All-New Flagship 3-Row SUV
The all-new, all-electric 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is the new flagship for the brand. The flagship tag can mean any number of things to the different manufacturers, but in its purest form it means the Ioniq 9 is to be looked at as the ultimate model coming from Hyundai.
Hyundai hosted the automotive media in Savannah, Georgia, (more later on why there other than it is a cool city) in the second week of May where we drove the two top trims of Performance Calligraphy AWD and the Performance Calligraphy Design AWD. This Flash Drive gives a quick look at the Ioniq 9, with a more detailed Road Test review when Clean Fleet Report has the Ioniq 9 for a week or more.
What Is the Ioniq 9?
The Ioniq 9 moves to the top of Hyundai’s family of SUVs with by size. The group now runs, from small-to-large—Venue, Kona, Nexo, Tucson, Santa Fe and Palisade. A variety of propulsion options are offered, but the all-electric Ioniq 9 has three rows, making it the largest emissions-free SUV from Hyundai.
Ioniq 9: Power Options
- Rear-wheel drive (RWD)
- Single electric motor
- 110 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery
- Horsepower: 215
- Torque: 258
- All-electric range (AER): 335 miles (Long Range trim)
- Towing, with trailer brakes: 3,500 pounds
- All-wheel drive (AWD)
- Dual electric motors
- 110 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery
- Horsepower: 422
- Torque: 516
- 0-60 mph, estimated 4.9 seconds
- All-electric range (AER): 311 – 320
- Towing, with trailer brakes: 5,000 pounds
Charging
The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 comes standard with a NACS (nee: Tesla) charging port and an adapter (included with new vehicle purchase) allowing owners the option of using CCS chargers.
The Ioinq 9 has a battery conditioner to improve charging performance by heating or cooling the battery to the optimal charging temperature. The SUV can be trickle charged with a 120V common wall plug, but expect replenish times to be long and slow. The best bet for owners will be to install a Level 2 240V home charger that will take the battery from 10-100% in 9.4 hours, or approximately overnight.
DC fast charging, at a NACS V3 Supercharger takes 41 minutes. Using the CCS adapter at a 50 kW public charger will take 109 minutes and at 350 kW adds 10-80% in 24 minutes.
The Ioniq 9 has Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), where power can flow out of the battery and charge e-bikes, tire pumps and outdoor equipment, run your office while traveling, or even be an electricity source for a home during a power outage.
Complimentary Home Charger or Charging Credit
Customers who purchase or lease a new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 are eligible for their choice of a ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 residential charging station or a $400 charging credit.
The charging credit can be used through Hyundai Pay at participating stations, which currently includes ChargePoint, EVgo and Parkopedia.
Hyundai will provide the home charger through its Hyundai Home Marketplace, which will also assist customers with scheduling professional installation.
Silent and Smooth Cruising
I spent a few hours in-and-around Savannah, Georgia, (a brief time in South Carolina too) driving the 2026 Ioniq 9 Performance Calligraphy AWD. The 422 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque were more than plenty to move the 6,008-pound, seven-passenger SUV. As with all EVs, the torque comes on instantly and made for an enjoyable drive. If you have never driven an electric car, put it on your to-do list for next week.
The weather conditions were such that I only used the Eco, Normal and Sport drive modes, leaving Snow and the customizable My Mode for another day. Eco is best for maximizing fuel economy when on the open road, but Sport gave the Ioniq 9 more spirit by changing the transmission shift points, the throttle response, and steering sensitivity. Normal is the happy medium mode.
The AWD system, dynamic torque vectoring and lateral wind stability control delivered excellent handling for a vehicle that feels smaller than it looks. It was nimble with no hint of tire slippage, body roll or any lack of control when pushing hard around tight or sweeping corners. The under floor batteries dropped the center of gravity, making for sure-footed handling.
Two technologies that Hyundai does as good or better than any brand are paddle shifter-operated Regenerative Braking and one pedal and i-Pedal driving. After mastering them (a very short learning curve), in our opinion, creates the easiest and most enjoyable way to drive an electric car. Make sure to have the Hyundai dealer sales associate demonstrate how using and setting this regenerative braking technique will increase your electric efficiency, driving range and driving enjoyment.
Having reviewed all the electric Hyundai models, the Ioniq 9 proves Hyundai—and this extends to the sister brands Genesis and Kia—knows electric vehicles and knows what drivers will like in an EV.
Head-Turning Exterior Design
Hyundai placed an emphasis on interior space, which means the exterior design needed to be maximized at all four corners. The minimal front and rear overhangs, a long wheelbase and flat floor create maximum passenger space.
The gently sloping roof and an abrupt, near vertical rear end give a boxy look. But the soft edges, flush power door handles and active air shutters in the lower front fascia aid the coefficient of drag, which is a very respectable 0.269. Another design tool to create interior space is, when the Ioniq 9 is viewed from above, the ‘Boat-tail’ design. It has a front fender width narrower than the rears, with the hips being the widest point. The look is similar to a sleek sailboat.
The head and tail lights, with a parametric pixel design, have become a Hyundai trademark. There are four aerodynamic alloy wheel designs in 19, 20 and 21 inches.
The Ioniq 9 has nine exterior colors—Abyss Black Pearl, Cyber Gray Metallic, Snow White Pearl, Ecotronic Gray Matte, Gravity Gray Matte, Ionosphere Green Pearl, Ultimate Red Metallic, Cosmic Blue Pearl or Sage Silver Matte.
Spacious and Premium Interior
The term spacious sometimes is used loosely when describing interior space. Hyundai was easy on the hyperbole even when saying the Ioniq 9 interior “is a space where life happens.” What we found was a completely flat floor providing spacious leg, shoulder and head room for up to seven occupants. The floating bridge console is moveable and incorporates cup holders and charge ports. There is an ellipse design theme reoccurring on the dash and door panels.
With an eye on sustainability, the seats are covered in either stain-resistant bio-material cloth or H-Tex synthetic. The Ioniq 9 Performance Calligraphy AWD we drove had heated and ventilated H-Tex-covered 8-way power driver and passenger seats with power lumbar. The driver’s seat has a memory setting.
The ventilated second-row Captain’s Chairs swivel and recline. They were power-operated to slide and fold to accommodate easy access to the third row. Second-row occupants get manual window shades, ventilation controls, USB-C charge ports and power leg extensions. The third-row bench seat power folds to expand the generous cargo capacity. Additional small item storage in the front trunk (frunk) is found by popping the hood.
There are three screens inside, beginning with the 10-inch configurable head-up display projected on the windshield. The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which is fully configurable with an assortment of important vehicle information, is connected to the 12.3-inch horizontal color infotainment screen. Entertainment was through the 14-speaker Bose premium audio system with AM/FM/SiriusXM, wireless Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth for streaming and hands-free telephone. The Bluelink app provides access to vehicle systems, including remote start and remote charging, and the Digital Key provides extra convenience and safety.
Additional interior features are front and third row USB-C media and charge ports, changeable ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, dual automatic temperature control with second and third row vents, power or manual tilt & telescoping leather steering wheel, cruise control with limited hands-free driving, power windows and rear lift gate, and many more conveniences.
Safety
The IONIQ 9 comes with an extensive list of standard safety features, beginning with 10 airbags. Hyundai’s safety tech is robust with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including lane keep assist, blind spot detection, forward collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic avoidance assist. Other features are hill start assist, auto hold, a surround and blind view monitor with parking sensors, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
Pricing
The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 comes in six trim levels These prices include the $1,600 freight charge
Even with the Ioniq 9 being built in America, it is unknown when this story was written (May 2025), if federal tax incentives will be extended by the Trump administration. Individual states may have purchase incentive programs that would not be affected by any federal actions. The Ioniq 9 may also qualify for an HOV sticker, which allows a solo driver to use the carpool lanes.
- S RWD $60,595
- SE AWD $64,365
- SEL AWD $67,920
- Performance Limited AWD $72,850
- Performance Calligraphy AWD $76,590
- Performance Calligraphy Design AWD $78,090
Availability
The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 will be produced at the massive Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Ellabell, Georgia, which is near Savannah. This is why the media drive was held in Savannah as Hyundai took us through the plant. They will be offering public tours, so if you are the area take the time to see what a modern, technologically-advanced auto manufacturing facility looks like. It will be well worth your time.
The vehicle will go on sale in Q2 2025 as a 2026 model year.
Observations: 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
This is an easy one to summarize. If you are in the market for a large, premium SUV that seats up to seven in true comfort and style, and are ready to make the move to electrification, then the all-electric 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 should be high on your shopping list.
With fast charging and a minimum 300-mile all-electric driving range, the Ioniq 9 will easily handle all your family in-town errands and make taking a longer road trip very doable, all while eliminating the need to ever stop at a gasoline station again.
Hyundai is proud of the Ioniq 9. It grows the brand’s offerings to large families as an alternative to the popular gasoline-powered Palisade SUV.
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Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Hyundai.
Disclosure
Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.
Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and other efficient powertrains. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at [email protected].
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