Hyundai unveils Ioniq 9 EV

This massive electric family SUV is set to pose a difficult question for one of Australia’s favourite manufacturers.

The new Hyundai Ioniq 9 is a big deal.

Partly because it’s the largest Hyundai yet, but also because it represents a new breed of large electric cars designed for growing families.

Like the existing Kia EV9 and the upcoming VW ID Buzz, the Ioniq 9 is a large three-row EV that represents a significant investment for manufacturers and their customers.

We don’t know how much it will cost. But the enormous battery and long features list of premium versions could push its price beyond $150,000 drive-away.

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9. Picture: Supplied

MORE: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N review

Set to have one of the largest batteries in its class, the Ioniq 9’s 110.3kWh energy reserve returns up to 620 kilometres of driving range.

That’s a big number.

The most powerful version reaches 100km/h in about five seconds, which is plenty quick for a family wagon.

Available as a rear wheel-drive machine with 160kW of power or an all-wheel-drive version with up to 320kW, the big Hyundai is backed by impressive numbers.

It can tow up to 2.5 tonnes, and cuts through the air with streamlined bodywork that make it one of the most aerodynamically efficient SUVs on the road.

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9. Picture: Supplied

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Check out the steeply raked windscreen that blends into a smooth arc across the roofline.

Or the Coke bottle shape to its “boat tail” rear end.

This is a handsome car.

The Minecraft-inspired pixel-like lighting of Hyundai’s Ioniq line features here, with a row of lights across the bonnet lip and low-mounted lamps positioned close to the bumper’s edge.

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9. Picture: Supplied

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At the rear, the powered tailgate is framed by pixel-like lights like a modern take on the light bulb-fringed mirrors of movie star dressing rooms.

It looks luxurious on turbine-like 21-inch alloys that make the car seem like a futuristic Range Rover spin-off.

But the 18-inch rims of cheaper versions are less arresting.

Hyundai played it safer with an interior that has twin 12.3-inch digital displays we’ve seen on other models, along with premium features such as swivelling captain’s chairs and a panoramic sunroof.

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9. Picture: Supplied

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The digital side to the cabin is more adventurous.

Hyundai says the car will be customisable with apps that allow you to change the way the car looks and feels. Owners will be able to buy mood lighting, pay for streaming services, and even opt in to an electric replica of a paddle-shift gearbox similar to that found in the Ioniq 5 N performance car.

Speaking of which, don’t be surprised if the Ioniq 9 range eventually includes a high-performance model with more than 400kW.

Kia is rumoured to be working on a full-fat EV9 GT, and a rapid cousin from Hyundai would help draw attention to the brand’s most expensive model.

We’ll know exactly how much the car costs closer to its local arrival in 2025.