2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9: The Potential is There
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Seoul, South Korea—A contraction of the words “ion” and “unique,” the IONIQ name was first used on an electrified compact car back in 2017 and popularized by the IONIQ 5 crossover and IONIQ 6 sedan in recent years.
For 2026, Hyundai continues its EV offensive with a new three-row SUV called IONIQ 9. This model will be sold alongside the Palisade, also with three rows of seats but currently available with a gas engine only (the upcoming second generation is expected to add a hybrid variant). With a length of 5,060 mm and a wheelbase of 3,130 mm, the IONIQ 9 is slightly longer than the Palisade, the latter measuring 4,995 mm and 2,900 mm respectively.
- Also: 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 Makes Canadian Debut in Montreal
- Also: Top 10 New Vehicles Ready to Hit the Road in Canada in 2025
The design of the new electric SUV stands out from the rest of the lineup. It doesn't look anything like conventionally powered Hyundais or a larger IONIQ 5. This is particularly true at the front, with the headlamps featuring a unique lighting signature and a large black panel taking up precious real estate below. On the sides, strong character lines break up the otherwise clean body, and a can’t-miss black strip runs along the bottom before blending in with the vertical taillamps on the boxy rear end.
A closer look at the IONIQ 9’s profile also reveals a gently sloping roofline and upswept rear bumper. This singular shape was developed through wind tunnel testing to maximize aerodynamic efficiency. Combined with a flat underside and active shutters at the front, the big SUV is able to expertly direct airflow away, resulting in a drag coefficient of just 0.259. By comparison, the smaller IONIQ 5 achieves 0.288.
Spacious and Luxurious
Inside, the dashboard is topped by a curved digital display incorporating two 12.3-inch screens. Beneath the infotainment touchscreen, physical buttons provide quick access to main vehicle functions. Further down, two rotary controls enable the driver and front passenger to adjust cabin temperature. By the way, Canadian-spec models won’t have those small monitors replacing the side mirrors due to safety regulations.
The IONIQ 9 is available with seating for six or seven. Our tester featured a six-seat configuration with captain's chairs in the second row. Passenger space in the first two rows is excellent, both in terms of headroom and legroom. The soft seats ensure that long trips are never going to be a problem.
Space is more limited in the third row, which is fine for children. Adults sitting back there will need to move the second-row seats forward in order to enjoy decent room. What’s more, the high floor pushes your knees up in a not-so-comfortable position for extended stays.
Trunk capacity has yet to be specified, but we can tell you that there’s 1,323 litres of cargo space when the third row is not in use. By comparison, the Palisade can pack 1,297 litres of cargo in the same layout. Oh, and the IONIQ 9 offers the added benefit of an 88-litre front trunk under the hood.
Overall, fit and finish is excellent—at least in the top-of-the-line model we tested.
Three Models, One Battery
The Hyundai IONIQ 9 is based on the latest version of the E-GMP architecture that underpins a large number of electric vehicles from Hyundai and Kia. The difference between the IONIQ 9 and the Kia EV9 is that Hyundai took a longer time to develop its SUV in order to take advantage of the latest technologies available.
In addition to an updated and enhanced platform, the IONIQ 9 receives a larger 110.3kWh battery across the line—unlike the EV9, which offers two battery options (76.1 kWh or 99.8 kWh).
Customers in Canada will have three models to choose from. The base IONIQ 9 gets a single motor and rear-wheel drive, producing 215 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque while towing up to 3,500 lbs. Next up is a dual-motor, AWD-equipped model that generates 303 hp and 446 lb-ft, increasing towing capacity to 5,000 lbs. And finally, the dual-motor IONIQ 9 Performance (as tested) sends 422 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels. Maximum towing capacity stays at 5,000 lbs.
We asked company officials about the vehicle's weight, but they couldn’t give us a clear-cut answer. All we know is that the IONIQ 9 weighs somewhere between 2.2 and 2.4 tons, which seems like a reasonable figure for an electric vehicle of this size. As for range, the official NRC ratings have yet to be posted. Hyundai is promising that all three models will achieve around 500 km in ideal conditions.
Comfort First
Our first experience with the IONIQ 9 took place in its homeland of South Korea. Departing from Seoul, we crossed the entire country to reach Busan, a port city located at the southernmost tip of the peninsula. We then headed back to the capital the following day and ended up travelling just over 800 km.
The first thing we noticed was how comfortable the vehicle is. The suspension has clearly been tuned to pamper occupants as much as possible, and it does a superb job at that. Soundproofing has also been taken care of, notably with laminated glass in the first two rows, noise-reducing coating for the tires and revised damper mounts designed to mitigate vibrations.
We can’t really comment on handling since there weren’t many twisty roads along the way. However, on fast lanes and highways where speeds tend to range between 70-110 km/h, the IONIQ 9 made a convincing statement. The few corners we hit revealed a heavy vehicle, which didn’t come as a surprise at all given the size of the battery. Steering isn't particularly sharp, but you could say the same about the vast majority of three-row SUVs, whether electric or gasoline-powered.
Sure enough, we have nothing to complain about when it comes to acceleration, even in Normal mode. The Performance model can sprint from 0-100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds, showing a lot of explosiveness off the line when Sport mode is engaged.
Charging Expectations Are Met
Our long trip included two fast charging sessions—one while going to Busan and the second on the way back to Seoul. Both involved 350kW DC chargers, with temperatures hovering around 0° Celsius. According to Hyundai, the battery can go from 10-80 percent in just 24 minutes thanks to a maximum fast-charging rate of 235 kW.
The first session started with the IONIQ 9 charged at 49 percent, so we couldn’t extract that much power from the charger. It was completed with an average of 85 kW and a max of 106 kW. On the second day, with barely 15 percent of battery power left at the beginning of the session, fast charging peaked at 226 kW, nearly matching Hyundai's maximum advertised rate.
With temperatures ranging from minus 4° to 0° Celsius, and considering we spent most of our time on the highway, we figure we could have driven 450 km on a single charge, so the 500 km of range Hyundai is talking about seem accurate.
What about energy consumption? According to the digital readout, our tester achieved 18 kWh/100 km in the best conditions and 23.5 kWh/100 km on highways. Once again, this seems about right considering the size and weight of the IONIQ 9.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 is a promising EV that has the potential to become one of the benchmarks in the three-row segment. We don’t know when or even if the $5,000 rebate from the Canadian government will return, which makes pricing a critical matter. Success will also depend on how fast the charging infrastructure develops across the country.
How much does the IONIQ 9 cost? We’ll find out closer to launch this spring. When asked whether a $60,000 base MSRP makes sense, Hyundai Canada wouldn’t confirm or deny the possibility.
