With seating for up to 7, a sleek retro-modern design, and over 500 km of range, the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is sure to turn a few heads. But at almost $100,000 CAD, is it worthy of the high price tag?
Performance
Motors – The Ioniq 9 is available with three powertrains. The single motor, RWD variant produces 215 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque (160 kW / 350 Nm). Moving up to the dual-motor AWD version will give you 303 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque (226 kW / 605Nm). But you can also option the Ioniq 9 with the AWD+ powertrain which produces 422 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque (315 kW / 700Nm).
Being a large 3-row electric SUV, the 2026 Ioniq 9 is undoubtedly a heavy vehicle. The curb weight varies from 2,502 kg (5,516 lbs) for the RWD version all the way up to 2,729 kg (6,016 lbs) for this Calligraphy trim. But because the electric motors can provide instant torque, the Ioniq 9 with the AWD+ powertrain feels really quick for its size. In Sport mode, it has the snappy acceleration that is associated with EVs. In Comfort mode, the accelerator response is gradual and not as instant. I think this is fine because you don’t want neck-snapping acceleration in everyday driving situations. If you do, just leave it in Sport mode.
Battery, Range, & Charging – One of the biggest highlights of the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is its driving range. Best of all, it doesn’t matter which trim you choose because all of them are rated to deliver at least 500 km (310 Miles). The AWD+ is rated for 500 km exactly, the standard AWD is rated for 515 km (320 Miles) and the RWD is rated for 539 km (335 Miles). But like many other EVs, you can get more (or less) range in the real world. For example, the car was estimating over 600 km (373 Miles) of driving range whenever the battery was recharged to 100% while I had the car on demo. With my driving style, my average efficiency was 20.3 kWh/100km (3.06 Mi/kWh).
Providing the power is a 110.3 kWh battery pack that is mounted in the floor. It has an 800 Volt architecture and up to 350 kW of charging speed. From 10% to 80% at that rate, Hyundai says it’ll get recharged in just 24 minutes. From a more common 50 kW DC charger, it’ll take a little over an hour and a half. From the fastest level 2 charger, 10% to 100% will take about 10 hours. Additionally, the Ioniq 9 is among the first Hyundai vehicles to be equipped with the NACS plug; more commonly known as the Tesla plug. This allows the Ioniq 9 to be recharged at any Tesla supercharger location. If you want to charge it from a CCS Combo DC charger or a level 2 charger, the car comes with adaptors but they do not lock so anyone can simply unplug them.
Braking – Like all other electric vehicles, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 uses regenerative braking to recoup energy and slow down the big SUV. It has Levels 0 through to 3 along with “i-pedal’ (which is Hyundai’s one pedal mode) and an Auto regen mode. The i-pedal performs well with smooth stops and equally smooth acceleration. The Auto mode changes based on other factors such as descending down a hill or a vehicle ahead of the Ioniq 9. If the vehicle ahead slows down, more regen braking is automatically applied. If the vehicle ahead maintains a constant speed, little to no regen braking is applied. Personally, I don’t like this mode because it always changes so I just used the i-pedal mode instead. Because regenerative braking is so efficient on this Ioniq 9, the physical brakes look like any other SUV brakes. The brake pedal also provides a firm feel when putting your foot on it, whether it be a little bit or a lot.
Handling – From behind the steering wheel, the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 feels big. It almost feels like a minivan. Additionally, it has minivan-like characteristics. The steering is not quick like some sporty SUVs and it requires quite a bit of movement to get the SUV pointing in the direction you want. The suspension is on the soft side so there’s a decent amount of body roll through corners. Finally, the Ioniq 9 shares a similar characteristic with some other large Hyundai SUVs, such as the Palisade. Midway through a corner, if the wheels encounter a large bump, the rear of the Ioniq 9 gets a bit unbalanced. It doesn’t feel as though the car is out of your control because the heavy battery provides a low center of gravity. It just gives you an uneasy feeling. Smaller bumps don’t affect it in this way.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – With the softer suspension and being a family focused SUV, the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9’s ride is spectacular. Even with the 21-inch wheels as equipped on this Calligraphy trim, the Ioniq 9’s suspension effectively absorbs bumps, potholes, and manhole covers in the road.
Further aiding to the comfort are the seats which are plush for long road trips and the driver’s seat has an Ergo Motion function. It’s not exactly a massage feature but rather, it promotes muscle movement so that your butt or back don’t get numb. Sadly, it is only the driver that has this feature.
Interior Space – The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 has plenty of space for short and tall individuals alike… for the most part. In the front row, space is not an issue and neither is visibility. If you opt for the Calligraphy trim, it will be equipped with a rear camera mirror which will allow you to “see past” the headrests of the 3rd row.
In the 2nd row, this Calligraphy trim is equipped with power operated captain’s chairs. A 3-occupant bench seat is available on other trims. The Captain’s chairs provide plenty of space even behind my tall 6’4” driving position. Furthermore, these power seats can recline (along with the front seats) so that you and your passenger can remain in comfort while at a public charging station.
In the 3rd row, space is a bit more limited. Getting into the two rear seats is easy thanks to a one button push that slides and tilts the 2nd row seats. The passthrough is a bit on the small side which makes getting out a little bit difficult. Once in the 3rd row, headroom is good but legroom depends on where the 2nd row seats are positioned. In the most backward position, there’s almost no legroom. However, the 3rd row does allow for a more reclined position.
In the trunk, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 has 620 L (21.9 cu-ft) of cargo space behind the 3rd row. Under the trunk floor, there is a little bit of storage space. With the power operated 3rd row seats folded in this Calligraphy trim, there is 1,323 L (46.7 cu-ft) of space. With the power operated 2nd row seats folded, total cargo capacity increases to 2,462 L (86.9 cu-ft). One thing to note, the trunk opening is on the small side due to the sloping roof. In the frunk, there is 52 L (1.8 cu-ft) of cargo space.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Being an electric vehicle, the cabin of the Ioniq 9 is quiet. It’s actually quieter than most other EVs. Not only does it have active noise cancellation technology but the windows are double paned and it has an acoustic windshield. There’s also sound absorbing materials in the wheel wells to further reduce tire noise from intruding into the cabin.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – Yes, the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 does cost almost $100,000 CAD… if you opt for the top spec Calligraphy trim and include fees & taxes in the equation. The starting price of the 026 Ioniq 9 (excluding fees & taxes) is $59,999 CAD ($58,995 USD) while the Calligraphy trim is $81,499 CAD ($76,490 USD) (without fees & taxes). So yes, it is an expensive 3-rowSUV, but the starting price is actually really good for the size of vehicle and the range it provides.
Gadgets – But if you do go for the base trim, what do you get in terms of convenience features? Well, it has cloth upholstery, a heated and power operated driver’s seat but a manually adjustable passenger seat (which is also heated), a three-zone automatic climate control, a wireless phone charging pad, and a power liftgate.
Moving all the way up to this Calligraphy trim will add the power captain’s chairs in the 2nd row which are also heated & ventilated, the front seats also get a ventilation function, leatherette upholstery, there’s also the panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, surround view cameras, a rear camera mirror, and a microfiber suede headliner that is very smooth to the touch.
Interior Design – The cabin of the Ioniq 9 has a lot of similarities with other Ioniq models. It has a simple dual-screen dashboard, physical climate control knobs and quick access buttons for the infotainment system, and a small touchscreen for other climate related functions such as air speed and direction. There are quite a number of small cubbies, not only in the door panels, but also underneath the climate controls. The center console can be moved forwards or backwards and has another small cubby that is accessible by the 2nd row occupants. I personally don’t like the passthrough that is between the two front seats because if there’s an object on the passenger side, it could easily roll to the driver side and cause a distraction that could lead to an accident. The interior also has a subtle ambient lighting system which appears brighter at night thanks to the light colours of the headliner, seats, and other trim pieces.
Exterior Design – The Ioniq 9’s exterior design follows the pixel designs of the Ioniq 5 and 6. The headlights are composed of individual LED lights which combine to produce the low and high beams. More pixel LEDs create the daytime running lights and turn signals. In the back, the edges of the body are yet more pixel LED lights which make up the brake lights, taillights, and turn signals. From the side, you can easily see the sloped roof which limits the cargo area opening but it is designed like this for better aerodynamics. Hyundai says that this big SUV has the same drag coefficient as a smaller compact car.
Safety – The entry level 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 has a lot of safety & driver aids but it does not come equipped with every feature that is available on this SUV. It has the usual safety features such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot sensors, and so on. But it’s only when moving up in the trim levels does it get equipped with features such as surround view cameras, parking distance warning, and emergency automatic braking when parking.
Warranty – The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is covered by a 5 year / 100,000 km new vehicle limited warranty. The battery components warranty is 8 years / 160,000 km. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty information, click here.
Conclusion – In the end, Hyundai again did a thorough job in creating this new 3-row electric SUV. Smooth, quiet, good driving range, and roomy interior. But is it worth the nearly $100,000 CAD price tag, when taxes and fees are factored in for this top spec trim? It’s a hard pill to swallow. The lower end trims are a bit more budget friendly so long as you’re ok with not having all of the bells and whistles. But otherwise, this is a great 3-row electric SUV.
Thank you to Hyundai Canada for providing the vehicle. www.HyundaiCanada.com
2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 Gallery
