Kia offers deep discounts on the brand-new EV9
The Kia EV9 is just hitting dealers’ lots, but the automaker is already looking at ways to make it more appealing to buyers. Early EV9 buyers saw $3,750 in customer cash, but Kia increased that amount to $5,000 on March 1, according to CarsDirect, bringing the SUV’s entry-level price to $51,395 after a $1,495 destination fee.
On top of that, Kia’s offering a $1,000 loyalty discount for the EV9, which, for some shoppers, could push the discounts even further. The automaker also cut financing rates for the EV to 2.49% and cut monthly lease prices. It’s also worth noting that leasing an EV9 is still a workaround for the missing tax credits and can yield a $7,500 discount at the time of sale.
Kia has asked dealers not to add markups to the EV9’s already-steep-for-a-Kia price tag, but some have. CarsDirect reported that the SUV has as much as $7,000 added on at some dealers. Before the discounts, the EV9 ranged from $54,900 to $73,900 (without destination), so markups could push the price into unreasonable territory.
The EV9 has outsold the EV6 so far this year, but neither is eligible for federal tax credits. Despite that popularity, the discounts will help the larger EV remain competitive and could help soften the blow for hopeful buyers. It’s a move similar to the approach taken by GM for some models that lost eligibility, but the American automaker said it expects models like the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevy Equinox EV to become eligible early this year.
Even without discounts, the EV9 has shown promising signs. Kia opened the order books late last year and had plenty of reservations early on. It sold 1,113 in December and 1,408 in January, which bodes well for the upcoming Hyundai three-row EV. Now expected to be called the Ioniq 9, the new model will share the E-GMP platform with the EV9, but we won’t get an official look at the SUV until June when the automaker is expected to hold a reveal event at the Busan International Motor Show in South Korea.
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