Compare the2024 Kia EV9VS 2024 Volvo XC90

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the EV9 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The XC90 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The EV9 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The XC90 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

With its standard Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, the Kia EV9 is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Volvo XC90, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Both the EV9 and the XC90 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Kia EV9 is safer than the XC90:

The EV9 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The XC90’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the EV9 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC90. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the XC90 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the EV9’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 79 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volvo is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 15 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

As tested in Motor Trend the EV9 GT-Line electric motors is faster than the XC90 B6 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the EV9 gets better mileage than the XC90 running on electricity:

On the EPA test cycle the EV9 gets better mileage than the XC90 running its gasoline engine:

The EV9 can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 230 to 304 miles. The XC90 T8 Extended Range has to start its internal combustion engine after only 32 miles.

The EV9 has a standard locking charge port with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the XC90. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage; a locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia EV9 higher (10 out of 10) than the Volvo XC90 (5 to 7). This means the EV9 produces up to 19.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the XC90 every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the EV9’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the XC90:

The EV9 stops shorter than the XC90:

For better traction, the EV9 has larger standard tires than the XC90 (255/60R19 vs. 235/55R19). The EV9 GT-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XC90 (285/45R21 vs. 275/45R20).

The front and rear suspension of the EV9 uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the XC90, which uses transverse leafs springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The EV9’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The XC90 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the EV9’s wheelbase is 4.5 inches longer than on the XC90 (122 inches vs. 117.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the EV9 is 1 inch wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the XC90.

The EV9 GT-Line AWD handles at .87 G’s, while the XC90 B6 Core pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The EV9 GT-Line AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the XC90 B6 Ultimate (26.4 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

The front grille of the EV9 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The XC90 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the EV9 GT-Line AWD is quieter than the XC90 B6 Core:

The EV9 has 55 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XC90 (158.8 vs. 103.8).

The EV9 has 2.3 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 3.4 inches more front hip room, 3.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 5.8 inches more rear legroom, 1.4 inches more rear hip room, 3.4 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.2 inches more third row headroom and 8.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the XC90.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the EV9’s middle and third row seats recline. The XC90’s third row seats don’t recline.

The EV9’s cargo area provides more volume than the XC90.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the EV9’s optional second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The XC90 doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The EV9’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The XC90’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The EV9’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the XC90’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the EV9 has standard extendable sun visors. The XC90 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The EV9 has standard front air conditioned seats and the EV9 Land/GT-Line also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The XC90 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The EV9 (except Light/Wind)’s optional Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The XC90 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The EV9 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The XC90 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The EV9 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024. The XC90 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the EV9 as the 2024 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The XC90 was last chosen in 2016.