Showing the 2026 EV9 GT: EPA's EV9 GT (AWD). NHTSA's overall rating for that drive: 5 stars (AWD). Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
78 MPGecombined; city 83, highway 72; the GT
Five years of fuel
$5,900U.S. average; Ohio $6,290 at local prices; the GT; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA electricity prices for Jul 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2026 EV9. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 EV9. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Electrical system
12
0
0
0
Unknown or other
5
0
0
1
Fuel/propulsion system
3
0
0
0
Steering
3
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
3
1
0
0
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
Wheels
3
0
0
0
Structure
2
0
0
0
Air bags
1
1
0
1
Engine
1
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
1
1
0
0
Power train
1
0
0
0
4 more parts
Seats
1
0
0
0
Service brakes
1
1
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2026 EV9 over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2025-2026 EV9 vehicles. Due to improper routing, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may not deactivate the air bag when a child or child seat is in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: A child in the front seat may be at a greater risk of injury if the air bag deploys during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube with a new one and ensure proper routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters will be mailed beginning October 20, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC379. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 4, 2026.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
Risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 42 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2026 EV9, the latest on Sep 16, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (27), visibility/wiper (13), fuel/propulsion system (3), seats (2), back over prevention (1).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Specs
EPA class: standard sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
EV9 GT All-Wheel Drive
139 and 235 kW PMSM (IPM)
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 260 miles of range
83 / 72 / 78 MPGe
EV9 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive
160 kW PMSM (IPM)
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 305 miles of range
100 / 78 / 89 MPGe
EV9 Long Range All-Wheel Drive
141 kW PMSM (IPM)
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 283 miles of range
94 / 75 / 84 MPGe
EV9 Long Range GT-Line All-Wheel Drive
141 kW PMSM (IPM)
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 280 miles of range
92 / 72 / 82 MPGe
EV9 Standard Range Rear-Wheel Drive
160 kW PMSM (IPM)
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 230 miles of range
101 / 76 / 88 MPGe
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data