Kia’s flagship electric sport-utility vehicle (SUV), the EV9, has been receiving widespread acclaim in global markets.

Kia announced on the 31st that the EV9 has proven world-class competitiveness as an electrified SUV, winning major automotive awards in North America and Europe and earning top safety ratings.

First, the high-performance EV9 GT scored a total of 583 points in an electric-vehicle comparison conducted by the leading German automotive outlet Auto Bild, beating Volvo’s flagship electric model, the EX90 (565 points), by 18 points to take first place.

The EV9 was recently named ‘Canada’s Electrified Utility Vehicle of the Year’ at the 2026 Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto, Canada.

It was also selected as the ‘Best 7-Seat Electric SUV’ at the ‘2026 What Car Awards’ organized by the UK automotive outlet What Car.

In the United States, after being chosen as the top model in the ‘Midsize Electric SUV’ category in Car and Driver’s ‘2026 Editors’ Choice Awards’, it went on to sweep Cars.com’s ‘2026 Best of Awards’ and ‘2026 EV Top Pick’. It also earned praise from major North American media by taking home Kelley Blue Book’s ‘2026 Best Buy Awards’ and U.S. News & World Report’s ‘2026 Best Customer Value Award’.

The EV9 also proved its excellence in safety. In the 2025 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash evaluations, it earned the highest rating, ‘TSP+(Top Safety Pick+)’, and in the European New Car Assessment Programme, ‘Euro NCAP’, it likewise received the top five-star rating.

A Kia representative said, “From high-performance driving feel to practicality, product appeal, and safety, the EV9 is receiving global recognition across every area a vehicle should excel in,” adding, “We will continue to uphold the status of our flagship SUV as a leader in the global electrification market, based on innovative technologies and differentiated product appeal.”