To wrap up our definitive 2025/2026 guide, we’re looking at the pinnacle of the market. Whether you’re hauling the whole family in absolute silence or planning the ultimate zero-emission road trip, these are the final pieces of the EV Evolution puzzle.

🏰 The Luxury Flagships: Kia EV9 vs. Volvo EX90

If you have a budget north of $100k and need seven seats, the choice has never been more difficult—or more exciting. These two SUVs represent the very best of their respective brands.

1. Kia EV9: The Bold Family Fortress

Price: $97,000 – $133,000 approx.¹

• The Verdict: The EV9 is the car that officially ended “Kia-shaming.” It’s a massive, unapologetic statement piece.
• The Experience: Its 800V architecture means it charges faster than almost anything else on the road (10-80% in 20 minutes). Inside, it feels like a private jet with “Relaxation” seats that recline fully with footrests.
• Pros: Incredible charging speed; genuine 7-adult room; futuristic “Lego-chic” styling.
• Cons: It’s physically huge (hard to park in tight Bondi car parks); some road noise on the 21-inch GT-Line wheels.

2. Volvo EX90: The Scandinavian Sanctuary

Price: $125,000 – $135,000 approx.

• The Verdict: This is Volvo’s safest and most advanced car ever. It swaps Kia’s “flash” for a deep, library-quiet sense of luxury.
• The Experience: It features built-in Lidar for next-gen safety and a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system that makes you feel like you’re sitting in the middle of the Sydney Opera House.
• Pros: World-class sound system; recycled “Nordico” luxury interior; 570km+ real-world range.
• Cons: Minimalist cabin (almost no physical buttons); price is a significant step up from the Kia.

If you’ve got six figures to spend on a genuine seven-seater electric SUV, the choice has never been tougher. We’re pitting the Korean disruptor against the Swedish master.

Here are the full EV Evolution reviews for the reigning heavyweights.

REVIEW: The Kia EV9 GT-Line

The Verdict: The new benchmark for the Aussie family road trip.

Let’s just get this out of the way: forget everything you thought you knew about Kia five years ago. The EV9 isn’t just a step up; it’s a different stratosphere. This is a massive, unapologetic slab of futuristic design that somehow manages to look right at home parked at a dusty campsite or outside a slick Brisbane cafe.

For Australian enthusiasts, the EV9’s biggest flex isn’t its looks; it’s under the skin. It’s built on the 800V E-GMP architecture. Why should you care? Because while other luxury SUVs are stuck pulling 150kW at a charger, the EV9 can inhale electrons at up to 235kW.

In the real world—say, stopped at the Goulburn superhub on a 38°C day—that means charging from 10% to 80% in just over 20 minutes. By the time you’ve wrangled the kids for a toilet stop and grabbed a coffee, the car is ready for another 400km of highway driving. That is game-changing convenience.

Inside, it’s cavernous. Unlike some “seven-seaters” where the third row is purely theoretical, you can actually fit adults back there without them needing a chiropractor afterwards. The GT-Line’s second-row captain’s chairs, which can spin around “lounge style” when parked, are a brilliant touch for roadside picnics.

Is it perfect? Not quite. On the massive 21-inch wheels, the ride can be a touch fidgety on poor-quality B-roads, and parking something this wide in a tight Woolies car park is always a breath-holding exercise.

But for the sheer utility, the staggering charging speed, and the tech-heavy cabin, the EV9 is arguably the best value-for-money proposition in the luxury segment right now. It’s the ultimate electric bus for the modern Aussie family.

REVIEW: The Volvo EX90 Twin Motor

The Verdict: A rolling sanctuary for the safety-obsessed.

If the Kia EV9 is a blockbuster action movie, the Volvo EX90 is a critically acclaimed arthouse film. It’s quieter, more understated, and deeply confident.

Volvo took their time replacing the legendary XC90, but the wait was worth it. The EX90 doesn’t shout about its technology; it hides it. The cabin is a masterclass in Scandinavian minimalism. There are almost no physical buttons, just beautiful open-pore wood, sustainable “Nordico” materials that feel better than leather, and a giant portrait screen.

The defining feature for enthusiasts here is that little hump above the windscreen. That’s the LiDAR sensor. It’s standard across the range in Australia. It’s constantly scanning 250 metres down the road, building a 3D map of the world to spot hazards (like a roo near the highway edge at dusk) long before your eyes can. It feels incredibly solid and safe on the road, a feeling amplified by the near-total silence in the cabin.

Speaking of sound, if you spring for the optional Bowers & Wilkins audio system, you are ruining every other car stereo for yourself forever. It’s concert-hall quality that turns a boring commute on the M1 into an event.

The downsides? It’s pricier than the Kia, and while the 111kWh battery offers fantastic range (easily nudging 570km+ in real-world driving), it uses a 400V architecture. That means its peak charging speed is slower than the EV9. It’s still fast, but you’ll be waiting a little longer at the ultra-rapid chargers.

The EX90 is for the buyer who wants the absolute cutting edge of safety tech wrapped in a package that doesn’t feel the need to show off. It’s effortless, luxurious, and very, very smart.

Still Can’t Decide? Ask the AI.

Choosing between 800V charging speed and LiDAR safety tech is a tough call. Every family’s needs are different.

If you want to know which one fits your specific garage, or how their real-world highway range compares on the Sydney to Melbourne run, ask our expert system.

Start a conversation with the EV Evolution AI chatbot right now.

• “Which SUV has better third-row air conditioning, the EV9 or EX90?”
• “Compare the 5-year ownership costs of the Volvo vs the Kia.”
• “Can the Kia EV9’s V2L feature power my camping fridge?”

Enjoy the rest of your Boxing Day, and here’s to an electric 2026!

About EV Evolution

EV Evolution is the leading online platform dedicated to Australian electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts. We foster a vibrant community, delivering essential EV news and insights, and enhancing user engagement through our innovative, AI-powered chatbot for dynamic discussions. Our mission is to empower Australian electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts by fostering a vibrant, AI-driven online community that connects, informs, and advances the nation’s electric vehicle landscape.