kettles, computers and sound systems.
 

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 is certainly not cheap, but nor are its closest rivals in the sector. The entry-level Premium model costs £64,995, while the Ultimate increases to £73,495. Step up to Calligraphy specification and the lower-powered 307PS model costs £75,795 while the Calligraphy seven-seater with 427PS costs £77,595 with the six-seater topping out at £78,595.

The good news for customers is how well equipped each car comes. That means there is very little scope or need to factor in optional extras. You can opt for digital door cameras, although they are a bit gimmicky in our opinion, or some upgraded paint, but that’s about it.

Anyone considering purchasing an EV will know that a number of financial incentives were withdrawn in April this year. EV owners now have to pay road tax for the first time, although it is only £10 for the first year increasing to the standard £195 charge after 12 months.

The Expensive Car Supplement is pricier. This is applied to any vehicle costing in excess of £40k. And while EVs were previously exempt, that’s no longer the case. This means Ioniq 9 owners will need to find an extra £425 annually from years two to five.

And that high-end price-tag means there will be no government EV grant for owners either.

However, day-to-day running costs should be rewarding and Hyundai has a good reputation for reliability too. For added peace of mind, the Ioniq 9 comes with a standard five-year, unlimited mileage warranty, increasing to eight years or a capped 100,000 miles for the battery. And Hyundai Roadside Assistance is also included free for 12 months.

People-movers are certainly back in fashion and we are starting see the competition hot up in the electrified six- or seven-seat sector. Both the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9 are excellent contenders in this field and they both compare favourably to some higher-priced models carrying premium badges.

We like how the car is sold with all the bells and whistles included, so there is no need to factor in thousands of pounds worth of options, and we also liked its practicality and performance.

It will be interesting to see if the bold move to have two people carriers in the line-up will work out for Hyundai though, or whether the Ioniq 9 takes sales away from its sibling, the Santa Fe.