2024 Kia EV9 vs 2025 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2024 Kia EV9 presented a bold evolution in Kia's electric vehicle lineup, maintaining the brand's signature style while introducing a modern, angular design reminiscent of digital clock numbers. Its exterior featured octagonal wheel arches and a sharply angled rear window, creating a distinct silhouette. The lighting design was particularly innovative, with the "Star Map" daytime running lights and the "Digital Tiger Face" grille, offering a futuristic touch. The top Land trim included a Digital Pattern Lighting Grille, adding a constellation of lights visible when the vehicle was on, and owners could purchase additional lighting patterns.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse continued Chevrolet's trend of attractive SUV designs, both inside and out. The exterior styling was appealing, but the interior materials, particularly the hard, glossy plastic and Evotex artificial leather, detracted from the overall quality. The Traverse offered trims like the LT, Z71, and RS, with prices ranging from $54,333 to $70,333 in Canada. The Z71 trim, designed for off-road use, featured Radiant Red paint, a panoramic sunroof, and an Enhanced Driving Package, with an MSRP of $68,681. Despite its stylish appearance, the Traverse's interior materials left room for improvement.

The 2024 Kia EV9 offered a range of powertrains, starting with the Light trim's single motor, rear-wheel-drive setup producing 215 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, with an electric range of 370 kilometres. The Wind model, with a larger 99.8-kWh battery, provided a range of 489 kilometres but reduced horsepower to 201. The top Land trim featured all-wheel drive with dual motors, delivering 379 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, with a range of 451 kilometres for the base and Premium Package versions, and 435 kilometres for the GT-Line. The EV9's regenerative braking system was adjustable, offering a natural feel comparable to gas-powered vehicles. Fast charging capability allowed the EV9 to charge from 10 to 80 percent in 25 minutes on a high-speed DC fast charger.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse was powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque. In front-wheel-drive mode, it exhibited torque steer, but engaging all-wheel drive provided controlled acceleration. The Z71 trim, designed for off-road use, featured an off-road suspension, 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, a skid plate, and a Twin Clutch AWD system. The Traverse's driving modes included Tow/Haul, Normal, and Sport, but it felt large and less sporty on narrow roads. The Z71's suspension and tires provided a smoother ride on rough pavement, and the vehicle averaged 10.9 L/100 km in combined driving, slightly better than the official estimate.

The 2024 Kia EV9 stood out with its spacious third row, offering 1,004 millimetres of headroom, surpassing competitors like the Kia Telluride, BMW X7, and Rivian R1S. The third row provided 783 to 813 mm of legroom, depending on the middle row's configuration. The EV9 could seat up to seven passengers, with second-row captain's chairs available in higher trims. Cargo space was competitive, with 572 litres behind the third row, expandable to 1,231 litres with the third row folded, and 2,313 litres with only the front-row seats in place. The EV9's interior featured a "floating" centre console, offering limited flat surfaces but ample storage space.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse offered substantial interior volume, particularly in width. The front seats were comfortable, with an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat and heated features standard in Canada. The Traverse could seat up to eight passengers with a second-row bench seat, while our test vehicle had captain's chairs. The third row was comfortable but lacked a view due to the rear window design and lacked USB charging ports. The Traverse provided 648 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 1,603 litres with the third row folded, and 2,764 litres with the second row laid flat. Folding the third row required adjusting the second-row seats, which could be inconvenient.

The 2024 Kia EV9 featured a three-screen curved display, including a 12.3-inch driver information display, a 5-inch Climate Display, and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, and a Meridian Premium Audio sound system in higher trims. The EV9's connectedness was notable, with over-the-air updates and the Kia Connect store allowing owners to purchase additional features and upgrades, offering a level of customization and future-proofing.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse boasted a standard 17.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Google Built-in, including Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play Store access. It offered OnStar connected services, a Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. The large touchscreen provided a user-friendly interface, and Google Assistant was effective in responding to voice commands. The Traverse also featured an 11-inch digital instrumentation panel with customizable views and optional camera-based digital rearview mirror and surround-view camera system.

The 2024 Kia EV9 came with a comprehensive suite of standard advanced driver-assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control with navigation-based machine learning, blind-spot collision avoidance, and forward collision avoidance. However, some features like the Blind-spot View Monitor and reverse parking collision avoidance assist were reserved for higher trims. The EV9 had not yet been rated by North American safety organizations but received the highest rating from Euro NCAP.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse offered a generous list of standard driver aids, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and active blind-spot monitoring. The Enhanced Driving Package added Super Cruise, a hands-free driving assist system, and remote-parking technology. Super Cruise provided clear communication of its status and worked on more roads than before, but had occasional issues on transition ramps. The Traverse received a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" award from IIHS.