Kia EV9 Air is the 2024 Drive Car of the Year
A game-changing electric vehicle for the whole family, the Kia EV9 Air represents the future of Australian family transport and wins the coveted DCOTY trophy for 2024
The Kia EV9 electric SUV has won the Drive Car of the Year 2024 award, marking the first time in the 18-year history of the awards program, that an electric vehicle has taken the prestigious trophy.
Of the 18 category winners, six cars were eligible for the overall award (Honda CR-V, Hyundai Kona, Kia EV9, Mercedes-Benz GLC, MG 4, Tesla Model 3) in being either new to the market or significantly changed over previous years.
To select an outright winner, the Drive judges look for a car that moves the game forward the most for Australian new car buyers, and the EV9 delivers that in spades.
Even if you aren’t ready to move to full electric or are not shopping at the EV9’s price point, the flagship electric Kia represents a line in the sand for what lies ahead for the future of the Australian family car. The Kia EV9 won the Drive Car of the Year Best Family Electric Vehicle under $100K category.
The EV9 presents the future that families are looking for. It remains highly functional and practical as a seven-seat SUV but offers cutting-edge electrification for silent, clean, and cost-effective long-term ownership.
On the win, Kia Australia’s CEO, Damien Meredith added, “The team at Kia Australia is thrilled the EV9 has been awarded Drive Car of the Year 2024 and in turn, has become Drive’s first all-electric vehicle recipient of the overall award. The Kia EV9 is a bold and confident, all-electric, upper large SUV featuring an array of advanced technology, expansive battery range and performance, and a refined locally tuned suspension.
“The EV9 plays an important role as the halo model of a very diverse product range offering, and we appreciate the Drive judges recognising the exceptional and unique car that it is,” concluded Meredith.
The Kia EV9 is the third Drive Car of the Year win for Kia in the past four years (2021 Kia Sorento, 2022 Kia Sportage), the third seven-seat SUV (2016 Ford Everest, 2021 Kia Sorento) and the first fully-electric vehicle to take the top prize.
Drive Car of the Year 2024
You can read all the information about the 2024 Drive Car of the Year awards at our DCOTY Hub.
If you are in the market for a new car, we've grouped winners into six key categories:
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