10 Biggest News Stories of the Week: Kia EV9 Takes Up Space at Top, Acura MDX Ups the Ante

The new-for-2024 Kia EV9 is a pioneer among all-electric vehicles in that it offers all the utility and conveniences consumers crave in a big three-row SUV while helping motorists ease off the gas on the road to a more eco-friendly future. In addition to greater occupant capacity, comfort, a commanding driving position and crash safety, one of the main attributes shoppers seek in SUVs is cargo room. Since Cars.com just so happens to own an EV9 as part of its fleet of long-term test cars, our editors decided to apply our proprietary formula for testing stowage space to see how this electric SUV stacks up against other three-row people haulers — and our report on the comparison lands just short of the top spot on this week’s countdown of most popular news articles.

Related: 10 Biggest News Stories of the Month: Rivian R1S, Kia EV9 More Worthy Than Chevrolet Trailblazer

The EV9, by Cars.com calculations, offers 23.4 cubic feet of space behind the second row when the third row is folded — with an additional 0.7 cubic foot when you add room in the front trunk — and 10.4 cubic feet behind the third row when the seats are in use. The seven competitors we compared against the Kia ranged from 22.1 cubic feet to 28.5 cubic feet behind the second row, with the EV9 faring OK on the low side of the mid-range. Behind the third row, where measurements range from 9.1 cubic feet up to 14.5 cubic feet, the EV9 falls to sixth place out of eight due to the Honda Pilot’s slightly superior 11 cubic feet.

For the full report on how the 2024 Kia EV9 compares to competitors’ cargo space — including versus other all-electric three-row SUVs from the likes of Tesla and Rivian — follow the link below to the No. 2 news story of the week.

In other three-row SUV coverage, if you’re in the market for a well-rounded luxury model that gives you more for your money, be sure to check out this week’s third-place finisher, Cars.com reviewer Conner Golden’s comprehensive critique of the 2025 Acura MDX. The mid-size SUV has been lightly refreshed for the new model year, and though perhaps only the keenest of eyes would even be able to spot the difference between the 2025 version and the already-excellent outgoing model in a lineup without peeking at the Monroney, one interior upgrade in particular should have multimedia users insisting on taking the ’25 home.

“Happily, this refresh not only addresses some of the few weak spots of the prior MDX, but expands both trim and tech that scooches the top-level Type S a smidge upmarket,” Golden states in his review. “I’m tickled to report that regardless of chosen trim, all MDXs ditch the awful touchpad-based infotainment interface in favor of a traditional touchscreen.”

For our full take on the 2025 Acura MDX, follow the link below to the No. 3 article of the past week.

Beyond all that, we’ve got headlines on the Mazda CX-50, Kia Sportage, Chevrolet Equinox EV and much more — so don’t stop reading till the digits double. Here are the top 10 news stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of in the past week:

1. Which Electric Cars Are Still Eligible for the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit? 

2. Does the 2024 Kia EV9 Have as Much Cargo Room as Regular 3-Row SUVs? 

3. 2025 Acura MDX Type S Review: Subtle Upgrades for the Sales Superstar 

4. Here Are the 11 Cheapest Electric Vehicles You Can Buy 

5. 2024 Cars.com American-Made Index: Which Cars Are the Most American? 

6. Which SUVs, Minivans and Sedans Have the Most Cargo Space? 

7. 2025 Mazda CX-50 Gets New Toyota-Powered Hybrid Variant 

8. 2025 Kia Sportage: Minor Content Change, Minor Price Change 

9. Electric Cars With the Longest Range

10. 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV: More Power and Available Features, Same Base Price

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