Kia EV9 Lands on Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX List
When it comes to automotive journalists and publications, landing on a “Best of” list or winning an award is a true honor for automakers and their selected models. Whether it’s a list of publications dedicated to reviewing cars like Kelley Blue Book (KBB) or organizations that conduct studies like J.D. Power, it’s always a great time to shine. Recently, WardsAuto has been compiling its lists of the best of the best, and the latest is the list of 2024 Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX. Wouldn’t you know, a special electric vehicle by Kia was selected as one of the winners – the Kia EV9.
“Kia takes a step up to the premium ranks with the exquisitely styled and smartly designed EV9, integrating Kia’s latest technology into a handsome, horizontal dashboard that provides easy access to every feature, while driver and passengers enjoy the comforts of a plushy outfitted and pleasantly illuminated cabin for up to seven,” – Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX judge, Bob Gritzinger
When it comes to the interior and UX, or user experience, it’s not just the look and feel of the interior cabin. The annual Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX competition takes a close look at vehicles and measures each based on design and aesthetics, comfort, materials, fit-and-finish, connectivity and infotainment, displays and controls, advanced driver assist systems, and of course, the total value. The latter isn’t necessarily how much a vehicle costs, but what a consumer gets for that cost, and if the vehicle is worth it down the line in terms of maintenance, repairs, updates, etc. A total of 25 vehicles were entered for the 2024 list, and all vehicles had to either come with new or heavily redesigned vehicle interiors and user-experience technologies to be eligible for the list.
WardsAuto highlighted the EV9, and its judges commented on not only the EV9s futuristic style, but also its color, textures, and features. The EV9 is the first Kia model to come with Kia Connect, the new connected service to appear on future models via over-the-air (OTA) updates. Right now, it’s just simple stuff, like helping the driver with routing and navigation, avoiding traffic, and finding points of interest or charging stations along the way. Eventually, consumers will be able to download apps like smartphones and personalize their consumer-car experience. WardsAuto also placed focus on the haptic control buttons on the dashboard, including the ability to fold and unfold the second-row seats from the touchscreen, the comfort and flexibility of the seats, and the available ambient lighting system that consumers can customize with two separate colors to illuminate the interior cabin.
One of the first all-electric vehicles from Kia that didn’t start out as a gasoline model, the 2024 Kia EV9 comes in five trims. The most powerful of which is the GT-Line trim, able to generate 379 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, and equipped with all-wheel drive (AWD). Such capabilities helped the EV9 win two awards during the 2024 NWAPA Mudfest event.
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