Compare the2024 BMW X7VS 2024 Kia EV9

The X7’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The EV9 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the middle seat shoulder belts of the BMW X7 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Kia EV9 doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

The BMW X7 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The EV9 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The X7 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The EV9 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The X7 has standard Post-Crash Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The EV9 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the X7. But it costs extra on the EV9.

The X7 has standard BMW Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The EV9 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the X7 and the EV9 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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.

The X7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years and unlimited miles longer than the EV9’s (12/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X7 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the EV9.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 1 place higher in reliability than Kia.

The X7 has more powerful engines than the EV9:

The X7’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The EV9 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the X7 M Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the EV9:

The X7 stops much shorter than the EV9:

For better traction, the X7 has larger standard tires than the EV9 (F:275/40R22 & R:315/35R22 vs. 255/60R19).

The X7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the EV9’s standard 60 series tires. The X7’s optional 275/35R23 front and 315/30R23 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the EV9 GT-Line’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X7 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the EV9. The X7’s optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels on the EV9 GT-Line.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the X7 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The EV9 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The X7 offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the EV9; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The X7 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The EV9 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the X7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the EV9, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The X7 has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The EV9’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The X7 xDrive40i handles at .88 G’s, while the EV9 GT-Line AWD pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the X7 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the EV9 (8.7 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the X7 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The X7 has .7 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more rear headroom and 2.5 inches more third row legroom than the EV9.

The X7’s cargo area provides more volume than the EV9.

The X7’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The EV9’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The X7’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the EV9’s (5950 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Kia EV9 AWD is only 5000 pounds. The X7 offers up to a 7500 lbs. towing capacity.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 32% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the EV9 Land/GT-Line, the X7 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X7 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The EV9 doesn’t offer cornering lights. The X7 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The X7 has standard heated front and optional heated second and third row seats, which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Kia doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the EV9.

The X7 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the EV9.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW X7, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW X7 outsold the Kia EV9 by almost 26 to one during 2023.