Kia EV9's geometric family SUV sweeps Red Dot, iF and IDEA in 2024

When Kia set out to build its first three-row electric family SUV, the category had no visual rulebook. The design team's answer was to make the EV9 the proof of 'Opposites United', Kia's design maxim: pairing sleek, sculptural surfaces with strong, confident geometry instead of the soft, rounded forms that dominate family cars.

The result is an upright, boxy silhouette with vertical headlights and crisp, flat surfaces, underpinned by the E-GMP platform's flat floor and long wheelbase. The interior strips back to essential controls, with second-row seats that swivel 180° to face the third row — turning the cabin into a more social space. Aerodynamic details such as a tapered rear and beveled bumper corners kept the upright stance efficient.

The bet was validated three times over in 2024. The EV9 took Red Dot's Best of the Best, the iF Gold Award and the IDEA Gold trophy — top honours at all three of the world's major design competitions in a single year. Juries praised exactly what was bold: Red Dot called it a clever solution to making a seven-seater both progressive and familiar, and iF said its contemporary form language made other large SUVs look antiquated.