2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 First Drive

Hyundai's electric three-row SUV is a big and beautiful contender.

Tim Stevens | 

May 21, 2025 | 6 min read

Tim Stevens

Despite news about the perceived cooling of demand for electric vehicles in the United States market, Hyundai's EV aspirations continue to grow. So, too, do the company's electrified offerings. The new 2026 Ioniq 9 is a family-friendly three-row SUV with enough comfort and practicality for your people-hauling needs, plus a striking style that will stand out in the school drop-off line. But with a starting price in the low $60,000s, it's a substantial financial stretch over the family-friendly three-row — and gas-fueled — Hyundai Palisade.

That $60,000 figure is the starting price for a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive (RWD) Ioniq 9 S. There are five other trim levels, each equipped with standard all-wheel drive (AWD): SE, SEL, Performance Limited, Performance Calligraphy, and Performance Calligraphy Design. The top-shelf model brings the starting price to nearly $80,000, including the $1,600 destination charge to ship this six- or seven-seat SUV to a dealer from the Savannah, Georgia, factory that builds it.

The vehicle's Georgia-built status is crucial because it means the 2026 Ioniq 9 qualifies for the current federal electric vehicle tax credit of $7,500. That's a strong incentive to splurge on this big EV that left me seriously impressed after a day behind the wheel.

Tim Stevens

Hyundai's New Ioniq 9 Offers Three Rows and Electric Power

The Palisade SUV, similar in size to the Ioniq 9, is one of Hyundai's bestselling models. But the Palisade's gas-burning engine means anyone looking for a three-row electric vehicle wearing a Hyundai emblem has been out of luck until now. The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 fills that gap in the company's lineup.

Three drivetrain configurations are available, starting with a single-motor RWD setup that gets 215 horsepower, 258 pound-feet of torque, and 335 miles of range. You can step up to a dual-motor AWD model with 303 horsepower, 446 lb-ft of torque, and 320 miles of range. The Performance versions, meanwhile, have 422 horsepower, 516 lb-ft of torque, and 311 miles of range.

Every Ioniq 9 has a 110.3-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack, which offers a maximum charging rate of 350 kilowatts (kW). The Ioniq 9 features a Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) port for charging, but with an adapter, you can still use the Combined Charging System (CCS) port found on other charging networks. Given a DC fast charger with enough speed, the Ioniq 9 will recharge with CCS from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes, according to Hyundai.

Tim Stevens

The Ioniq 9 Is a Quiet, Capable Cruiser

With up to 422 horsepower, the Ioniq 9 may sound more sporty than serene. And it was indeed quick when I placed it in Sport driving mode. After spending a day touring the countryside in and around Savannah, though, I can confidently say the Ioniq 9 is far better suited for cruising.

My Performance Calligraphy Design test vehicle had larger 21-inch wheels with lower-profile tires than you'd get on other trim levels. That might explain why the ride was slightly harsh at lower speeds on some of the more torn-up urban streets. Once I could accelerate to more than 30 mph, however, the Ioniq 9 felt far more compliant.

Tim Stevens

Over annoying concrete separation joints or uneven pavement at speed, the Ioniq 9 was smooth to drive. That's backed up by admirably limited road noise, a quietness designed into the EV with features such as acoustic laminated glass, foam-lined tires, and an active noise-cancellation system. Calm and composed is the name of the game here.

You can customize a driving mode to quicken the throttle response and change the steering feel, but my favorite was Eco. That mode relaxed the response to accelerator inputs while retaining enough power for quick passes on two-lane roads if I stepped down hard enough on the go pedal.

After a day spent driving on rural and highway roads in mixed traffic, with several acceleration tests along the way, I netted an efficiency of 2.9 miles per kWh (34.5 kWh per 100 miles). The official EPA estimate is 40 kWh per 100 mi, and I exceeded that, so I think the average driver should see at least 300 miles of range without trying too hard.

Tim Stevens

Excellent Tech and a Roomy Interior in the Ioniq 9

Get into the Ioniq 9's driver seat and you'll face two 12.3-inch screens living side by side under a rectangular display panel. The tech runs on Hyundai's intuitive, if basic, user interface, and wireless CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and a wireless charging pad are at your service.

If you want to charge a device a little faster — OK, a lot faster — the Ioniq 9 also features 100-watt USB-C ports in the front and rear. That's enough juice to recharge an average laptop, making this an ideal car for productivity on the go.

The seating is more comfortable than your average office chair, too. The Calligraphy Design model I drove had the six-seat configuration, with captain's chairs in the second row. They're heated and ventilated, power adjustable, and extremely comfortable. The front seats are much the same, with the driver's side adding a basic massage function.

Tim Stevens

The third row isn't nearly as satisfactory, but those seats still offer power-adjustable seatbacks and a surprising amount of headroom given the SUV's tapered shape. Legroom isn't quite as generous, but there's enough for an adult with moderately long legs. There's 21.9 cubic-feet of cargo space behind the rearmost seats, 46.7 cu-ft with those folded, and a significant 86.9 cu-ft if you fold the second row, too.

Seeing past all three rows in an SUV this big can be tricky. Thankfully, the Calligraphy trim has a camera-based digital rearview mirror that offers a bright, crisp view of the world behind the Ioniq 9. A surround-view camera is standard starting with the SEL trim level, but all Ioniq 9s receive a comprehensive safety package with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection.

Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist 2 is also standard on all Ioniq 9s. This hands-on active driver-assistance system does a great job of keeping the SUV centered in the lane and can easily manage uneven traffic. It'll also automatically change lanes with just a touch of the turn stalk.

Tim Stevens

Hyundai's Ioniq 9 Is a Winner

Three-row EVs are rare, so the Hyundai Ioniq 9 is still ahead of the curve. It is a compelling choice for those who need to haul more people, dogs, or cargo than your average crossover can accommodate, but so are alternatives such as the Kia EV9 and Volkswagen ID. Buzz. And while the Ioniq 9 commands a premium compared with Hyundai's own Palisade, the fresh look, roomy interior, and smooth driving dynamics make it seem like a bargain.

Hyundai provided the vehicle for this 2026 Ioniq 9 review and paid for airfare, lodging, and meals during the evaluation period.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Tim Stevens

Tim is a freelance automotive and technology journalist with more than 25 years of experience. He is a frequent contributor to major domestic and international online, print, and broadcast news outlets, sharing his insights and perspectives on everything from cybersecurity to supercars. Tim also serves as a juror for the World Car Awards and regularly acts as speaker and moderator at major industry events such as CES, Web Summit, SXSW, NAIAS, and AutoMobility LA. He formerly served as editor-at-large and vice president of content at CNET. Before that he was editor-in-chief of Engadget and editorial director at AOL Tech.