Three-row electric vehicles (EVs) are still a relative rarity, but Hyundai is taking steps to change that with the introduction of its latest IONIQ model.
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
The Ioniq 9 is an all-new three-row SUV that runs purely on electric power. It takes its place at the top of Hyundai’s lineup as the new flagship EV.
Design
The sleek and futuristic Ioniq 9 looks almost like a concept vehicle, and we mean that in a very good way. It’s rarely a bad thing when the artist’s rendering appears to come to life. The flush door handles and ultra-modern lighting signature help make it look cutting-edge, but it’s the Rolls-Royce-esque body lines that really contribute to the almost-too-good-to-be-true style. While the wheel arches themselves are round, the fenders are more geometric, though still curved, and the creases gather into a Kammback boat-tail-style finish at the rear.
The Ioniq 9 incorporates the Parametric Pixel elements that have become a hallmark of Hyundai’s EV aesthetic. A new Feature on Demand, or FoD, service will allow owners to customize things like lighting patterns long after purchase by shopping for digital upgrades in the FoD store.
Wheels range from a standard 19-inch style up to a slick, turbine-inspired 21-inch option dedicated to the top-trim Calligraphy model. We’ve often commented favorably on Hyundai’s color palettes, and the automaker certainly deserves another round of kudos for offering a full 16 exterior color options on the Ioniq 9.
Powertrain
The same E-GMP architecture that underpins the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 also provides the foundation for the Ioniq 9, but here, it’s elongated to accommodate the longest wheelbase in the Hyundai lineup. As of right now, three distinct powertrains have been publicized, tailored to various purposes. For those with range anxiety, the Long-Range RWD model is the best bet. It features a single 160-kW rear motor–and rides on the 19-inch wheels for maximum efficiency. The Long-Range AWD variant adds a 70-kW front motor to this setup. Finally, there’s a Performance AWD model which pairs two 160-kW electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear. The automaker says it’s targeting a single-charge driving range of “at least 300 miles in every trim.” Towing capacity targets have also been announced: up to 5,000 pounds.
At 350-kW charging speeds, Hyundai expects that the battery will be able to charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 24 minutes. The Ioniq 9 features a standard NACS port as well as a CCS adapter, meaning owners can take advantage of just about any public charging station they come across. The Hyundai Home program is also available to assist with home charging setups, and it’s important to note that the Ioniq 9 does have bi-directional charging capability, so it can act as a backup generator.
Interior
The Ioniq 9 seats up to seven across its three rows. It seems to have been designed with both the journey and the destination in mind, as Hyundai has focused both on minimizing road noise and on creating a comfortable environment at rest. The second-row Swivel Seats, for example, allow passengers in the second and third rows to face one another, but only when the vehicle is parked. The rear-only HVAC mode is another great example: It allows Ioniq 9 owners to operate the climate control in the rear of the vehicle independently to avoid wasting energy cooling or heating the front row when camping in the back.
Thanks to its long wheelbase, the Ioniq 9 offers 21.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. This expands to nearly 87 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded flat. Hyundai has also included practical features like a sliding, double-hinged center console for functional storage.
Technology
The Ioniq 9 features Hyundai’s now-familiar dual-screen curved display. It pairs two 12.3-inch screens and, thankfully, still includes physical controls for climate and volume. USB-C ports come standard in all three rows, as does an eight-speaker sound system. A 14-speaker Bose audio system is also available. No word yet on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but Hyundai’s make us feel justified in hoping for the best.
Safety
Hyundai named eleven distinct advanced driver-assistance features that are offered as standard features on the 2026 Ioniq 9. These include lane-keeping assist, driver-attention warning, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance, blind-spot collision-avoidance, and forward collision-avoidance, among others. The Ioniq 9 also introduces an additional airbag compared to its stablemates, for a total of 10.
Pricing and Release Date
Official pricing information for the Ioniq 9 is not yet available as of this writing. We expect it to range from about $60,000 to $75,000, and thanks to its Georgia-based assembly plant, Hyundai believes the vehicle will qualify for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit. The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is expected to go on sale in the spring of 2025.