So, I’ve just spent some proper time with the Hyundai Ioniq 9 on a press trip, and yes, this thing is enormous. You don’t quite grasp the scale from photos. It’s properly chunky, almost with that American SUV stance, but softened with Hyundai’s pixel-light signature and clean lines. First impressions? It looks futuristic without being fussy, and when you step inside, it feels less like a car and more like a luxury suite on wheels.
Driving Impressions
On the road, you sit high and feel every inch of that width. It’s not trying to be the floatiest EV out there, but it’s smooth enough, with that instant electric shove when you prod the throttle. The AWD Performance version packs 427PS and does 0–60mph in 5.2 seconds, which is genuinely impressive for something this size. Brakes are a touch softer than I’m used to, but you adjust. What shines through most is comfort: it soaks up miles in an unfussed way, and you can easily picture yourself doing long family trips without breaking a sweat.
Range & Charging
Underneath, there’s a whopper of a 110.3kWh battery, bigger than the related Kia EV9, hooked up to an 800V system. That means ultra-fast charging: 10 to 80% in just 24 minutes on a 350kW charger. At home, a standard 11kW wallbox takes around 10 hours, but the flexibility is there if you need it. Expect 350–380 miles of range depending on spec, which makes it an actual long-distance cruiser without the usual range anxiety.
Interior & Comfort
Hyundai has really leant into sustainability and luxury here. You’ve got recycled PET fabrics, bio-suede, and eco-paint made from recycled tyres, alongside premium Nappa leather and eco-suede headlining in the top trims. The flat floor and humongous 3-metre-plus wheelbase make the cabin feel absolutely cavernous.
The seating is the highlight. The footwells are wide enough to kick a football in, and the six-seat versions let the middle row swivel to face the third, turning the back into a rolling meeting room (or playroom, depending on your passengers). Hyundai’s “Relaxation Seats” even recline fully, though the massage function is sadly Korea-only. In the top Calligraphy trim, every seat is power-operated. I don’t usually dedicate a whole section to the seats, but these are superb, even in the third row, which doesn’t feel like economy class for once.
Infotainment & Tech
Up front, there’s a panoramic curved display and slim, floating dashboard with physical climate buttons (thank God). Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, though flicking between them and the native OS is a little clunky. The Calligraphy trim gets a Bose 14-speaker system, while a neat detail sees pixel LEDs on the steering wheel light up to show charge state.
The “Universal Island” console (not a theme park) slides up to 190mm, and a cooled wireless charging mat keeps your phone happy. Bonus points here for design as my iPhone actually charged and stayed in place for the whole test drive, even when I was confirming the 0-60 time. Elsewhere, there are six USB-C ports with 100W output – proper fast charging for your gadgets. There’s even a UVC steriliser, a hangover from the car’s Covid-era development. You get independent climate control for rows two and three, plus a heat pump that recycles waste heat to boost efficiency. Oh, and yes, you can stream YouTube on the central screen, which is either brilliant or absolutely terrifying depending on your passengers.
Rivals & Value
Here’s where Hyundai looks very clever. The Ioniq 9 has a bigger battery than the Kia EV9 yet costs virtually the same. Volvo’s EX90? You won’t touch one for less than £82k. The Audi Q8 e-tron and BMW iX are contenders but lack the multi-seat versatility. The electric Range Rover is still “coming soon” and the petrol LWB starts well into six figures.
So Hyundai’s effectively delivered a luxury, family-friendly EV SUV that undercuts or outsmarts most of the competition. It’s not cheap, but not many new cars are in 2025. For around £63–77k, you’re getting space, comfort, sustainability, and tech that feels properly considered rather than just box-ticking.
Final Thoughts
The Ioniq 9 might just be Hyundai’s sweet spot: big enough to feel special, refined enough to compete with premium brands, and clever enough to make you wonder why you’d spend considerably more elsewhere. It’s a rolling lounge, a gadget hub, and a long-distance tourer all at once. On this showing, Hyundai appears to have played an absolute blinder.
