Hyundai’s first three-row EV is not a concept and it is not “coming soon.” The 2026 Ioniq 9 has been on U.S. lots since early May 2025, built at the Metaplant in Bryan County, Georgia. Hyundai Motor America’s May 1, 2025 pricing release put the rear-drive S at $58,955 before $1,600 destination. EPA range on that one is 335 miles. Every other trim still clears 300.
One pack, three powertrains
The Ioniq 9 sits on E-GMP, the same 800-volt skateboard as the Ioniq 5, stretched to a 123.2-inch wheelbase and 199.2 inches long. The battery is a 110.3-kWh NCM lithium-ion pack at 610 volts. That is the whole lineup. Hyundai did not split the pack to make a cheap short-range version.
What changes is the motors. Official Hyundai figures:
- S: one 160-kW rear motor, 215 hp, 258 lb-ft, RWD, 335 miles, $58,955
- SE / SEL: 226.1 kW dual motors, 303 hp, 446 lb-ft, AWD, 320 miles, $62,765 / $66,320
- Limited / Calligraphy / Calligraphy Design: 314.6 kW dual motors, 422 hp, 516 lb-ft, AWD, 311 miles, $71,250 / $74,990 / $76,490
Hyundai’s own global spec sheet says the Performance AWD does 0–60 in 4.9 seconds. The long-range rear-drive needs 8.4. Combined MPGe is 92 on the S, 88 on SE/SEL, 85 on the 422-hp cars. Towing is 3,500 pounds on the rear-drive model and 5,000 on AWD when the trailer has brakes. Curb weight starts at 5,507 pounds. It is a Palisade that swallowed a battery.
NACS in the fender
The Ioniq 9 was among the first non-Teslas to ship with a native NACS port. CCS adapters come in the car. Hyundai says 10 to 80 percent takes about 24 minutes on a 350-kW, 800-volt CCS charger. On a Tesla V3 Supercharger the same window is 40 minutes. Level 2 from 10 to 100 percent is 9 hours 40 minutes. Battery preconditioning is standard. Vehicle-to-load is on Limited and up.
That is the useful part. The campaign was called “Space to Connect.” Skip it.
The third row is the point
S, SE, and SEL seat seven on a sliding second-row bench. Limited and both Calligraphy cars drop to six on power captain’s chairs with a one-touch walk-in and a leg rest. Relaxation seats in the first and second rows recline far enough that Hyundai wants you to nap while it charges. The Universal Island 2.0 console slides aft so the middle row can raid it. Swiveling second-row seats exist in some markets. Not this one.
Cargo is 21.9 cubic feet behind the third row, 46.7 behind the second, 86.9 with everything folded. Headroom in the way back is 39.7 inches on the bench cars. Legroom is 32. Adults will fit. They will not thank you for a six-hour trip, but they will not need a chiropractor either. That is more than most three-row EVs manage.
The cabin is the usual Ioniq pair of 12.3-inch screens, a floating console, and light-gray trim Hyundai will call sustainable. Dual-zone climate up front, its own automatic unit for row two, vents in row three. Seven USB-C ports, some of them 100-watt, fed off the high-voltage pack instead of a 12-volt afterthought. Bose is on the expensive trims. So are Digital Key 2, a fingerprint scanner, and a full-display rearview mirror. The floor is flat because the battery is the floor.
Built in Bryan County
Every 2026 Ioniq 9 sold here comes out of Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America. It is the second model from that plant. At launch Hyundai said it qualified for the full $7,500 federal credit. That window was written through the end of 2025. Do not assume the IRS still agrees. The car is still a 2026 on Hyundai’s site, still those prices, still that 335-mile claim on the cheap one.
IIHS gave it a 2026 TOP SAFETY PICK+. Highway Driving Assist 2 is standard. So is the usual SmartSense pile: automatic emergency braking with junction and lane-change assists, blind-spot steering, Safe Exit Assist, rear occupant alert. Remote parking is a Calligraphy extra.
It is a three-row EV that does the three-row job and charges on the Tesla network without a dongle. The S is the one with the range. The Calligraphy Design is the one with matte paint and 21-inch turbines if you want to spend $76,490 proving you did not buy a Kia EV9. Same family. Same skateboard. Hyundai just made the third row less of a threat.
Images courtesy of Hyundai. Specs from Hyundai Motor America’s May 1, 2025 Ioniq 9 pricing release, the 2026 IONIQ 9 Features and Specifications sheet on HyundaiNews.com (March 31, 2025), and Hyundai USA’s current Ioniq 9 spec page.
Leave a Reply