2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9 review: International quick drive

A brief drive on a closed course in a camouflaged pre-production car doesn’t always tell you the key things you need to know about an all-new model. However, having spent some time with the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9 the previous day at the global reveal, some crucial questions had already been answered. 

The cabin felt premium, high-quality and beautifully executed. Hyundai is keen to emphasise that this is a family-first electric SUV, and while final pricing and specification are not yet known, the cabin reflects the ideal that this large SUV should be able to transport large families in comfort. 

Why is the third row not a three-seat layout for example? Because, according to Hyundai designers and engineers, that would have detracted from its ability to accommodate adults in comfort. A two-seater it is, then. Across all three rows, there’s comfort, visibility and practicality. Six and seven-seat layouts are available, with captain's chairs also available in the second row. At the time of this drive, we can’t confirm whether they will make it to our market. 

Key to the cabin space is the flat floor, which doesn’t just free up footwell space. It also assists in the way designers can lay out the cabin and add storage space throughout. Leg and shoulder room across the second and third rows are excellent, even for six-footers.

Hyundai calls the sliding centre console ‘Universal Island 2.0’, which sounds more like an action movie starring Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren, but is in fact quite useful. It provides 5.6 litres of storage in the upper deck, 12.6L in the lower sliding tray, and can be moved up to 190mm, meaning the front seats become a walk-through proposition. 

The third row folds flat into the floor, too, another feature we like to see in any SUV, electric or otherwise. With that row folded, you get 1323L of storage space, meaning if the third row is occasional, you’ve got a whopping boot to use. Through the cabin, there is a broad use of recycled materials and bio-friendly fabrics. Outside, the paint is made from recycled tyre waste. 

The exterior design is, as we’ve come to expect from Hyundai, classy, clean and stylish. There’s little doubt that the Ioniq 9 won’t polarise in the same way the EV9 has for stablemate Kia. There’s a subtlety to the styling that is more likely to appeal to more buyers. 

Our news story highlights the major points, but to recap here, the 110.3kWh battery trumps the EV9 in terms of capacity, with a projected driving range on the WLTP cycle of 620km  and charging capability of as little as 24 minutes to get from 10 to 80 per cent. The structure is secure, too, with Hyundai claiming the reinforced body ensures maximum battery safety even in the event of a big hit. 

All-wheel drive (AWD) and rear-wheel-drive (RWD) models will be available, with both getting the same battery capacity, with differing levels of performance. RWD gets up to 160kW and 350Nm to the rear axle, while the AWD Long Range adds up to 70kW and 255Nm to the front axle. The heavy-hitting AWD Performance adds 160kW and 350Nm to the front axle. It’s quick, too, and feels it, as fast as 5.2 seconds to 100km/h, but outright speed is hardly a focus for a family SUV. 

On the move, the Ioniq 9 feels smooth, quiet, refined and comfortable. There were some mismatched, coarse-chip surfaces on the short drive loop we covered, and the ride quality is also solid over the sorts of surfaces we see outside the urban areas in Australia.

As is the case with all electric vehicles, the snappy response and sharp acceleration seem a little at odds with the fact that this is a family SUV, in that it doesn’t need to be as fast as it is. 

Keep in mind, too, that our local suspension tune is likely to be different, and there will be a difference between 19-inch tyres and 21-inch tyres, too, so there will still be some assessment to be made once we drive the Ioniq 9 locally. 

The crucial question for me when the Ioniq 9 launches locally is not whether it’s a competent electric SUV. That much is clear even from a short drive. The first order of business will be nailing down specification and pricing so we can assess where it sits in the market. The big question, though, is whether Kia stealing a march on the Ioniq 9 with the EV9 has had a big impact. 

Has the Aussie family buyer, with the budget to access, already bought the electric SUV they wanted? Or have they waited for Hyundai to release its newest model? Time and sales data will tell.