The Kia EV9 GT, the all-electric flagship SUV, costs £83,845 on the road and offers up to 408 miles of city driving range, while Dacia has cut prices on its hybrid Duster and Bigster models by up to £1750.
Kia EV9 GT: A Flagship Electric SUV
The EV9 is Kia's flagship all-electric SUV and has won numerous global awards since launch. It is available with a choice of trim levels and rear or all-wheel drive, placing it in competition with luxury European brands. The latest model is the GT version, which John Murdoch recently sampled.
All EV9 models share a 99.8kWh long-range battery pack, giving the AWD GT a range of 316 miles and up to 408 miles in city driving. The test car had six seats, but seven-seat versions are available.
Design, Cabin, and Technology
At more than five metres long and almost two metres wide, the EV9 is a substantial car with strong road presence. The boxy design is enhanced by lights front and rear, roof rails, flush door handles, privacy glass, and large 21-inch alloys. The cabin uses recycled materials and is packed with technology.
Comfortable powered seats can be heated or ventilated, and the steering wheel is also heated. Second-row passengers get heated and cooled seats. A three-screen layout includes a 12.3-inch driver display, a 5.3-inch climate control touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch navigation system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Physical switches are provided for temperature controls.
Performance and Practicality
The GT version accelerates from 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds, with a top speed of 136mph, despite weighing 2.6 tonnes. It offers driving modes including Eco, Normal, Sport, and My Drive, plus Snow, Mud, and Sand modes for challenging conditions. Four levels of regenerative braking enable single-pedal driving.
Luggage space is 333 litres with all seats in use, plus an additional 52 litres under the bonnet for charging cables. The tailgate is powered, and there are six USB ports and a wireless charging pad. Charging the battery from 10 to 80 per cent takes one hour 23 minutes on a 50kW charger, 24 minutes on a 350kW unit, and just over nine hours on an 11kW home charger.
Safety and Verdict
Standard safety systems include blind spot collision warning, rear cross traffic alert, dynamic brake control, trailer stability assist, forward collision avoidance assist, and parking collision avoidance. The EV9 has a five-star NCAP safety rating.
Fast facts: Price £83,845 with special paint; 501bhp, two electric motors; max speed 136mph; 0-60mph 4.6 secs; range 316-408 miles; insurance group 45; zero CO2 emissions; warranty seven years/100,000 miles (eight years battery); BIK rating two per cent; overall rating 4.5 out of five.
Dacia Price Cuts on Hybrid Models
Dacia has reduced prices for Duster and Bigster hybrid 155 models by up to £1750. Duster hybrid 155 models are cut by £1750, and Bigster hybrid 155 models by £1475. A Duster hybrid 155 now starts from £23,345, while Bigster hybrid 155 starts from £26,715. The Duster Cargo hybrid 155 is now priced from £22,495 ex VAT.
Both SUVs are offered in Expression, Journey, and Extreme trim levels. Lina Ribeiro, Dacia brand director for the UK, said: "Dacia has always been about giving customers the best value for money, and these new prices make Duster and Bigster hybrid 155 even more appealing. At a time when people are watching what they spend, cutting prices by this much makes a real difference. It means even more customers can enjoy hybrid power, strong equipment levels and the space and versatility these two SUVs offer."
