After April's 'bookings are open' announcement, Kia distributors Dinamikjaya Motors have properly launched the Kia EV9 battery electric vehicle (BEV) MPV in Malaysia.

Kia Malaysia's third BEV after the EV6 and Niro, the fully-imported (CBU South Korea) EV9 here is offered in two variants:

• GT-Line 7-seater from RM 369,668
• GT-Line 6-seater from RM 374,668

Like it says on the tin, one can have their EV9 in either 6-seater (2-2-2 layout) or the 7-seater (2-3-2) layout. Both are equipped with a 99.8-kWh lithium-ion battery and share the same all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrain for a total dual-motor output of 380 PS / 700 Nm.

Hence, both cars need just just 5.3 seconds to reach 0-100 km/h, with a 200 km/h top speed.

Range is a WLTP-rated 505 km on both these variants. Charging times? 24 minutes to charge the battery from 10-80% SoC at a peak DC fast charging (CCS2) capacity of 350 kW. Additionally, there's 11 kW AC charging (Type 2), which will take 10 hours and 30 minutes to reach the same 10-80% SoC. 

Moreover, the vehicle features a vehicle-to-load (V2L) system capable of outputting up to 3.58 kW, enabling the powering of electrical accessories and devices.

Standard equipment for the EV9 in Malaysia includes 21-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlamps with high beam assist, decorative LED lighting for the grille, LED taillights, a roof rack, a two-panel sunroof, keyless entry and start, and a powered tailgate with kick sensor.

The colour line-up includes Ocean Blue, Snow White Pearl, Pebble Gray, Aurora Black Pearl and Iceberg Green, making a total of 5 colors available.

Inside, the SUV boasts leatherette upholstery, powered front seats with heating and ventilation functions, manually adjustable second-row swivel seats, power-folding third-row seats, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, three-zone climate control with second- and third-row vents, ambient lighting, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, a wireless charging pad, and six USB ports.

The second-row seats are fitted with relaxation features, including heating, ventilation, ottoman, and massaging functions.

Beyond the 10 airbags and ISOFIX systems, the Kia EV9 comes with a host of ADAS features as below:

• High Beam Assist (HBA)
• Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA)
• Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA)
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Assist (RCCA) 
• Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM)
• Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
• Driver Attention Warning (DAW)
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA2) with Junction Turning (JT)
• Junction Crossing (JX)
• Lane-Change Oncoming (LCO)
• Direct Oncoming (DO)
• Lane-Change Side (LCS)
• Driving Steering Assist (DSA)
• Auto Evasive Steering Assist (ESA)
• Lane Following Assist (LFA2)
• Smart Cruise Control (SCC)

The vehicle comes with a 5 years manufacturer warranty (or first 150,000 km), whichever comes first. In addition, the Kia EV9 EV battery warranty coverage is up to 8 years or 160,000 km, whichever comes first.