New Kia Connect Store Apps Pop Up in the EV9
Back when the Kia EV3 was first revealed, we finally got a good look at what Kia Connect services can do. More than connecting consumers to their cars via a mobile app or smart speaker, Kia goes beyond simple personalization of choosing body paint jobs and optional add-on packages. Through the Kia Connect subscription service, consumers also get access to the Kia Connect Store. Full of downloadable apps and services consumers can add to enrich their driving experience, several have already been released for eligible Kia battery-electric vehicles (BEV) like the Kia EV9.
The very first downloadable app was actually shown during the debut of the EV3. In honor of the partnership Kia has with the NBA, an appearance package called the “NBA display theme” livens up the interior with neon orange lighting, team-respective colors for the infotainment screen and instrument panel, and driver account pictures like we see on streaming services. Now that Kia Connect is becoming more and more prevalent in Kia models, the flagship of the automaker, the EV9, got access to several new apps through the Kia Connect Store. They vary in cost and how long access to the app lasts, and some may be more worth it than others.
First off, Kia Connect comes with per month or per year payment plan. This costs $6-$20/month or $59-$199/year after a three-year free trial. So, consumers get a chance to really check out the Kia Connect Store before committing to payment. The basic commands allow consumers to remotely access and control their vehicle through Kia’s phone app or online portal. Next come the actual apps. The NBA Display Themes we mentioned cost $40 per team added, and the theme downloaded will last for the lifetime of the vehicle…as long as the consumer has an active Kia Connect subscription.
Want more than just a fancy wallpaper? Lighting patterns have been a recurring staple in recent Kia models, and with the Kia Connect store and the EV9, consumers can get light animations activated as soon as they approach their vehicle. It’s a neat little trick, but sources say the app is pretty sensitive and doesn’t activate until the driver is within several feat of the vehicle. No help finding this one in a packed parking lot. It costs $250 for a lifetime.
For consumers who don’t like to wait, Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 has been added to the Kia Connect to give the EV9 the ability to automatically park itself in parallel, perpendicular, or angled parking spaces. All it takes is a push of the forward or backward button on the key fob to get the automatic parking started. It’s a little slow, and it’s not like consumers can just walk off and let the car do the work, but it’s a close second to autonomous parking. This costs $600 for a lifetime purchase.
Now for the big one. If consumers of the EV9 have felt the SUV is a little lacking in power, the Boost app can change that. Able to increase the torque from 184 lb-ft at O RPM and 258 lb-ft at 3800 RPM to 443 lb-ft and 516 lb-ft, respectively, it’s quite the boost. Speed is also added, able to bring the EV9’s 0–60mph time down to 4.6 seconds and the quarter-mile run to 13.4 seconds. Costing $900 for a lifetime, it’s not bad for a little extra performance. Again, it will only last as long as the Kia Connect subscription is active, but it’s cheaper than an engine swap.
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