We drive the £76,000 Kia EV9 - its all-electric Range Rover rival
- It's a delight and a doddle to drive, and not at all intimidating
- On 19 in wheels, my GT-Line S does 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds
Were Santa's sleigh to be out of action unexpectedly this Christmas Eve, he could do worse than to borrow Kia's bold and impressive new EV9 family SUV.
This flagship electric model really makes a statement with its distinctive, modern, but still sophisticated, styling.
It looks vast — especially when you stand next to it — and on the move turns heads, as I witnessed myself.
The ambitious Korean car firm's 21st-century answer to Britain's Range Rover has stolen a march by hitting the market first with an all-electric model.
Flagship: The EV9 family SUV aims to compete against Range Rover models
I was driving the top-of-the- range GT-Line S with seven seats and flush pop-out door handles as standard. So plenty of room for passengers. And even more in the boot for presents.
It's all-wheel drive, with eco, normal, spirited sporty and bespoke 'My Drive' driving mode settings, plus off-road terrain modes to handle snow, mud and sand. So a White Christmas won't be a problem.
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Two other trim options are the entry level Air — two-wheel drive with a less powerful 200 bhp electric motor — and all-wheel drive GT-Line. Both have seven seats.
It's a delight and a doddle to drive, and not at all intimidating. The smart interior and dashboard is clutter-free, contemporary and fairly easy to navigate alongside the 12.3-in central digital touchscreen.
My EV9 was packed with safety tech. My favourite is the rear camera set-up which, when you are indicating to turn, projects on to the dashboard a live feed of the blind-spot in your direction of turn. It's swift and powerful, too, as well as agile.
On 19 in wheels, my GT-Line S does 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds up to a top speed of 124 mph; its twin electric motors developing 378 bhp. It has a range of 313 miles, despite weighing 3.24 tons.
This flagship electric model really makes a statement with its distinctive, modern, but still sophisticated, styling
The smart interior and dashboard is clutter-free, contemporary and fairly easy to navigate alongside the 12.3-in central digital touchscreen
On 19 in wheels, my GT-Line S does 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds up to a top speed of 124 mph
It has a range of 313 miles, despite weighing 3.24 tons
Charging via a fast-charger takes just 24 minutes
An optional six-seater version with 'lounge style' swivel chairs is also available with my top of the range model
It looks vast — especially when you stand next to it — and on the move turns heads
There's one catch — the price. My EV9 cost £76,025 on the road. The range starts from £64,995.
It is an understatedly premium package being ostentatiously luxurious.
An optional six-seater version with 'lounge style' swivel chairs is also available with my top of the range model. The single-motor two-wheel drive version's range is 349 miles.
There's another key plus. Because of its large size, van drivers and drivers of other large vehicles (yes, BMW and Audi drivers, I'm looking at you) are somewhat cowed and less likely to attempt to 'take you on' or bully you. It has 'muscle' as taxi drivers call the large footprint. I experienced this first hand.
Charging via a fast-charger takes just 24 minutes.
If you fancy one for yourself, start saving now – or write Santa a nice letter.
A Merry Christmas to you all.
New insurance package for Range Rover owners
Range Rover owners are being offered a new insurance package —after many in London were denied cover because of soaring vehicle thefts.
The deal from parent company Jaguar Land Rover — JLR — offers an average monthly premium 'of less than £200'. But that's still around £2,400 a year. JLR has invested £10 million to reduce keyless thefts in the UK.
Under wraps: Order books have opened for the first new all-electric Range Rover - the new model will follow this year's SV Intrepid, pictured
Order books have opened for the first new all-electric Range Rover — but there's no price, performance figures nor even a picture — because testing continues.
Instead, JLR has issued five 'teaser' photos of isolated detailing. Performance comparable to a flagship Range Rover V8 is mooted.
So expect more than 600hp and a price above £100,000.
The new model follows plug-in hybrid petrol-electric versions of the Range Rover, including the top of the range SV Intrepid.
JLR said: 'With more patents filed for New Range Rover Electric than any other Range Rover before, prototypes are now being subjected to one of the one of the most rigorous engineering sign-off programmes ever.'
Don't lose your licence
With the festive party season well under way, make sure you don't lose your driving licence.
For a new survey reveals UK drivers spent a staggering £20.3 million replacing lost or stolen driving licences in just a year.
Costly: From September 2022 to August 2023, more than a million licences were reported as lost or stolen
A Freedom of Information request by UK vehicle lease firm Select Car Leasing revealed that September 2022 to August 2023 saw more than a million (1,015,048) licences reported as lost or stolen.
With the DVLA charging a £20 replacement fee, it means a huge boost to DVLA's coffers.
London recorded the most lost licences, at 108,000 (costing more than £2million to replace), followed by Birmingham (32,000) and Manchester (22,764).
Drivers in Edinburgh suffered the highest number of lost or stolen cards per head.
Select Car Leasing's Graham Conway said: 'It's all too easy to lose sight of your driving licence, particularly when you're out and about attending Christmas and New Year parties, and potentially using your ID card as a way to prove your age at the bar.
'Thieves will also be highly active, so everyone needs to keep their wits about them.'
And remember: don't drink and drive. That really is the quickest way to lose your driving licence.
