When automakers use the term “flagship,” they typically refer to a high-end supercar or a plush luxury sedan. The all-new 2024 Kia EV9, on the other hand, is a different kind of flagship.
For one thing, it’s a crossover. And a large one with three rows of seats for large families. It’s also electric and can charge its battery from 10% to 80% in under 25 minutes. Pricing has yet to be announced, but it will most likely be the most expensive Kia in the lineup.
Overall, the EV9 represents a significant step forward for a brand that was previously associated with low-cost airport rental cars and “No Credit? No Problem” dealerships. Kia is now transforming into an electric-focused, high-tech enterprise with ambitious global sales targets, and the EV9 will lead the way.
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It’s the first Kia with the Hyundai Motor Group’s new Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (stylized as ccNC) operating system, which flew under the radar during its debut at the 2023 New York International Auto Show this week.
That update elevates Kia’s infotainment and software game, enabling over-the-air updates for nearly every function in the car — a first for Kia. While Kia’s lineup includes OTA updates for its infotainment system, ccNC allows for wireless updates for bug fixes, new feature releases, improved battery optimization, and more. One of these will eventually be a more advanced automated driving assistance system.
In the coming years, OTA updates are expected to be a critical technology for new cars. While Tesla has been providing this functionality for years, as well as providing customers with things as serious as Autopilot upgrades and as silly as Christmas light shows, the rest of the industry is catching up quickly. And, with people now owning (and frequently financing) their cars for a decade or more, If people aren’t buying as frequently, automakers will use OTA updates to keep things fresh — all while adding subscription feature revenue to their portfolios.
According to Kia spokesperson Jeff Jablansky, ccNC is powered by a new chipset with more processing power than current models, “iPhone-quick” scrolling speeds, more shortcuts to key functions, revised graphics, and other improvements.
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“The mapping has improved, and the resolution has improved,” Jablansky said. “You’ll make fewer trips to the service station because you’ll be able to get updates as needed.”But, no matter how much things change, old habits die hard. Importantly for many buyers, Jablansky confirmed that, unlike General Motors, Kia will not discontinue Apple CarPlay or Android Auto support.
“We’re launching with it,” Jablansky said, adding that those features will require a wired connection, as opposed to many competitors who offer wireless connectivity.
It’s strange for an EV whose close relative, the Genesis GV60, has both facial recognition and wired-only CarPlay. However, Jablansky claims that this interface is functional for those who want to charge their phones in the car anyway.
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The 2021 Chevorlet Trax carplay software is displayed inside the car’s dash.
A 2021 Chevrolet Trax with a wired CarPlay setup. CarPlay is being phased out entirely by GM. Photographer: GM
Kia officials also stated that the OTA updates will enable new levels of in-car personalization. Perhaps a sports team-themed interior. Yes, I’m serious.
“We’re still developing those features, but it gives us an opportunity to not only keep the car running well, but to actually add enhancements to the graphics,” Mike Wilde, Kia America’s director of product planning and pricing, told TechCrunch this week at the New York International Auto Show.
“Things like sports team-themed graphical interfaces and entertainment-on-demand type things are being considered,” he added.
The ccNC system first appeared on the ultra-luxurious Hyundai Grandeur sedan, which is only sold in South Korea and the Middle East, and it’s also featured in the 2024 Hyundai Kona, which debuted at the New York International Auto Show this week. Both the EV9 and the new Kona are set to hit the market in the fourth quarter of this year. Wilde stated that ccNC will be available on all Kia models in the coming years as major updates occur.
While Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis now share the same hardware and, soon, software, he claims that each brand has its own product planning operations and target audiences. They will also benefit from increased graphical and visual differentiation with ccNC.
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The conglomerate Is targeting a younger, “more progressive” audience with Kia, according to Wilde. In the case of the EV9, this means younger families with more children and possibly grandparents.
If that’s the case, they’ll get a family-friendly interior as well as a “green” one. Kia executives stated that, in addition to the software upgrade, great care was taken to create an airy, clean-looking cabin where parents in the front can see their children in the backseat thanks to mesh, semi-transparent headrests. The EV9 will also have nonleather polyurethane seats rather than leather. These, as well as the headliner and certain fabrics, are made in part from recycled plastic bottles.
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The haptic controls beneath the central infotainment system will be one of the EV9’s tests. Traditional buttons (which the car also has) are replaced with “hidden-until-lit” switches that vibrate when touched. Other automakers, such as Volkswagen and Cadillac, have attempted this, but the results have never been positive.
Kia’s VP of Interior Design, Jochen Paesen, told TechCrunch that he believes this setup will work better because the switches are closer to the driver, easier to see, and easier to reach than competitors’ offerings.
He went on to say that the low battery placement and lack of a transmission tunnel allow for a more “flat floor” for loading cargo and much more leg room in the back compared to three-row crossovers, which are usually only fit for tiny children in the very back. “This space provides us with numerous opportunities and possibilities,” Paesen explained.
