2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Up Close: The Gang’s All Here
Finally, the big-body Ioniq. The all-new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is the latest (and largest) of the South Korean automaker’s all-electric offerings, bringing the Kia EV9’s three-row SUV layout and platform to the Big Hy. It’s not exactly what we expected stylistically, but there’s tons of big numbers and ergonomic goodies under the skin that we did.
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For the record, don’t interpret “unexpected” as “ugly.” If you compare the Ioniq 9’s curvaceous, Volvo-esque profile and soft lines to the “modern retro” edges of the Ioniq 5 and the production form of the forthcoming N Vision 74 concept, it’s a bit of an outlier. The Ioniq 9 falls more in line with the Ioniq 6’s forward-looking language, and for some family folk, that’s likely just fine.
It’s numbers that really move EVs, not styling. In that regard, the Ioniq 9’s 110.3-kilowatt-hour battery pack is more potent than what’s available in the EV9 and offers what Hyundai says is at least 300 miles of range no matter the trim. The numbers for some configurations have yet to be finalized, but the single-motor rear-wheel-drive variant is the thriftiest at 335 miles of EPA-rated range, according to the brand.
Well Equipped and Premium
I can’t speak to the more basic trims, but the mid-range variant I spent most of my preview time crawling around was as well equipped and premium enough to keep all types of buyers happy. Materials are the same upscale selection available on the rest of Hyundai’s electric-vehicle lineup, with presentation pulling inspiration and cues from the entire Hyundai lineup — including the Santa Fe and Tuscon — rather than just the EVs.
It’s a clean, modernist space in which to wick away traffic jams and soccer practice runs, with enough toys and utility to keep everyone charged and quiet. Most, if not all, of the many USB-C ports scattered about the cabin were 100-watt outlets, meaning they’ve got enough juice to charge laptops and fast-charge smaller devices. For storage, there are tons of little nooks and crannies to put your stuff, and the “Universal Island” center console allows bidirectional access between the first and second rows.
I had precious little alone time with the new three-row SUV, but I did notice my example was equipped with the familiar Combined Charging System port — not Tesla’s North American Charging Port. NACS (and, therefore, access to Tesla’s well-established Supercharger network) will be standard, however.
You’ll have to wait for us to get some more in-person wheeltime with the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 for more details, but I’m thinking this is going to be quite the hit.
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