2024 Kia EV9 vs 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV

With the Kia EV9, the Korean automaker innovates in more ways than one. It’s not only a new vehicle, or even only a new electric vehicle (EV). It also introduces a new business model that allows owners to continue to customize their vehicle long after they’ve left the dealership. And yet, while it breaks new ground, the EV9 manages to provide a refreshingly familiar driving experience.

It looks like Kia’s got a winner on its hands. Well-appointed, comfortably sized, and offered at a price point fit to embarrass its luxury-brand rivals, the EV9 is a compelling package. Add to that its intuitive driving feel and its potential for later-term customization, and this just may be the ambassador vehicle it takes to bring the EV-wary over to the green side.

It may share a name with the gasoline-powered Blazer crossover SUV, but the Chevy Blazer EV is in fact a new vehicle based on the General Motors Ultium electric vehicle (EV) component set. It’s Chevy’s belated answer to the crosstown rival Ford Mustang Mach-E and other electric SUVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Kia EV6, and the Tesla Model Y.

Verdict: The Blazer EV offers unique style and impressive technology, but it doesn’t really move the needle when it comes to range, fast charging, or interior packaging