2025 Kia EV9 vs 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 vs 2025 VinFast VF 9 Comparison Test Review: Dressed to the Nines

• Ioniq 9 offers the most space, luxury, and refinement, but styling isn’t for everyone.

• Kia EV9 nails the SUV vibe, with a balanced drive and great value.

• VF 9 stands out for design and comfort, but awkward quirks hold it back.

Three-row midsize SUVs have become the go-to for growing families and road-trippers alike. Add electrification into the mix, and suddenly you’ve got a very interesting segment, especially in Canada, where EV adoption continues despite the headlines. We’ve spent time with the 2025 Kia EV9, the brand-new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9, and the 2025 VinFast VF 9 to see how they stack up.

Anecdotally, this segment hits close to home as the EV9 in the test is my very own. Earlier this year, I was shopping for a vehicle to accommodate my new reality. Once I’d settled on the idea of an EV, my first thought was the Volkswagen ID.Buzz as I’m a huge minivan and VW fan. Thing is, the Buzz is too expensive and already lags the competition in all things EV. That left SUVs. The short list included the Kia, the Ioniq 9 (though not available at the time), the VF 9, as well as the pricier Rivian R1S and Lucid Gravity – the Tesla Model was a non-starter.

With the Hyundai Ioniq 9 now available and VinFast finally offering press units for evaluation, we could not help but pit the three Nines and see which was best. In my case, to figure out if I’d made a mistake.

As spec’d, they all offer six-seat configurations, around 450–500 km of range, dual-motor AWD layouts, and some level of fast charging. But they take different approaches to design, comfort, tech, and practicality. Here’s how they shake out.

Kia EV9: The Confident All-Rounder

Starting at $59,995, the EV9 is the most accessible of the bunch. The tester, my EV9 Land AWD with the Premium package, rings in at $75,495. And frankly, for that money, it delivers a lot.

Design-wise, it’s everything I want in an SUV. Square, planted, bold, big hips and haunches that mean business. The flat nose, rear spoiler, and minimal frills showcase it as a proper utility vehicle, even if it’s not the most aerodynamic. To note, I am running a set of Fast Wheels EV01 wheels and Hankook iON evo SUV tires, the same as fitted on the Ioniq 9.

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Inside, it’s very functional. Twin 12.3-inch screens, intuitive menus, and thoughtful storage make daily use a breeze. One nitpick: the centre console still wobbles a little more than I’d like. But the rest? Very well sorted.

Second-row comfort is excellent with the Premium Package: you get retractable shades, heated and cooled seats, and even a neat tray with a table. The third row is legitimately usable. The EV9’s wide-opening doors and ample headroom make for easy access, even with a child seat already in place, be it on the rear bench on the second-row chair.

Cargo space is decent: 573 litres behind the third row and 1,233 litres with the second row folded. The frunk is a bonus too, offering up to 90 litres in single-motor trims. Despite this, the use of a roof box for extended adventures is a must. I strapped my Thule box to the roof for a family excursion, and it went quite well. I’ll file a report soon.

On the road, the EV9 shines with a 99.8 kWh battery and up to 455 km of range. With 379 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, it’s quick off the line. It also feels light. I’m serious. Compared to the 6,500-lb VF 9, which is 700 lbs heavier, I’d almost qualify it as nimble, agile even.

Handling is engaging, regen braking is flexible thanks to the wheel-mounted paddles, and it charges up to 350 kW if you can find a compatible station. It’s not quite as polished as the Ioniq 9 in terms of ride comfort, as the rear end often displays a mind of its own over lesser-than-ideal roads, but it’s sportier. The only issue here is an annoying vibration that appears just above 110km/h.

Average consumption during the test sat at 23.5 kWh/100 km—not bad for a large, midsize EV SUV.

Hyundai Ioniq 9: The Luxury-Minded MVP

Also starting at $59,999, the Ioniq 9 lines up closely with the EV9 on pricing, even when you start climbing the trim ladder. The evaluated unit was the current top model, the Ultimate Calligraphy at $81,749. The good news is that you quickly see where that extra money goes.

Let’s talk design first: I’m not sold. It’s clean, sure, but the slab-sided, ultra-flush panels give it a minivan-lite vibe. Some have wrongfully said it looks good, but I suspect their vision is faulty… It’s long at 5 cm longer than the EV9, though 5 cm shorter than the VF9.

Once you open the doors, the visuals are a different story. The interior is plush. Materials are upscale, touchpoints are soft, and clever storage abounds, including a dual-opening centre armrest and twin under-console bins.

Second-row captain’s chairs are incredibly comfortable. The pull-out tray and sunshades add a dose of first-class luxury. And the third row? Much like the EV9, it is surprisingly accessible and spacious, thanks to wide doors and a tall roofline.

Cargo space leads the pack: 620 litres behind the third row and a whopping 1,323 litres behind the second. Frunk capacity maxes out at 88 litres in single-motor form.

The Ioniq 9 packs a 110.3 kWh battery delivering up to 539 km of range in lower trims, or 500 km in dual-motor Calligraphy spec. Charging is quick too, as a 10 to 80% SOC is completed in just 24 minutes if you find a proper 350 kW charger.

On the road, this is the most refined SUV of the bunch. With 422 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, it pulls strongly despite its 6,000-lb curb weight, though the extra hp only makes up for the Ioniq 9’s supplemental poundage. Ride quality is excellent, better than the other two. Smooth. Composed. It’s clearly tuned for comfort, but it doesn’t wallow. Easily the most grown-up drive of the three.

Average consumption during the test resulted in 23.0 kWh/100 km.

VinFast VF 9: Bold and Bumpy

Now, for the wild card. The VF 9 is the only non-Korean entry here and comes from Vietnamese startup VinFast. Pricing is… complicated. Pricing starts at $74,490 for the 2025 Eco trim. The member in this trio is a Plus with its Neptune Grey paint and six-seat layout, and it rings in at $81,815 in 2024 dollars… However, VinFast will toss you up to $16,000 in credits. So, there’s that.

Looks? Stunning. Penned by Pininfarina, the VF 9 has loads of presence and some station-wagon-hearse-adjacent lines that I find weirdly captivating. The front end is aggressive, and from most angles, it is nothing short of unique.

Unfortunately, the ergonomics are less successful. Door handles are stubborn and awkward, posing a concern for kids who could get their fingers pinched. The centre screen (a single 15.6-in unit) runs everything, including drive modes and regen settings. It works, but there’s a learning curve. It is via this screen that, near the end of the week-long loan, the VF 9 began sharing numerous error and malfunction messages. They included an “Automatic Emergency Braking degraded’, “Front AEB not available”, “Turn Indicator Light fault”, ‘Highway Assist inoperative”, “Stop Light fault”, and a few more worrisome notifications.

One standout annoyance is the delay when shifting between drive “D” and reverse “R” in a three-point manoeuvre. It’s just enough to make tight parking a chore.

Second-row comfort is fantastic. Plush, wide seats, massive door bins, and an 8-inch climate control screen… which you’ll probably lock to avoid kid-led chaos. But the third row? It’s cramped, with low cushions and a narrow entry, best left for short trips or emergencies. The second-row chairs must fold and tumble forward, meaning a booster seat must be removed to get in the rear-most row. The massive second row console, which is great for storage, also poses a significant obstacle, hampering foot traffic between rows.

Trunk space is underwhelming at just 212 litres behind the third row (we assume it excludes the deep bin beneath the load floor), and 926 litres with it down. At least the frunk is decent at 100 litres, but water infiltration through the vents might eventually become a corrosion issue.

The VF 9’s 123 kWh battery is massive but oddly inefficient. With only 462 km (NRcan) of range and slower 160 kW charging speeds, it doesn’t capitalize on that big pack. Power output is solid at 402 hp and 457 lb-ft, but at 6,500 lb, the VF 9 is heavy, prone to understeer and occasionally floaty if the road surface is not perfect. Brakes and steering are mostly fine, but ride comfort suffers when the suspension tries to rein in all that mass.

Average consumption? A thirsty 25 kWh/100 km.

The Verdict: Two at the Top, One Further Behind

The VF 9 may finish third, but it’s still compelling. The design, comfort, and features are all there—it just needs better execution in a few key areas. The wiser among us would wait a few more years before picking one up.

Between the EV9 and the Ioniq 9, the winner depends on what you’re after. The Ioniq 9 is quieter, smoother, more luxurious, and more spacious. It’s a road-trip dream. But the EV9 carries itself more like an SUV, drives with more verve, and offers better bang for your buck.

Personally? I love the EV9’s no-nonsense design, but I’ll happily admit the Ioniq 9 is the more polished machine.

Whichever Korean option you pick, you’re getting a family hauler that’s ready for the future, even if that future is showing up a little later than planned.

2025 Kia EV9 vs Hyundai Ioniq 9 vs Vinfast VF 9

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