• Auto123 gets in a first drive of the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9.
Ucluelet, BC – Long previewed, teased and anticipated, Hyundai’s newest and biggest all-electric SUV is finally among us. And while the Ioniq 9’s styling might not get a thumbs up from all sides, there’s no denying the SUV fills both a hole in Hyundai’s EV roster and demand in the Canadian market for a spacious, ICE-free people mover. The Kia EV9 no longer has the field to itself.
Auto123 headed to the beautiful west coast of Vancouver Island to test drive the new 9, set to hit dealership in the coming weeks.
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 - What’s new?
The new 9 is an obvious rival to Kia’s EV9 – the two models are built on the same foundations - but for Hyundai it’s all-new. Obviously, it’s the first Hyundai BEV with capacity for up to 7 occupants.
There are esthetic elements seen on other recent Hyundai models, and same goes for the interior and its tech.
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 – Versions and pricing in Canada
The offering in Canada starts with the rear-wheel-drive Essential and goes from there to the Ultimate Calligraphy edition of the Preferred AWD+, which will cost you many pretty pennies.
- - 2026 Ioniq 9 Essential RWD - $59,999
- - 2026 Ioniq 9 Preferred AWD - $64,999
- - 2026 Ioniq 9 Preferred AWD+ $ 64,999
- - 2026 Ioniq 9 Preferred AWD w/Luxury - $76,499
- - 2026 Ioniq 9 Preferred AWD+ w/Ultimate Calligraphy - $81,499
You may have noticed there’s no price difference between the Preferred AWD and Preferred AWD+; that’s because while the second delivers more punch from its powertrain (see further down), it sheds some of the extras of the first to keep pricing even.
Design of the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
There are few similarities esthetically with the next-smallest EV in the stable, the EV6, a few more with the small EV3, but really this is a case of grafting the current Hyundai design signature on a new shape and format for the Korean automaker, which took care to distance its big electric SUV from the Palisade across the Hyundai showroom.
The roof of the SUV thus slants downwards going backward for a slightly pinched effect, though not enough to call this a coupe-style design, and certainly not enough to really cut into the ample headroom in the back two rows. Still, Hyundai vaunts the aerodynamic gains that design allows, which translates into a coefficient of drag of 0.269 – a good number for a three-row SUV.
We do find the trademark pixelated elements, notably in the main headlights, on the DRLs and in the light bar spanning the vehicle’s nose.
The Hyundai Ioniq 9 is offered with a choice of 19 to 21-inch wheels.
The interior
As you would hope and expect with a model like this, interior space is ample, and not just in the front row. The dash is relatively free of clutter, but there are some elements there and in the doors and central console that look and feel a little… ordinary? Particularly if you think too much about the pricing for the Calligraphy trim that we were driving on this day in the Ucluelet-Tofino area. I suppose the answer to that is that the money goes into performance and tech in this model.
Ergonomically, there’s little to complain about. It’s always a good sign when you lose basically no time finding the important commands even on your first encounter. One small exception, it did take us a couple of short minutes to find the Start button! (It’s on the shift lever, tucked up against the steering wheel).
We’ve seen the dual 12-inch screens elsewhere in the Hyundai product lineup, and they’re fine here. The single display they make up is not particularly well integrated into the design of the dash, Hyundai preferring the plopped-on approach, but that affects functionality not at all.
As befits a family vehicle, Hyundai sprayed USB-C ports about throughout the cabin, in all three rows, and including in the very sides of the middle-row seats.
Buyers can choose, depending on the version, between a 6-seat configuration with second-row captain’s chairs or a 7-seat configuration with bench seat. The captain’s chairs are very comfortable to begin with and get even more so when you recline them back, which you can really recline them.
Cargo volume is decent at 620 litres with all rows of seats in place, and in any case it beats the EV9’s 572 litres. Put down those rear seats and you get 1,323 litres, or enough to pack in all your camping gear and whatnot.
Powertrain of the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
Built on the same e-GMP architecture that underpins the Ioniqs 5 and 6, the 9 has a longer wheelbase for maximizing space, but also to permit use of a bigger battery. And so all versions of the model feature a standard 110.3-kWh battery, which casts shadow on the Kia EV9’s two battery choices (76.1-kWh and 99.8 kWh).
To that battery, the RWD base model weds a single 160-kW motor with output given as 215 hp. If that number doesn’t impress you, then how about 539? That’s the range you get from this configuration, which is frankly outstanding for an SUV of this size and weight and which stomps the EV9’s base model’s 370 km.
If you prefer AWD over RWD, you can move one rung up the ladder, where sits the Preferred AWD. Its powertrain welcomes a second 70-kW front motor that brings the total output to a more respectable 303 hp. Range is a still-EV9-slaying 515 km.
Then there’s the Preferred AWD+, which adds more punch to that powertrain via two bigger, 160-kW motors for an output of 422 hp. Range takes a slight hit and comes in at 500 km – still impressive.
Three more data points: The Hyundai Ioniq 9 has an 800-volt architecture with charging capacity of up to 235 kW. And Hyundai estimates charging from 10 to 80 percent in as little as 24 minutes. Also, maximum towing capacity is set at 2,268 kg or 5,000 lb – though to be sure, if you tow that much you will find your range reduced to a nub of its former self.
The Ioniq 9 is Hyundai’s first model to come out of the factory equipped with the NACS charging port, which provides access to thousands of Tesla Supercharger stations continent-wide. Rest assured that Hyundai includes the CCS adapter to ensure compatibility with all those existing chargers.
Driving the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
Hyundai being a collection of smart fellows and lasses, we were given only the range-topping model to drive. Meaning we can’t speak to whether the base model’s “measly” 218 hp-powertrain is sufficient for what is a weighty SUV. But the 422-hp-packing Ultimate Calligraphy trim we CAN speak to, and it frankly features a powertrain entirely appropriate for it. It moves easily and with purpose from the get-go with all that instant torque (516 lb-ft of it) and we never felt like we were in a “heavy” vehicle.
On the roads around Tofino we had few opportunities to test out whether the oomph loses its oomph over 100, like EV powertrains are wont to do, but we never got a sense of that. One possible caveat: I would be interested to see if having all 6/7 seats occupied by adult humans might have an effect on the 9’s impressive sprightliness, particularly the base model’s (which does the 0-100 km/h trick is done in 9.4 seconds, by the way, much slower than the 5.2 seconds of our tester). That test will be for another day.
But in any case, drag-racing is not what the Ioniq 9 is about. Instead, it offers good visibility and delivers a wonderfully quiet and smooth ride – the suspension is top-notch here – making it a wonderful road tripper (EV charging infrastructure allowing, of course). The vehicle’s low centre of gravity further inhibits any body roll on curves. The steering is a little sterile, I found, not a shocking surprise for a model like this.
Overall, though, the interior of the Ioniq 9 is a very pleasant place to spend a few hours lollygagging about on Vancouver Island (on a stunningly sunny day, I should add. Oh bliss!).
Note that drivers can choose between four drive modes (Eco, Normal, Sport and MyDrive) and three terrain modes (Snow, Mud and Sand), not that most owners are likely to get all that adventurous with their Ioniq 9 EV.
The final word
Some like the looks of the new Ioniq 9, some may not – and that’s what might be the deciding factor for some buyers in the segment, who may be hesitating between it and the Kia EV9. Because otherwise the two offer a similar experience on board and on the road. The evident exceptions being the greater range and cargo space the Hyundai offer.
Beyond that, the same questions apply to both, that is, regarding the pricing and the pertinence of putting such big a BEV on the road if your biggest priority is the environment. Buyers will weigh those factors and decide for themselves.