Kia flagship EV9 awarded five star safety rating

Kia’s all-new EV9, which Tech Digest has been driving in Scotland for the last two days, has been awarded the maximum five-star safety rating following testing by Europe’s independent safety organisation, Euro NCAP.

The all-electric seven-seat SUV achieved the highest possible rating after being assessed in four categories. It achieved 84 per cent for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant protection, 76 per cent for vulnerable road users including pedestrians, and 83 per cent in the ‘safety assist’ category, which rates a vehicle based on the availability of a comprehensive suite of crash avoidance technologies.

Euro NCAP praised the EV9’s passenger compartment for remaining stable in the frontal impact test and providing good protection of the knees and femur of all occupants – regardless of their size and sitting positions.

Tests revealed that the EV9 would be a moderately benign impact partner in a frontal collision. In the side barrier test the EV9 scored maximum points, providing strong protection of all critical body areas of driver and passengers. The SUV was also praised for its advanced eCall system which alerts the emergency services in the event of a crash.

The EV9 scored even higher in the child occupant tests, with the vehicle protecting all critical body areas of dummies representing six- and ten-year old passengers. The organisation took note of the EV9’s airbag flexibility as well as its intelligent child presence detection system.

When testing the EV9’s safety assist technologies, Euro NCAP highlighted the performance of the vehicle’s Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system, which responded well to other vehicles and avoided impacts in most test scenarios.

Other safety features highlighted by Euro NCAP were the EV9’s Lane Keep Assist (LKA) which gently corrects the vehicle’s path if it is drifting out of lane and also intervenes in more critical situations. The speed assistance system was also found to do well in identifying the local speed limit, with the driver able to choose to allow the limiter to be set automatically by the system.

The EV9’s safety rating was reinforced by the vehicle’s high-strength Electric Global Modular Platform (e-GMP) and rigid body structure. Combined with a variety of active driver-assist and safety features, this reaffirms the EV9’s qualities of maximum convenience and safety on the road.