Toyota Prado vs Kia EV9

What's the difference?

While no doubt the hybrid would appeal to some buyers, given the limits in towing capacity and higher fuel consumption, the extra performance doesn’t really make the i-Force Max a compelling proposition for the LandCruiser/Prado. Australian buyers have made it abundantly clear they’re happy with the Prado already on sale, so it’s hard to see the hybrid having too much success here alongside the diesel engine.

Whether you think the EV9 GT is an over-priced mistake or the logical next step for a brand looking to move up in the world will depend on your point-of-view.

Kia has certainly extended the appeal of the EV9 range, but possibly in the wrong direction. Certainly the wrong direction if the goal is to add significantly more sales.

A cheaper alternative to the $97,000 EV9 Air would likely be a more popular choice from the point-of-view of Australian families considering replacing their diesel-powered SUVs with something that doesn’t rely on the chaotic fuel market. 

But that’s not really who the EV9 GT will appeal to. Instead, from the point-of-view of someone looking at a more expensive European option, whether it be an Audi Q8 e-tron, BMW iX or something else, the EV9 GT may be appealing in a very different way - assuming that they aren't driven by what badge is on the front.

Kia has certainly evolved beyond its ‘cheap and cheerful’ image or buying primarily for its long warranty. These days Kia is a mainstream brand, but whether it has enhanced its reputation enough to attract buyers willing to spend more than $130,000 will be decided in the showroom.

The Prado and LandCruiser largely look the same, but the 1958 we drove did have a few standout elements from a design perspective.

The most obvious are the retro round headlights of the 1958, which are meant to hark back to the original FJ Cruiser. The retro theme is helped by the round light framing the large rectangular mesh grille with ‘TOYOTA’ in big, bold letters.

Personally, I really like the round lights and think it’s a shame the Australian-bound Prado misses out, purely for the aesthetics.

Inside the cabin also feels like a throwback in time, but not to the 1950s, rather the late ‘80s and early ‘90s with the grey cloth trim. It’s a brave decision from Toyota to ditch a more modern look and feel, but, again, I really like it. It feels hard-wearing and suits the nature of the Land Cruiser in the US market, where it has to woo buyers away from Bronco and Wrangler.

One design choice of note is the US-spec version has ‘LandCruiser’ embossed on the dashboard ahead of the passenger, something else we miss out on here with our Prado.

Surprisingly, given the price premium and flagship nature of the GT, there isn’t a lot to separate it from the slightly less expensive GT-Line.

It’s only when you look closer you notice subtle touches, like the ‘digital grille’, an illuminated section of the front of the car that extends the lighting signature when you start the car. The other obvious difference is the unique and huge set of 21-inch alloy wheels at each corner. The black design is offset by bright green brake calipers, which is a unique colour for the GT.

This signature fluro green colour is also on the seat trim, including contrasting stitching, as well as the GT badge on the (three-spoke) steering wheel that engages the most potent version of the electric motors.

As the entry-grade variant in the US range, the LandCruiser 1958 is more utilitarian than pampering. That translates to a cabin that has plenty of usability, just like the Australian-delivered LandCruiser Prados we’re used to.

There’s nothing overtly different about the US-spec model, with good space and small item storage in the front and decent room in the second row.

The multimedia system is the same as the one used here too, which speaks to Toyota’s strength for consistency of product around the world. It means anyone driving a Toyota - whether it’s in Australia, the US or elsewhere - has a sense of familiarity immediately.

It also helps that Toyota has stuck with a large amount of physical buttons and switchgear (I counted nearly 50) in addition to the touchscreen. While other brands look to cut controls to save money at the expense of usability, Toyota is sticking with what people know and enjoy.

However, the US version of the Prado has the same riser box inside the boot, which limits its cargo capacity in the same way as it has done here. It's still a reasonable size, but the riser does eat into space and compromises practicality.

In terms of practicality, space and usability, the EV9 GT does a lot to justify its price tag, with a cabin the equal of anything the luxury brands offer, at least in terms of the level of equipment available.

The sporty seats have adjustable side bolsters to either hug you tight for dynamic driving or open up and let you get comfortable for relaxed commutes. The front seats are heated and ventilated and also include a two-way power adjustable leg rest, for even greater support.

Those in the second row are treated to two 'captains' chairs with heating and ventilation as well, plus a massage function and the leg rest, which creates a ‘business class’ vibe for the lucky passengers.

The second-row occupants also get sun blinds (albeit manual), separate air-conditioning controls and access to USB-C charging ports in the backs of the front seats.

Accommodation in the third row is a little tight, but if the second row compromises legroom slightly you’re able to fit six occupants in relative comfort.

Those in the front get their own sunroof but there’s a second, larger sunroof to bring light into the passenger section.

In terms of the multimedia system, it’s run through the twin 12.3-inch digital screens, which are housed in a single panel to create the impression it is one large display. This is the usual Kia system, which is very easy to navigate and has both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, if you prefer. 

As a major plus, there are physical buttons for the climate control and a power/volume scroll wheel for the sound system. There’s also an on/off button for the car, which is a small feature but another welcome, user-friendly touch.

As for the boot, well, with all six seats in use there’s only 333 litres of space, which isn’t massive, but that’s why Kia sells the Carnival. For an SUV with seven occupants, 333L is alright.

If you only need five seats you can liberate a more generous 828L, which is really good. It’s a nice, roomy and open cargo space.

If you really need to carry a lot of stuff and not many people, you have 2393L with the second and third row seats stowed.

On top of this, there’s a small 52L frunk, which isn’t very big but it’s a good spot to stash the charging cable. Which oddly is not where Kia actually stores it, instead there is a small bag/box which is just velcroed to the boot floor.

Given the EV9 is a purpose-built electric vehicle, why is the charging cable not stored in a more integrated manner? It’s only a small detail, and Kia isn’t alone in doing this, but I still find it odd that carmakers haven’t found a better way to deal with the EV cable yet, especially when the frunk makes so much sense as a permanent storage spot.

Starting at $129,250 before on-road costs, the EV9 GT is the most expensive model Kia has ever offered in Australia.

Whether by accident or design it takes Kia into uncharted territory and legitimately has the brand competing with European alternatives. For example, the Volvo EX90 (from $124,990) is cheaper, as is a Polestar 3 (from $118,420) while the Audi Q8 e-tron (from $140,090) and BMW iX (from $142,900) are within $15,000.

That means that, perhaps for the first time ever, Kia will be cross-shopped against Europe's finest. Does it live up to that expectation?

Well, to help justify the price, the EV9 GT gets a more powerful motor, electronically controlled suspension and is loaded with technology and creature comforts inside.

This includes a standard six-seat layout, a 14-speaker Meridian Premium sound system, Kia Connect Telematics, in-built satellite navigation with 10 years of live traffic information and map updates, wireless phone charging and ambient mood lighting. But there is much, much more, as we’ll detail throughout the review.

So if you’re looking for an affordable EV to help take some financial pressure off, unless you’re stepping down from something European and very expensive, this won’t likely help.

But, if you’re looking for an upgrade in that $130k-$150k price range, and are ‘badge agnostic’ for that price, then maybe the EV9 GT is right for you. 

But no matter which way you look at it, this is an expensive Kia and it will be a real test for how far it has come if it can find buyers willing to spend this much on the brand once famous for cars $100,000 cheaper.

This is the heart of our review, the unavailable hybrid engine, the so-called 'i-Force Max' hybrid powertrain. This is because the US market has never embraced diesel engines, which are so beloved by Prado owners in Australia, so in the search for greater efficiency, Toyota USA is leaning on hybrid technology.

The set-up in the LandCruiser combines a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor in the bell housing between the engine and eight-speed automatic transmission. The combined output of this petrol-electric hybrid is 243kW of power and 630Nm of torque, which is significantly more than the 150kW/500Nm offered by the 2.8-litre turbo diesel offered in Australia.

The catch is, despite the additional power and torque, the LandCruiser is only rated to tow slightly more than 2700kg compared to the 3500kg towing capacity offered by our diesel Prado.

What’s under the bonnet, well technically underneath the front and back of the SUV, is what really separates the GT from the rest of the EV9 range.

The GT gets more powerful motors, boosting performance to 374kW of power and 740Nm of torque, which is a 92kW and 40Nm upgrade over the EV9 GT-Line.

Kia claims the GT can sprint 0-100km/h in just 4.5 seconds, nearly a full second faster than the GT-Line, and will keep going all the way to 220km/h. That’s really fast for such a big SUV, some might even say unnecessarily fast for a family-focused SUV, but given the asking price, adding extra performance is a logical move.

Obviously one of the biggest reasons for offering/choosing a hybrid engine is fuel efficiency and on that front the LandCruiser runs into the classic problem of big car, small engine. The official combined urban/highway fuel economy figure for the hybrid is 10.2L/100km, which is well behind the official claim for the diesel-powered Prado of just 7.6L/100km.

Drilling in deeper, the LandCruiser hybrid can drop as low as 9.4L/100km on the highway but rises to 10.6L/100km in a purely urban environment, which is typically the opposite to how hybrids excel.

The other major difference between the LandCruiser and our Prado is the size of the fuel tank. The US model only gets a 67-litre tank compared to the 110L offered in Australian models. That, naturally, has a major impact on range, with the LandCruiser hybrid only able to go a theoretical 656km on a single tank, compared to nearly 1300km for the Prado diesel.

The GT gets the same 99.8kWh battery as the GT-Line, but Kia claims the new flagship has a slightly longer driving range, but only 510km compared to 505km.

In the real world, the car’s own trip computer read around 480km when we collected it, but suggested with maximum efficiency (air-con off, driven in Eco mode, etc) we could reach more than 500km.

Energy consumption is rated 21.7kWh, but the EV9 GT was showing 24.2kWh on the trip computer. 

According to Kia, it can take up to 350kW of DC fast charging, which means a theoretical charging time from 10-80 per cent of just 24 minutes. Using a 50kW charger will extend that time to 83 minutes.

Again, in the real-world, using an Evie public charger we were able to add 42.1kWh in just under 34 minutes on a 75kW charger, taking the battery from 40 to 77 per cent.

While it may be a hybrid, the LandCruiser is no urban ‘show pony’ and Toyota USA is adamant that it is tough enough to live up to the reputation of its famous nameplate. It’s built on the same TNGA-F platform as our Prado - as well as the Tundra pick-up and others - so it has the foundations for rugged adventure.

It comes standard with locking centre and rear differentials, rear coil springs, full-time four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case, ‘CRAWL Control’, a 2400W AC inverter and standard trailer brake controller, which are all must-haves for anyone planning a serious off-road trip.

While we have little reason to doubt the off-road ability of the LandCruiser, our test drive was limited to the urban jungle of Los Angeles, which allowed us to really focus on the powertrain.

Not surprisingly, given its similarities with other Toyota hybrid set-ups, it felt very familiar, albeit in a very different vehicle than the RAV4 and Camry we’ve driven previously. Despite its big on-paper numbers, there was some noticeable lag on initial acceleration and the engine sounds like a modern four-cylinder - a bit gruff when revved hard.

It certainly has enough performance to pull the LandCruiser along, but it isn’t over-endowed with power and torque. At least not in the way its stats suggest.

For the most part, around town, it did a good job of quietly motivating the big SUV around with a minimum of fuss.

On paper the EV9 GT sounds great if you’re into performance - 374kW and 740Nm is a lot for any type of car, even a big SUV. There’s no questioning that the EV9 GT is very, very fast, with that near-instant surge forward when you squeeze the accelerator in ‘GT’ mode.

But it is probably worth questioning the value of such a powerful and fast electric SUV, given the EV9 is clearly focused on being family friendly rather than a track weapon. To be perfectly candid, I rarely used the ‘GT’ mode because it just doesn’t suit the vast majority of driving conditions you’ll find yourself in driving an electric SUV.

I mean, you’ll never have an excuse for dropping the kids off at school late, but you’ll also likely rarely find yourself in a situation where you need to launch 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds too. Obviously the performance is nice to have and helps to justify the asking price, but in day-to-day driving it doesn’t really make a significant difference to the EV9 experience.

Because, when you don’t unleash all that performance, you find yourself in a very quiet and refined SUV. The cabin is well insulated from the outside world, so you do get a sense of luxury, which is a major positive.

The electronically controlled suspension does a nice job of providing a comfortable and relaxed ride even on the big 21-inch alloys. It also does a good job, most of the time, of hiding the weight of such a big, electric SUV, so the chassis and suspension development team have done a great job.

The digital mirrors were also helpful during this test. The first time I tested an EV9 with them I found them a bit odd to use, as the angle you’re looking at on the screen isn’t the actual perspective of the situation. But this time around I quickly adapted to them and can see the merits of such technology.

The EV9 GT has everything Kia can include from a safety perspective. That includes airbag coverage for all three rows (including a centre airbag between the front passengers), ISOFIX and top tethers for all four rear seats and Matrix LED intelligent front lights. 

There’s also all the usual active safety systems, including autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, safe exit warning, intelligent speed limit assist, driver attention warning, blind spot monitoring and 'Highway Drive Assist 2 with Lane Change Assist'.

That latter system, the ‘Drive Assist’ is good in theory, but Kia, like parent company Hyundai, still has some work to do on better calibrating and integrating some of these active safety elements. Yes, it’s great they have added the ability to mute the annoying speed limit sign recognition chime, but the Highway Drive Assist is still too jerky and adds a lot of unnatural weighting to the steering that makes freeway driving require more attention at times, rather than relieving the pressure on the driver.

This isn’t something specific to the EV9 either, it’s pretty typical across both the Kia and Hyundai range. While these systems are difficult to get right, it can be done, so a bit more work is needed to make it feel more seamless.

But overall, the EV9 GT comes loaded with all the safety equipment, both passive and active, that you should demand from a family-focused SUV, so credit to Kia for that.

One big plus for the LandCruiser over the Prado is Toyota USA offers two years of free servicing - a nice bonus.

It does have different warranty coverage for different components though, the overall vehicle warranty covers the first three years, the powertrain is covered for five years but the hybrid components are warranted for 10 years.

The EV9 is covered by the usual seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, albeit with the battery only covered for seven years/150,000km.

Service internals are 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, and Kia offers pre-paid servicing plans from three to seven years. The three year plan will set you back $723, five years $1379 and seven years $2038.

That means the average cost actually increases the longer you’re covered, but even over seven years your yearly average is only $291 in maintenance.

One major positive for the brand’s owners is Kia has grown to 147 dealers nationally, with coverage across both metro and urban areas, with all service centres able to work on EVs. That means you’ll get the same ease-of-service whether you buy a petrol, diesel or electric Kia.