Alex on Autos:
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Hyundai’s 2026 Ioniq 9 is the family-friendly 3-row EV so many have been waiting for. It will seat 6 or 7, go 300+ miles on a charge, qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit, and as a result will likely be the least expensive electric family hauler in America.
Don't let the pics fool you, the Ioniq 9 is pretty big. It's a hair under 200 inches long with a whopping 123.2 inch long wheelbase. That's how it packs more legroom than a Hyundai Palisade or Grand Highlander while also having over 20 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. Headroom? That's also better than the Palisade, although exact dimensions are a little fuzzy at the moment. What's not fuzzy is that this is the first 3-row EV in America with a tilt/slide 2nd row seat that lets you leave a LATCH anchored child seat in place while accessing the 3rd row.
The tax credit and long-range (over 300 miles in every trim) is thanks to a new 110.3 kWh battery pack that will be built in the USA. The motors should be familiar to existing Hyundai EV owners, there's a 214 HP motor in the back and your choice of 94 or 214 HP motor in the front (or none at all for the longest range). The new battery will scoot from 10-80% in 24 minutes, but more impressively: 0-80% in under 30 minutes and 0-100% in around 45 minutes making this the quickest charging 3-row in America.
Cargo capacity? That’s also class leading with similar room to the Rivian R1S and way more than a Model X. The only thing missing? A spare tire. I guess we can't have everything.
The interior is a blend of Ioniq 6 and Santa Fe with faux wood, ambient lighting, two-tone color pallets, and all of Hyundai's latest tech. That includes: phone as key, OTA updates, wireless CarPlay / Android Auto, and... native J3400 charging. Yep, it'll have the "Tesla connector" standard! Although... To hit those lofty charge times, you'll have to use the adapter and an 800V CCS charging station. Charge times at a Tesla station will stretch out by around 20% until Tesla finishes the deployment of their V4 stations.
We don’t know pricing yet, but expect it to start at just over $60,000, although that tax credit could get the effective price down to the low to mid 50s…. as long as it sticks around. The tax credit is possible because this will be built in Georgia where Hyundai has invested nearly $13 billion USD in new factories for the production of the Ioniq 9, the Ioniq 5, and other EVs including the related Kia EV9.
So... About that EV9, and the somewhat similarly shaped Volvo EX90. Which one do you like best? I think the EX90 looks sleeker and has a much nicer interior, but is it worth an extra $20,000+? Especially considering the hot mess that is Volvo's new infotainment software, and the fact that EX90 won't get the full credit, or any credit at all if you get carried away with options. (Max MSRP caps apply). EV9? The Hyundai has more range and a snazzier interior IMHO."
