2025 Kia EV9 vs 2025 Ford Explorer Electric | EV SUV Showdown

The electric SUV game is heating up, and two big names are going head to head. On one side, the 2025 Kia EV9, a bold, boxy, three-row EV that's already turning heads with its futuristic design, loaded tech, and family-first approach. On the other, the brand-new 2025 Ford Explore Electric, reviving a legendary nameplate with battery power, rugged styling, and classic American road trip DNA. Both promise space, range, performance, and next-gen features, but which one delivers more for your money? Which EV fits your lifestyle? In this video, we're putting them side by side—range, performance, interior, tech, charging, and pricing—to help you figure out which electric SUV deserves a spot in your driveway. EV9 vs. Explore Electric. Let's get into it. This is Parth, and you are watching Motor Nation. Before we break them down category by category, let's get a quick look at what each of these electric SUVs is bringing to the table in 2025. The Kia EV9 is Kia's most ambitious EV yet, and it's not just a statement piece. It's a full-size, three-row electric SUV designed with real family practicality in mind. Built on the E-GMP platform, it offers a roomy cabin, bold styling, and advanced features like vehicle-to-load power sharing, OTA updates, and a minimalist digital cockpit. Available in RWD and AWD configurations, with up to 300 miles of range, the EV9 is all about blending electric efficiency with everyday usability and doing it with style. It's already gaining traction as one of the few electric vehicles that can comfortably seat seven while still feeling sleek and futuristic. The 2025 Explore Electric is Ford's take on electrifying an icon. Based on a dedicated EV platform shared with Volkswagen, it's smaller than the Gas Explorer but promises quicker acceleration, a more agile footprint, and a cleaner, more modern design. Designed primarily for Europe, but expected to hit North America in the near future, it features a dual-screen layout, rugged crossover styling, and fast-charging capabilities that make it road-trip ready. With two rows of seating and a focus on performance, tech, and practicality, the Explore Electric is Ford's answer to the growing demand for midsize electric SUVs that don't feel like compromise. When it comes to EVs, what's under the skin is just as important as what's on the surface. So now, let's compare how the Kia EV9 and Ford Explore Electric perform where it counts. Motors, batteries, acceleration, range, and charging times. The 2025 Kia EV9 rides on Hyundai's dedicated e-GMP platform, the same one used in the EV6 and IONIQ 5, but scaled up for full-size SUV duty. It comes in two main powertrain setups. A single-motor RWD model with 201 horsepower and an estimated 0-60 time of around 8.2 seconds. A dual-motor AWD version with 379 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, cutting 0-60 time to about 5.0 seconds. The dual-motor version also includes torque vectoring for better traction and stability. Battery options include a 76.1 kWh pack for base RWD trims and a larger 99.8 kWh battery for long-range and AWD models. As for range, base models offer around 230 miles. Long-range RWD trims stretch that to about 300 miles. AWD variants land around 270 to 280 miles, depending on wheels and trim. Charging is where the EV9 really shines. Thanks to its 800-volt architecture, it supports ultra-fast DC charging, 10% to 80% in under 25 minutes at a compatible 350 kW charger. And it can also power other devices or even charge another EV using its vehicle-to-load, V2L feature. In short, the EV9 is built for the long haul, whether that's distance, family road trips, or daily commutes with flexibility. The 2025 Ford Explore Electric is a very different kind of EV SUV. Leaner, more urban-friendly, and built on the Volkswagen MEB platform, shared with models like the ID.4. Ford will offer it in single and dual-motor versions. The RWD model produces about 282 horsepower. The AWD dual-motor version bumps that to 335 horsepower, with a 0-to-60 time expected to land around 5.5 seconds. Battery sizes haven't been officially confirmed yet, but early specs suggest a 77 kWh pack for the standard models and a larger 86 kWh battery in extended-range trims. Estimated range figures, based on WLTP and expected EPA adjustments. Around 250 miles for the base model, up to 335 miles for extended-range RWD trims. AWD versions are expected to come in around 280 to 300 miles. Charging speeds are also solid, thanks to 400-volt architecture. 10% to 80% in about 25 to 30 minutes at a 150 kW fast charger. Standard AC charging it up to 11 kW for overnight home charging. The Explore Electric may not have EV9's ultra-wide platform or maxed-out torque, but it's aiming to be quick, efficient, and practical, especially for families who don't need three rows. When it comes to SUVs, the cabin experience is just as important as what's under the hood, especially for families. So let's take a closer look inside the Kia EV9 and the Ford Explore Electric and see how they compare when it comes to interior design, comfort features, and cargo space. Step inside the Kia EV9 and it's immediately clear, this isn't just a practical family hauler. It's a modern, minimalist lounge on wheels. The cabin feels open, airy, and well-designed, with sustainable materials like plant-based leather, soft-touch recycled surfaces, and sleek brushed metal accents. Depending on trim, you can spec the EV9 with seven or six seats, with available second-row captain chairs that can swivel 180 degrees to face the third row. Heated and ventilated seats in both front and second rows, optional massaging seats for the driver and passenger, and a fully flat floor for maximum legroom and walk-through space. Cargo space is generous, up to 20.2 cubic feet behind the third row, over 81.9 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded, plus a front trunk, frunk, for extra storage of cables or small gear. Tech-wise, the EV9 delivers big. A massive curved display houses dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital cluster and infotainment system. An integrated 5-inch HVAC control screen for climate settings. Over-the-air OTA updates in Kia's new connected car navigation cockpit, CCNC. Software brings quicker response times and a smartphone-like feel. There's also wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multiple USB-C ports in all three rows, an optional head-up display and fingerprint recognition. Top trims even offer a digital rearview mirror, augmented reality navigation, and Kia's latest voice assistant system, which controls everything from ambient lighting to drive modes. Bottom line? The EV9's interior is designed to feel futuristic, flexible, and family-friendly, with premium features that rival some luxury EVs. Inside the Explorer Electric, Ford has gone with a clean and functional layout, combining modern tech with a more traditional SUV feel. The cabin feels tight and focused, but still comfortable. More crossover than full-size SUV. It's only a two-row configuration, seating five passengers, which means less flexibility than the EV9, but more focus on front and rear passenger comfort. Materials are solid, with available soft-touch surfaces, contrast stitching, and an optional panoramic roof to brighten the space. While it doesn't reach the luxury feel of the EV9's higher trims, it's still a step up from older Ford interiors. In terms of space, cargo capacity is around 18.5 cubic feet behind the second row. Fold those seats flat, and you'll get closer to 52 cubic feet. There's no frunk in this model, as Ford used that space for front-end packaging. Tech is where Ford is stepping up its game. A floating 15-inch portrait-style touchscreen takes center stage. Behind the wheel is a fully digital driver display, customizable with EV info, maps, and driver-assist visuals. The infotainment runs Ford's latest software with connected navigation, OTA updates, and an upgraded voice control system. You also get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multiple USB-C ports, wireless charging, and ambient lighting. And in upper trims, a premium bang and a Lefson sound system with immersive tuning. The Explore Electric focuses on daily drivability, smart tech, and clear functionality. It's clean, it's efficient, and it keeps things user-friendly. When it comes to family EVs, safety isn't optional. It's expected. And in this category, both the Kia EV9 and the Ford Explore Electric come well-equipped with driver assistance tech and passenger protection systems. But one of them goes a bit further. Let's take a closer look. The Kia EV9 isn't just about luxury and space. It's also one of the most advanced vehicles Kia has ever built in terms of safety tech. It comes standard with a wide range of active safety features under Kia's DriveWise suite, including forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian, cyclist, junction turning, and oncoming lane detection, lane keeping assist plus lane following assist, blind spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross traffic avoidance assist, driver attention warning and safe exit assist, and high beam assist and parking distance sensors. But what really stands out is Kia's new highway driving pilot, a level three autonomous driving system available on higher trims in select regions. It allows the vehicle to operate hands-free in certain highway conditions using a combination of LiDAR, radar, and camera sensors. Altogether, the EV9 is built not just to protect, but to actively assist and anticipate, making long drives safer and less tiring. The 2025 Ford Explore Electric comes with Ford's latest suite of safety and assistance features based on co-pilot 360 technology. While it's not quite as advanced as Kia's hands-free systems, it still covers all the essential bases and then some. Standard features include pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, lane keeping system, blind spot information system, BLIS with cross traffic alert, reverse brake assist, driver monitoring system, post-collision braking, and auto high beams. Mid and higher trims offer adaptive cruise control with stop and go, evasive steering assist, intersection assist, 360 degree camera system, active park assist 2.0, which can handle parallel and perpendicular parking autonomously. While Ford doesn't offer level 3 autonomy here, its Blue Cruise hands-free system may appear in future Explore Electric trims, though it hasn't been officially confirmed for this model year yet. Still, with its proven safety platform and solid reputation, the Explore Electric checks all the major boxes, just without some of the futuristic flair Kia brings to the table. Now let's get down to what really drives most buying decisions, price. Both the Kia EV9 and the Ford Explore Electric aim to deliver big EV features in practical family SUV form, but they do it with very different pricing strategies. The 2025 Kia EV9 is positioned as a flagship electric SUV and its pricing reflects that. Here's how the U.S. lineup breaks down. Light RWD standard range starts around $54,900. Light Long Range RWD about $59,200. Wind AWD starts at $63,900. Land AWD around $69,900. GT Line AWD, the fully loaded model tops out at $74,900 plus. Each step up adds more range, performance, and luxury, like upgraded seating, 20-21 inch wheels, highway driving pilot, ambient lighting, and more. Also worth noting, as of now, the EV9 does not qualify for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit since it's built in Korea. However, Kia plans to start U.S. production in Georgia in 2024, which may change eligibility depending on the trim and battery sourcing. The Ford Explore Electric is designed to be more accessible, especially in Europe, and when it arrives in the U.S., Ford is expected to keep pricing competitive with other midsize EVs. Estimated pricing in Europe translates roughly to base trims, select or active, around $48,000 to $52,000 equivalent. Extended range RWD trims, about $55,000. AWD or sportier trims, closer to $60,000 to $63,000. That puts the Explore Electric $5,000 to $10,000 below the EV9 at most trim levels. But keep in mind, it's also a smaller two-row SUV with less space and fewer luxury appointments. That puts the Explore Electric $5,000 to $10,000 below the EV9 at most trim levels. But keep in mind, it's also a smaller two-row SUV with less space and fewer luxury appointments. On the bright side, Ford's EVs assembled in North America could qualify for federal tax credits, helping bring down the real-world cost even further. That would make it an even stronger value proposition for buyers looking to go electric without overspending. So Kia EV9 versus Ford Explore Electric, which one should you pick? If you want maximum space, next-level tech, and a true three-row electric experience, the Kia EV9 is in a class of its own. It feels premium, it charges lightning fast, and it's one of the few EVs that can carry the whole family without compromise. The price is steep, but the experience backs it up. But if you're looking for a more affordable entry point into electric SUVs, with a refined, compact package and all the must-have features for daily life, the Ford Explore Electric gets it done. It's smart, quick, and easier on the wallet, especially if it qualifies for tax credits. Two very different approaches, both make a strong case. So which one would you choose? Drop your pick in the comments. And if you found this video helpful, don't forget to like, subscribe to Motor Nation, and tap the bell for more straight-shooting EV comparisons, right here.