[M Performance]

Photos of Kia's upcoming EV9 SUV have leaked online. What does everyone think? I think Kia did a pretty good job with the styling.

Leaked: All new Kia EV9

www.kiaevforums.com

 

[ssh]

Only word that comes to mind: boring.

 

[idbar]

Looks like a Polestar/Volvo design (back) with a Nissa Armada torso. Provided the current options for 7+ seats, this one seems interesting, but specs and price will tell.

 

[ovesund]

The front looks horrible IMO.

 

[A_Camera]

The front looks horrible IMO.

...the rear also.

 

[ashley1960]

I think many here are a little unfair to this car. Our car is a conventional design, this is a very modern look, I think it’s quite striking and one thing about Kia, it is without any doubt the most improved make of car in the last 10/20 years, look at the new Sportage, not an ev but looks the best out of all the SUV offerered and the ev6 is recognised as a really great new ev. This is certainly different to what a lot of boring car makers are designing, many who won’t survive the next few years because they have lost their way. I hope this car does well, because it’s different and imaginative too, good effort Kia.

 

[ashley1960]

I think many here are a little unfair to this car. Our car is a conventional design, this is a very modern look, I think it’s quite striking and one thing about Kia, it is without any doubt the most improved make of car in the last 10/20 years, look at the new Sportage, not an ev but looks the best out of all the SUV offerered and the ev6 is recognised as a really great new ev. This is certainly different to what a lot of boring car makers are designing, many who won’t survive the next few years because they have lost their way. I hope this car does well, because it’s different and imaginative too, good effort Kia.

Probably not for me though!

 

[8TinBoCO]

Likely to sell, given how well ICE SUVs sell here. Personally, I'd have wished for a mini-van, to beat the absurdly & repeatedly delayed ID.Buzz to market.

 

[ssh]

I think many here are a little unfair to this car. Our car is a conventional design, this is a very modern look, I think it’s quite striking and one thing about Kia, it is without any doubt the most improved make of car in the last 10/20 years, look at the new Sportage, not an ev but looks the best out of all the SUV offerered and the ev6 is recognised as a really great new ev. This is certainly different to what a lot of boring car makers are designing, many who won’t survive the next few years because they have lost their way. I hope this car does well, because it’s different and imaginative too, good effort Kia.

From my perspective, the design of this vehicle is boring. It's very blocky and there isn't anything which captures an artistic flow. I see this in both the interior and exterior. This just does nothing for my emotions.

 

[CheddarKungPao]

I think many here are a little unfair to this car. Our car is a conventional design, this is a very modern look, I think it’s quite striking and one thing about Kia, it is without any doubt the most improved make of car in the last 10/20 years, look at the new Sportage, not an ev but looks the best out of all the SUV offerered and the ev6 is recognised as a really great new ev. This is certainly different to what a lot of boring car makers are designing, many who won’t survive the next few years because they have lost their way. I hope this car does well, because it’s different and imaginative too, good effort Kia.

I think the EV6 is a challenging and interesting design. This EV9 just looks like another gigantic, brick shaped SUV. The lights aren't that weird. Look at the current X7 for a modern/interesting big SUV design IMHO.

 

[stryker]

Only word that comes to mind: boring.

View attachment 25068

Photos of Kia's upcoming EV9 SUV have leaked online. What does everyone think? I think Kia did a pretty good job with the styling.

Leaked: All new Kia EV9

www.kiaevforums.com

View attachment 25072
View attachment 25071
View attachment 25070
View attachment 25069

MEH!

 

[stryker]

I think many here are a little unfair to this car. Our car is a conventional design, this is a very modern look, I think it’s quite striking and one thing about Kia, it is without any doubt the most improved make of car in the last 10/20 years, look at the new Sportage, not an ev but looks the best out of all the SUV offerered and the ev6 is recognised as a really great new ev. This is certainly different to what a lot of boring car makers are designing, many who won’t survive the next few years because they have lost their way. I hope this car does well, because it’s different and imaginative too, good effort Kia.

I wonder why?
Kia and its parent company, the Hyundai Motor Group, have been snapping up former BMW employees such as designer Karim Habib and BMW M chief engineer Albert Biermann.

 

[Squirrel1974]

Whoa. Someone fell from the Ugly Tree and hit every branch on the way down.

 

[Awaitingbimmer]

Looks like a giant igloo cooler on wheels

 

[ashley1960]

Looks like a giant igloo cooler on wheels

Maybe you’re right, but look at BMW, the iX is different and modern and brave, hats off to BMW for designing it and releasing it but seriously we can’t say the same for the X1, X3, X5 and X7, they are all the same car!!! Where is the imagination there? They look 25 years old.

 

[CheddarKungPao]

Maybe you’re right, but look at BMW, the iX is different and modern and brave, hats off to BMW for designing it and releasing it but seriously we can’t say the same for the X1, X3, X5 and X7, they are all the same car!!! Where is the imagination there? They look 25 years old.

Agree with you except the current X7. That looks more modern to me than the EV9.

 

[trivalent]

The tenor of the negative critiques here so far seems to reflect an either actual or selective unawareness of the design history of the i4 itself.

If these images are real, then the production EV9 is about as similar and dissimilar to the concept EV9 as the production i4 is to its predecessor concept versions. As such it is about as "boring" or "exciting" accordingly. Just like i4. One reason I insisted on choosing the i4 eDrive without M Sport is that it alone within the current i4 lineup retained significant of the design motifs distinctive in the concept cars (ref. the front and rear clips).

I don't hear anyone complaining about i4 in that regard. I mean, maybe they already did and I missed that; but let's be fair about the difference between the (alleged) production EV9 in terms of its relative merits, not only subjective assessment of its absolute merits.

 

[ssh]

The tenor of the negative critiques here so far seems to reflect either an actual or selective unawareness of the design history of the i4 itself.

If these images are real, then the production EV9 is about as similar and dissimilar to the concept EV9 as the production i4 is to its predecessor concept versions.

I don't hear anyone complaining about i4 in that regard. I mean, maybe they already did and I missed that; but let's be fair about the difference between the (alleged) production EV9 in terms of its relative merits, not only subjective assessment of its absolute merits.

I understand nothing that you're saying here. The production i4 looks quite similar to the prototype concept i4 in my assessment. Regardless of the stage of the EV9, my comments hold for the photos above. Emotionless.

 

[CheddarKungPao]

The tenor of the negative critiques here so far seems to reflect an either actual or selective unawareness of the design history of the i4 itself.

If these images are real, then the production EV9 is about as similar and dissimilar to the concept EV9 as the production i4 is to its predecessor concept versions. As such it is about as "boring" or "exciting" accordingly. Just like i4. One reason I insisted on choosing the i4 eDrive without M Sport is that it alone within the current i4 lineup retained significant of the design motifs distinctive in the concept cars (ref. the front and rear clips).

I don't hear anyone complaining about i4 in that regard. I mean, maybe they already did and I missed that; but let's be fair about the difference between the (alleged) production EV9 in terms of its relative merits, not only subjective assessment of its absolute merits.

What on earth are you talking about? How similar or dissimilar it is to the concept car doesn't mean anything.

personally i wasn't bringing the i4 into the discussion as this is a large SUV, i don't think comparing its design to a "grand coupe" is useful. But if you want to go there, the i4 is not a challenging/modernist design. Other than the somewhat controversial grill it's a pretty classical design. Which is fine, so are many other cars, and imho it works.

The EV9 OTOH, as i said, just looks like a giant brick. This is par for the course with huge SUVs, but its stablemate EV6 is not just another hatchback/crossover/whatever you want to call it. The EV9 design is way more conventional and interchangeable with other massive SUVs. And to me that is disappointing when the EV6 was so design forward. The EV9 will probably sell better because it is aimed at a buyer who is probably very boring in their tastes, so Kia probably made the right choice. But I don't like the design personally. This thread was asking for our thoughts, so those are mine.

 

[trivalent]

I understand nothing that you're saying here. The production i4 looks quite similar to the prototype concept i4 in my assessment. Regardless of the stage of the EV9, my comments hold for the photos above. Emotionless.

Thanks. I don't challenge your subjective assessment. Since you replied, I added to my post (editing feverishly!), including more about comparison of the production i4 to the concepts.

Attached here is a visual reference I made for myself as I studied i4 in preparation for ordering one. I think it illustrates well how "the i4 eDrive without M Sport... alone within the current i4 lineup retained significant of the design motifs distinctive in the concept cars (ref. the front and rear clips)."

As I consider the comparison anew just now, I note to myself that among the production i4 designs, the eDrive40 without M Sport looks insectoid, while the others look mammalian.