Kia Telluride vs Hyundai Ioniq 9

Nearly every mainstream car company offers at least one family-friendly, midsize three-row SUV. Kia has three, and the Telluride is the largest of its gas-powered models. (The electric-only EV9 is slightly larger). The Telluride debuted in 2020 to critical acclaim and commercial success. Since then, it has received several updates but not a redesign. We took a 2025 Kia Telluride on a nearly 2,000-kilometre family road trip and remain impressed with this stylish and capable Kia.

Verdict: Aging technology caused some irritation during a five-day road trip in the 2025 Kia Telluride. Otherwise, it was perfectly suited to long-distance travel whether rolling down a highway, roaming a major city, or romping down trails.

Although the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 isn’t the first three-row electric SUV through the door, it may be the best choice for most shoppers. With a starting price of $59,999 before fees and qualifying for EV rebates where they still exist, it’s much more affordable than a Tesla Model X or a Rivian R1S. And its standard 110.3-kWh battery pack provides a long range compared to a base-model Kia EV9.

Verdict: The Hyundai Ioniq 9 isn’t a perfect vehicle, but it offers terrific passenger space, good tech, and family-friendly features. Shoppers may find its design polarizing — you could easily say the same about the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or the Ioniq 6 — but families interested in electric vehicles will do well to test drive this new option.