Compare the2025 Kia EV9VS 2025 Ford Explorer

Both the EV9 and Explorer have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The EV9 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Explorer’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

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 Explorer 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 Ford Explorer, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Kia EV9 achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Ford Explorer has not been tested.

Both the EV9 and the Explorer 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.

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 Explorer’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the EV9 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Explorer. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Explorer ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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 Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 9th.

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 Ford 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, Ford is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 4 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The EV9 has more powerful engines than the Explorer:

As tested in Car and Driver the Kia EV9 is faster than the Ford Explorer turbo V6:

As tested in Motor Trend the EV9 GT-Line electric motors is faster than the Ford Explorer 2.3:

As tested in Motor Trend the EV9 GT-Line electric motors is faster than the Ford Explorer 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the EV9 gets better mileage than the Explorer:

The EV9 can travel with zero emissions for 230 to 304 miles (dependent on model). The Explorer can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the EV9’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Explorer doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

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 Explorer. 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 Ford Explorer (5 to 6). This means the EV9 produces up to 19.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Explorer every 15,000 miles.

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

The EV9’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Explorer ST are solid, not vented.

The EV9 stops much shorter than the Explorer:

For better traction, the EV9 GT-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Explorer (285/45R21 vs. 275/45R21).

The EV9’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Explorer’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the EV9 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Explorer.

The EV9 offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Explorer doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the EV9’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the Explorer (122 inches vs. 119.1 inches).

The EV9 GT-Line AWD handles at .87 G’s, while the Explorer Active 4WD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The EV9 GT-Line AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Explorer 4WD (26.3 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the EV9 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Explorer (7.8 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the EV9 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the EV9 GT-Line AWD is quieter than the Explorer ST 4WD:

The EV9 has 5.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Explorer (158.8 vs. 152.9).

The EV9 has .5 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front hip room, 3.8 inches more rear legroom, .6 inches more third row headroom, 1 inch more third row hip room and .4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Explorer.

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

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

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 Explorer doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the EV9’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Explorer doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The EV9 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Explorer uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The EV9 GT-Line has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Explorer doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Explorer’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The EV9’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Explorer’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 Explorer’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

When the EV9 Land/GT-Line is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Explorer’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Kia EV9 has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors costs extra on the Explorer and aren't offered on the Active.

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 Explorer doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia EV9 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Explorer and isn’t available on the Explorer Active.

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 Explorer doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia EV9 and the Ford Explorer, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the EV9 first among upper midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Explorer isn’t in the top three in its category.

The EV9 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024. The Explorer 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 Explorer was last chosen as a North American vehicle of the year in 2011.