EV9 Fuel Costs $3,803. Insurance Costs $13,100.

Our calculator puts the 2025 Kia EV9 at $50,892 over five years, or $848 a month. Here is the odd part: the electricity to move it 60,000 miles comes to $3,803. Insurance over the same period is $13,100, about 3.4 times as much.

People shop electric SUVs by range and charging speed. Our numbers say that is the wrong place to look. Fuel is about 7.5% of what this Kia costs to own. Depreciation is about 60%.

So this review starts with the money that actually leaves your account, then works back to the vehicle.

Where the $848 a month goes

We assumed a $56,000 purchase price and 12,000 miles a year. Over five years, depreciation is $30,801. That is roughly $513 of your monthly cost, and you never write a check for it. You just find out at trade-in time.

Insurance is next at $13,100, about $218 a month. Fuel is $3,803, about $63 a month. Repairs are $1,793, maintenance is $1,140, and registration is $255.

Add repairs and maintenance together and you get $2,933. Insurance is about 4.5 times that. A three-row electric SUV is expensive to insure because it is expensive to fix after a fender bender, and the battery and sensors are not cheap to replace.

One caution. Our insurance figure is an estimate built from the vehicle's value and class. It is not a quote. Your driving record, ZIP code, and age will move it, possibly a lot.

Who this is for, and who should look elsewhere

The EV9 is a three-row electric SUV for families who want to stop buying gas and still carry six or seven people. It is big and it is quiet. It suits a household that can charge at home overnight.

It is a poor fit for three kinds of buyer:

• Apartment dwellers with no reliable charging. The fuel savings only show up if you charge cheaply.
• Anyone who drives long rural highways and tows. Cold weather and towing both cut electric range.
• Anyone who expects the cheap fuel to offset the purchase price. At $63 a month for power, it does not.

Trims and pricing

The lineup runs from a plain entry model to a loaded GT-Line. The prices below are approximate starting figures, since Kia adjusts pricing and destination fees. Confirm the exact numbers on Kia's build page before you plan anything.

Trim	MSRP	What you actually get
Light	About $55,000	Smaller battery, rear-wheel drive, the basics. Good for short daily use.
Light Long Range	About $58,000	Bigger battery for more range. This is the sensible entry point.
Wind	About $62,000	More comfort and convenience features, available all-wheel drive. The mid-level pick.
Land	About $69,000	Nicer materials and more equipment. Starts to feel pricey.
GT-Line	About $71,000	Sportier look and the most features. Mostly paying for style.

Our $56,000 estimate sits between the first two rows. Most buyers who add range and a few options will end up above it, and that raises every number in our breakdown, especially insurance and depreciation.

Powertrain and real-world efficiency

The EV9 comes with a smaller or larger battery and either rear-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive. The big battery with all-wheel drive is the version most people picture. It gives up some efficiency for traction and power.

For official range and efficiency numbers on each version, use the EPA's fueleconomy.gov listing. Those figures are more trustworthy than anything a brochure or a review quotes from memory. Real-world results shift with temperature, speed, and how heavy your foot is.

In dollar terms, our calculator's $3,803 for five years works out to about $760 a year. That assumes typical electricity prices and mostly home charging. Rely on public fast chargers and the bill climbs quickly.

What it gets right

The cabin is the best argument for this car. It is wide and flat-floored, with real room in the second row. The third row is usable for kids and shorter adults, which is more than many rivals manage. The quiet ride helps on long family trips.

The technology is mostly sensible. The large screens are easy to read and Kia has kept some physical controls, so you are not forced into menus to change the temperature. Charging is also a strength: the car can accept fast charging at a competitive rate, and Tesla Supercharger access through an adapter widens your options on road trips.

The design looks like a rugged box rather than a jellybean. That is a matter of taste, but it does make the car look like it was built for people and luggage.

What it gets wrong

The price is the main problem. Move up even one trim and you are in territory where a plain gas three-row SUV costs far less. The EV9 does not make that money back in fuel, as our $63 monthly power estimate shows.

Range is respectable, but not outstanding for the money. Pick the smaller battery and long trips become planning exercises.

The third row is fine for children, but it is not a place for adults on a long drive. Cargo space behind it is tight when all seats are up. The EV9 also hasn't had time to build a record in the real world. Our $1,793 repair estimate is a projection. Kia's newer electronics and software may or may not age well, and nobody can honestly promise that yet.

And then there is depreciation. Electric SUVs at this price have lost value quickly, as incentives and price cuts push used prices down. Our $30,801 figure reflects that.

Safety

We have not confirmed final 2025 crash-test results, so treat the rating as something to verify yourself. Check NHTSA for government crash ratings and IIHS for its independent results. If a rating for the 2025 model year is missing, it has not been published yet, and that should factor into your decision.

Your first year with the Wind trim

We use the mid-level Wind trim at about $62,000 for a first-year picture. These are rougher than our five-year figures.

• Depreciation: New cars usually lose 15% to 22% in year one. On $62,000, that is about $9,300 to $13,600.
• Fuel at 15,000 miles: Scaling our calculator's yearly cost up for extra driving gives roughly $950.
• Insurance: Our estimate for this class is about $2,200 to $3,400 for the year. It is an estimate, not a quote, so get real quotes before you sign anything.
• First service: Expect a basic check around the first year or roughly 7,500 miles, usually a tire rotation and an inspection. Confirm the interval in Kia's maintenance schedule. There is no oil change.

That first year likely costs more in lost value than the next three years cost in fuel combined.

How it stacks up

Hyundai Ioniq 9: The EV9 wins on price, since the Hyundai tends to cost more for similar equipment, but it loses on range and newer design.

Rivian R1S: The EV9 wins on cost and on being easier to live with day to day, but it loses on off-road ability and driving character.

Volvo EX90: The EV9 wins on value for the money, but it loses on interior polish and Volvo's safety reputation.

The verdict

Buy the EV9 if you have a family of five or more, you can charge at home, and you want a quiet, roomy SUV that does not use gas. Choose Light Long Range or Wind, and shop your insurance before you commit. Our $848 monthly figure is the number to compare against any rival you are considering.

Skip it if you are buying to save money. The $3,803 in fuel is not the point, and $13,100 in insurance plus $30,801 in lost value will swamp the savings. Skip it too if you cannot charge at home or you tow regularly.

The EV9 is a good family vehicle. It is not a cheap one, and the numbers do not pretend otherwise.