2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Review
Our automotive expert shares opinions and new photos of the 2026 Ioniq 9.
Benjamin Hunting
Pros: The Ioniq 9 is stable and safe in the snow, spacious inside, and delivers slick luxury looks.Â
Cons: Some of the Hyundai's safety systems couldn't handle winter weather, cold temperatures cut into driving range, and snow and ice easily jammed the wipers.
The Takeaway: Hyundai's attractive three-row SUV is a frontrunner for EV buyers who want space and comfort.
There aren't many three-row electric SUVs on the market outside the luxury space, so the new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 may be a good fit for more cost-conscious buyers who need space in their electric vehicle for family, friends, and the gear that goes with them. Hyundai's new electric SUV is also a formidable winter-driving companion, and I think it punches above its weight when it comes to design.
What's New for the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
QuickTake: The Ioniq 9 brings three rows of seating to Hyundai's EV SUV lineup.
The new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is the largest member of the Korean brand's electric-vehicle family, pushing past the subcompact Kona EV and the compact Ioniq 5 to deliver three rows of seating. More than that, it makes a splash with styling similar to that of much more expensive luxury SUVs while delivering respectable driving range, rapid battery charging, and a surprisingly refined driving experience.
Benjamin Hunting
About the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy Review Vehicle
QuickTake: Calligraphy is one of the top Ioniq 9 trims in terms of price.
The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 comes in S, SE, SEL, Limited, Calligraphy, and Calligraphy Design trim levels, with base prices ranging from about $61,000 to around $79,000, including the destination charge to ship the SUV to a dealership from its Bryan County, Georgia, assembly plant.
For this Ioniq 9 review, I test-drove the all-wheel-drive (AWD) Calligraphy trim in both urban Montreal, Quebec, and the rural mountains of that province's Eastern Townships. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for this vehicle is $76,590, including the $1,600 destination charge. Hyundai provided the vehicle for this Ioniq 9 review.
Benjamin Hunting
Design, Quality, and Interior Layout
QuickTake: The Ioniq 9 features luxury looks on a more affordable budget.
I think the Ioniq 9 successfully interprets Hyundai's EV design language onto a much larger canvas, while also adding upscale presence that's missing on the brand's other electric models. Large but not at all ungainly, the SUV's dramatic roofline helps soften its size in profile, and lighting details decorate both the front and rear, calling to mind traditional luxury brands such as Land Rover and Cadillac.
I had an issue, however, with the design of the SUV's windshield wiper cowl. So much snow accumulated between the edge of the hood and the windshield that the wipers refused to park themselves. I had to pop the frunk (front trunk) and use my hands to clear the snow and ice, as I couldn't reach it from the outside with a brush.
The interior of the Ioniq 9 isn't as plush as its sheetmetal suggests, but it's still pleasing to the eyes and soft to the touch, with the Calligraphy model's marble-like trim a standout. If only the rectangular screen fit better into the cabin's overall design, rather than simply appearing pasted onto the dashboard.
Benjamin Hunting
Comfort, Convenience, and Cargo Space
QuickTake: The Ioniq 9 is enormous and practical inside, with generous leg and shoulder room in all rows.
The Ioniq 9 is huge, and those plus-size proportions play out well in its passenger compartment, where every row benefits from usable legroom and shoulder room. A heated steering wheel and heated seats in the first two rows were much appreciated when fighting winter's chill.
I want to call out the extra attention Hyundai paid to the third row, which offers a power recline feature I rarely find in larger SUVs. It does an excellent job of increasing the space available to anyone riding in the very back.
There are also multiple ways to activate the power slide and tilt of the second-row seats when accessing the rearmost space. You can use buttons on the seatback or on the side of the seat, in addition to the standard power adjustments. There's even a little ripcord that can pop the second row out of its moorings and flip it completely forward. It's a thoughtful design.
Cargo space behind the third row is modest but still useful; I was able to fit the full length of a standard gym bag between the seatback and the hatch, and stand up a tall piece of roll-on luggage. Most of the 21.9 cubic-feet of volume back there is vertical, however, which won't be practical for as many types of cargo. Power-folding the final row flat more than doubles the available room to 46.7 cu-ft.
The Ioniq 9 offers a frunk, best described as vestigial. My AWD tester offered less than 2 cu-ft of lunchbox-shaped space under the hood, with rear-wheel-drive (RWD) trims delivering 3.1 cu-ft.
Benjamin Hunting
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Infotainment System Review
QuickTake: The head-up display is a worthwhile upgrade.
All versions of the Ioniq 9 come with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display paired with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, presented as a single rectangular slab.
Standard features include:Â
- Built-in navigation
- SiriusXM satellite radio
- Voice command capability
- Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity
Higher trim levels add features such as:Â
- Bose premium audio
- Head-up display
I had a nearly trouble-free experience with Hyundai's wireless Android Auto connectivity, even while charging my phone on the vehicle's wireless charging pad. That's not a given, as I've had other automobiles frequently disconnect or overheat the phone while doing the same. I also appreciated the bright and unobtrusive head-up display, which helped me keep my focus on the road ahead.
Benjamin Hunting
Safety Features and Ratings
QuickTake: Hyundai SmartSense safety tech operates predictably in winter weather.
Hyundai equips the Ioniq 9 with SmartSense, a generous collection of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) as standard equipment, including:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Forward-collision warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane-keeping assist
- Lane-centering assist
- Semi-autonomous hands-on driver-assistance system
In addition to those features, my test car added:
- Surround-view monitor
- Blind-spot view monitor
- Rear automatic braking
- Parking assistance
- Remote parking
The Ioniq 9's safety systems dealt well overall with winter weather. As long as lines were visible on the road, Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist 2 semi-autonomous cruise control kept the vehicle centered in its lane. Once snow accumulated, even on the edges of secondary roads, the system deactivated its lane-centering, lane-keeping assist, and lane-departure warning.
The sensor used to detect traffic ahead of the SUV worked fine in a snowstorm, easily seeing through the flakes and keeping the Ioniq 9 a safe distance from vehicles. Eventually, it succumbed to accumulated gunk and caked grime, shutting it down until I cleaned it off.
The rear automatic braking system wasn't as graceful at shrugging off winter weather. Its sensors were consistently clogged with snow, and it slammed the emergency braking repeatedly when reversing from a parking spot. I also had one safety system stop working completely: the automatic high-beam headlights. No matter how many times I toggled the feature on, I still had to activate and deactivate the Hyundai's brights manually.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 a Top Safety Pick+, its highest possible rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the EV SUV five stars, also its highest rating.
Benjamin Hunting
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy Specs and Driving Range
QuickTake: Winter's chill reduces the Ioniq 9's driving range.
The entry-level RWD version of the Ioniq 9 comes with a single rear-axle electric motor that produces 215 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. AWD models add a front-axle electric motor, boosting those numbers to 303 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque. Upper-tier Limited, Calligraphy, and Calligraphy Design trims push output to 422 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque.
A 110.3-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack is standard across the board. That contributes to EPA-estimated ranges of 335 miles for the RWD model, 320 miles for mid-tier AWD variants, and 311 miles for the most powerful AWD trim levels. In cold weather, I saw efficiency of 60.7 MPGe, which translates to roughly 199 miles of driving range — a 36% drop for the Calligraphy.
The Ioniq 9 can charge from 10% to 80% in 24 minutes when connected to a Level 3 DC fast charger.
Benjamin Hunting
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Test Drive
QuickTake: A remarkably calm and composed winter warrior.
SUVs the size of the Hyundai Ioniq 9 typically aren't nimble, but this vehicle showed impressive control even when hurtling down snow-covered gravel roads.
It's important to note that EVs such as this Hyundai are incredibly heavy, and I often find that extra weight translates into longer stopping distances compared with lighter models, especially in the snow. This was true of the 6,008-pound Ioniq 9 Calligraphy. While its AWD and winter tires were excellent at finding grip in slippery conditions, there's also some lateral movement to manage when pivoting away from a stop, and if you take a corner too quickly, that mass will induce a brief shimmy.
Though I felt every inch of the Ioniq 9's extended wheelbase in corners, it was difficult to get it out of sorts. At no point did the Hyundai threaten to stick its rear end out past the point of propriety in normal driving, and traction control was helpful rather than intrusive. There's some up-and-down motion on moguls, but still minimal risk of seasickness.
Hyundai offers a Snow driving mode with the Ioniq 9, which smoothed out my pedal inputs, but I didn't find it necessary even when beset by a brief blizzard. Sport mode is also available should you feel like testing the limits of traction. Overall, the Ioniq 9 delivered a settled, calm, and comfortable ride regardless of weather conditions.
Benjamin Hunting
Alternatives to the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
QuickTake: A non-luxury option to traditional upscale three-row SUVs.
If you're looking for a spacious three-row EV that's unperturbed by slick, snowy roads and looks like you spent double its MSRP, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 is a compelling choice. Just keep in mind that winter's chill can significantly drop the SUV's driving range — as with any EV — and compromise the reliability of some of its safety systems — as snow and ice often do. Rivals to the Ioniq 9 include the Kia EV9, as well as the pricier Cadillac Vistiq and Volvo EX90.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Benjamin HuntingNearly two decades into his career as an automotive journalist, Benjamin has had his hands greasy, his hair blown back, and his heart broken by more than one project car. In addition to his work at Capital One, he has contributed features and reviews to Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Hagerty, Driving Line, Inside Hook, Super Street, European Car, Roadkill Magazine, Motor 1, The Drive, the Toronto Star, the National Post, Business Insider, NAPA, Autoblog, Automotive News Canada, and AutoGuide. He is also cohost of the Unnamed Automotive Podcast and cocreator of the Code 45 and Dead Air graphic novels. In his spare time, he's a friend to vinyl and enjoys keeping the shiny side up during track days.
Related articles
View more related articles