Hyundai is out to prove that electrification can jive with family vehicle buyers. While the Ioniq 5 CUV and the Ioniq 6 sedan are a pretty potent pair of EVs, they also have limited reach due to their size which can cause large family buyers to pass them up.

Hyundai is now addressing this with the 2026 Ioniq 9 which attempts to give buyers more of everything but in a bigger electrified package. But is the Ioniq 9 the perfect solution in a world where market conditions are changing all around it?

Ioniq 9 plays the retro card

Like the smaller Ioniq 5, the larger 9 uses retro modern touches for its exterior styling. Pixelated details are everywhere and while the odd looking rear end takes some getting used to, at least the front end is bold yet simple with the front grille panel giving the Ioniq 9 a very attractive face. Calligraphy models like our tester have a body-colored “eyebrow” over the wheel arches (cladding in lower trims) and the gently sloping roofline gives the Ioniq 9 a slight pinch of athleticism.

The Ioniq 9 is on the same platform as the Kia EV9 but the Hyundai is actually longer than the Kia at 199.2 inches and while that’s shorter than the Rivian R1S, this added length is reflected in the wheelbase which is also longer than the Kia’s.

Warp speed towards comfort

With the outside looking like a spaceship, it should come as no surprise that the interior also boasts a sci-fi look but one that embraces comfort over visual gimmickry. This is reflected in how much space you have in the cabin with our tester being able to seat up to six people in impressive comfort thanks to the E-GMP platform. The platform moves the battery pack into the floor and this allows the second and third row to have a perfectly flat floor which enhances leg and foot room.

Buyers can go for a bench seat to boost passenger count to seven but in our opinion we would stick with the captain’s chairs since they provide more comfort and do a good job make you forget about the missing passenger. The third row is best suited for children but it can haul shorter adults in reasonable comfort if needed.

The curved dashboard houses two 12.3-inch display screens on for the instrument cluster and the other one for the infotainment system with this setup also being used in the Ioniq 5 and 6. The screens deliver crisp information and the menu layout is ergonomically simple. The front seats are very comfortable but there were occasions when we noticed the clash in material quality with the plastic trim for the dashboard mounted vents not looking as upscale as the rest of the cabin. A least the cabin is extremely quiet thanks to the use of acoustic laminated glass in the first and second rows as well as active noise cancellation and special inserts in the tires.

Performance for any occasion

Hyundai offers three powertrains for buyers to choose from. While the base model uses a single rear-mounted electric motor, moving to all-wheel drive adds a front mounted 89 hp electric motor for a combined syste output of 303 hp.

Move into a Performance setup like our tester and the front motor is swapped out for a beefier 211-hp electric motor which makes a combined system output of 422 hp. This setup also highlights the two all-wheel drive setups the 9 offers and after you take a moment to process all of this, you will be rewarded with commendable performance with our tester needing only 4.4 seconds to make the sprint to 60 mph with Hyundai capping the top speed at 129 mph to protect the tires. All models get a 110-kWh battery pack and an 800-volt architecture.

With the Ioniq 9 being a comfort focused machine, it should surprise no one to hear that handling is on the lazy side with the steering and the suspension preferring to take its time through the corners versus being an outright performance model.

Instead, the Hyundai prefers to flex its muscles in range with our tester capable of getting 311 miles on a single charge before it needs to plug in. The Ioniq 9 is also the latest Hyundai to get a NACS port which allows it to charge at Tesla Supercharging stations.

Value Quotient

Pricing for the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 starts at $58,955 for the base S model with the SE and SEL models firmly starting at $62,765 and $66,320 respectively. Limited models cause the Ioniq 9 to cross the $70,000 barrier and if you go all the way up to the Calligraphy model, you will be greeted with an as-tested price of $74,990.

This pricing does not include taxes or fees but it does allow the Hyundai to be on par with other rivals in that particular regard. It will be interesting to see how the pricing ladder affects the Ioniq 9 as changing market conditions and tariffs are putting the squeeze on EVs and are making many automakers put a renewed focus on combustion powered models. That said, if you’re looking for an EV that can haul the family, get decent range, and deliver the goods on comfort, the Ioniq 9 is a strong choice for any budget.