Verdict
The Kia EV9 costs RM368,668, RM16,304 less than the RM384,972 Volkswagen Touareg, yet brings seven seats, a 99.8-kWh battery, 505 km EV range and 350-kW DC charging. Its RM515 annual road tax is also far below the Touareg’s RM1,632. The Touareg answers with a 335-hp, 450-Nm 3.0-litre petrol engine, 810-litre boot, air suspension and a 250-km/h top speed. For a Malaysian family needing six or seven places, the EV9 is the more useful buy; the Touareg suits five occupants carrying serious luggage.
Pick the Kia EV9 if you need seven seats, 505 km of electric range and markedly lower annual road tax.
Pick the Volkswagen Touareg if you need its 810-litre boot, 90-litre petrol tank, air suspension and 250-km/h top speed.
Key differences
- Price: Kia EV9 RM368,668; Volkswagen Touareg RM384,972.
- Seating: Kia EV9 seven seats; Volkswagen Touareg five seats.
- Boot space: Kia EV9 333 litres; Volkswagen Touareg 810 litres.
- Road tax: Kia EV9 RM515 per year; Volkswagen Touareg RM1,632 per year.
- Powertrain: Kia EV9 has two motors producing 380 hp and 700 Nm; Volkswagen Touareg has a 2,995 cc petrol engine producing 335 hp and 450 Nm.
- Top speed: Kia EV9 200 km/h; Volkswagen Touareg 250 km/h.
EV9
- Seven-seat cabin with third-row air vents.
- 99.8-kWh battery, 505 km range and 350-kW DC charging.
- RM1,117 lower annual road tax and RM16,304 lower price.
- 333-litre boot is 477 litres smaller than the Touareg’s.
- 200-km/h top speed is 50 km/h lower.
- No night vision or autonomous braking system listed.
Touareg
- 810-litre boot for five-seat luggage duty.
- Air suspension front and rear.
- Night vision, autonomous braking and HD Matrix LED headlamps.
- Costs RM16,304 more and annual road tax is RM1,117 higher.
- Five seats versus the EV9’s seven.
- No electric range, DC charging or 3.6-kW vehicle-to-load function.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM368,668✓ | RM384,972 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | D-Segment | Executive |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM515✓ | RM1,632 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | E-GMP platform, 800V architecture | 24-valve DOHC with Twin-scroll Turbocharger, Direct Fuel Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift |
| Capacity | — | 2,995 cc |
| Horsepower | — | 335 hp |
| Torque | — | 450 Nm |
| Fuel | Electric | Petrol |
| Bore | — | 84.5 mm |
| Compression Ratio | — | 10.8 |
| Number of Motors | 2 | — |
| Motor Horsepower | 380 hp | — |
| Motor Torque | 700 Nm | — |
| Battery Capacity | 99.8 kWh | — |
| EV Range | 505 km | — |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 11 kW | — |
| Charging Rate (DC) | 350 kW | — |
| V2L | 3.6 kW | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Single Ratio Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | — | 8-speed Automatic |
| Gears | — | 8 |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | — | 6 seconds |
| Top Speed | 200 km/h | 250 km/h✓ |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,015 mm | 4,878 mm |
| Width | 1,980 mm | 1,984 mm |
| Height | 1,780 mm | 1,702 mm |
| Wheelbase | 3,100 mm | 2,984 mm |
| Weight | 2,648 kg | — |
| Fuel Tank | — | 90 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 7 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 333 litres | 810 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 285/45R21 | 285/45R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 285/45R21 | 285/45R20 |
| Spare Tyre | Tyre Repair Kit | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | Continental PremiumContact C | Bridgestone Alenza 001 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Korea (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | Multi-link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 21" Alloys | 20" Braga Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 21" Alloys | 20" Braga Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) with FlexSteer adjustment (Comfort/Normal/Sport) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | Air Suspension |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Front Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Centre Airbag | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | — | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Automatic For Rear Doors | Electronic for rear doors |
| Seat Belts | 7 Three-point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for Two Outer Rear Passenger Seats in Second and Third Row | Available for two outer rear passenger seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | — | Yes |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Night Vision | — | Yes |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector | HD Matrix LED Headlights |
| Taillamps | Full LED | Full LED with Sequential Indicators |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Memory and Massage Settings, Heating | 12-Way Power-Adjustable Front Seats with Driver's Memory Function |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split-folding Middle Row with one-touch tumble, 50:50 Split-folding Last Row with one-touch space up | 40:20:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control with 3rd Row Air Vents | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Panoramic Glass Roof | — |
| Power Sockets | 2 Sockets, 2 USB Front, 2 USB Rear | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 3 USB Front, 2 USB Rear |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Last Row | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Panoramic Glass Roof and Rear Window Shades | Manual rear window blinds |
| Audio | 12.3" Infotainment Touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 14-speaker Meridian Sound System | 15" Innovision Cockpit with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Dynaudio Consequence Sound System (730-Watts) |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-PinchFour Windows, Driver's Side Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up & Down with Anti-pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | — | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go and Steering Assist | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | — | ✓ |
| Paddle Shift | — | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | — | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Powered with Contactless Operation | Contactless Opening, Powered Boot |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with Surround View Monitor | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes, Remote Parking Assist | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | — | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 150,000 km | Unlimited✓ |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 5 years | 5 years |
| Warranty Notes | 8 years/160,000 km for EV battery | — |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used EV9 & Touareg for sale
EV9 vs Touareg FAQ
Is the Kia EV9 or Volkswagen Touareg better?
The Kia EV9 is better for a seven-seat family and lower running tax, with 505 km of stated electric range. The Volkswagen Touareg is better for five people who need its much larger 810-litre boot, air suspension and petrol refuelling.
What is the price difference?
The Volkswagen Touareg costs RM16,304 more than the Kia EV9: RM384,972 against RM368,668. Its annual road tax is also RM1,632, compared with RM515 for the EV9.
Which has the larger boot, the Kia EV9 or Volkswagen Touareg?
The Volkswagen Touareg has the larger boot at 810 litres. The Kia EV9 has 333 litres, but it accommodates seven seats rather than the Touareg’s five.