I tested these big electric SUVs against each other – and there was a clear winner

What’s the best large electric car you can buy today? There are tons of options out there, and which ones are worth your money really isn’t a forgone conclusion.

You might think that the German manufacturers have this market sewn up, being seriously experienced in building big, luxurious cars. But in the line-up today we’re putting Germany – represented by the BMW iX – against two options from South Korea, the Kia EV9 and the Hyundai Ioniq 9. Then to top it off, we’re adding the Polestar 3 and the Volvo EX90 – both Chinese-owned, but with their souls in Scandinavia.

Let’s quickly run through the cars’ specs, as well as their pros and cons.

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

BMW iX

This is the oldest car here, first launched in 2020 but heavily facelifted since. It’s the most expensive car in this group – over £107,000 as tested – though the range starts from a more palatable £75,405 if you go for one with a few less bells and whistles.

Our tester is an high-end M60 xDrive model, with dual motors, 544hp and a claimed 403 miles of range from its 109kWh battery.

Pros
• Great fun to drive
• Quality feel
• Amazing performance

Cons
• The looks
• Confusing infotainment
• Not the most practical

Polestar 3

The Polestar 3 is, a bit confusingly, the largest model Polestar sells because its nomenclature goes chronologically – so it’s bigger but older than the Polestar 4. It’s a cool-looking, five-seat SUV with a minimalist interior. The starting price is less than £70,000, but our test model costs just over £82,000.

For that you get a huge 107kWh battery, and the biggest claimed range here – 438 miles. While this group comparison didn’t include a full-on range test, we’ve driven the Polestar from full to empty before and achieved a deeply impressive 390 miles on a charge. It’s also the least powerful car here because all the others are dual-motor models – the Single Motor Polestar has ‘just’ 300hp.

Pros
• Looks fantastic
• Great balance of comfort and cornering ability
• Superb seats

Cons
• Not terrifically practical
• Minimalist, button-free interior
• Some thoughtless design touches

Volvo EX90

The EX90 is closely related to the Polestar under the skin, but it’s a bigger, more practical car – you get a boxier body and three rows of seats. That means that with the same 107kWh battery as the Polestar, it gets 375 miles of range (officially) – because our test car is the Twin Motor model with 408hp.

The range starts from £73,160, but our test model came in at a weighty £95,855 – the second most-expensive car here.

Pros
• Superbly high-quality interior
• Very comfy
• Volvo’s reputation for safety

Cons
• Tight third-row seats
• Feels heavy when cornering
• Frustrating button-free dashboard

Hyundai Ioniq 9

The Ioniq 9 was named ‘Comfortable Cruiser’ in the 2026 Carwow Car of the Year awards, so it’s coming into this test pretty strongly. The Ioniq 9 range starts from £64,995 – which seems like a lot for a Hyundai, but is the cheapest of all the cars here. As tested, though, it’s just a little pricier than the Kia EV9 at £78,595.

Our test model is the more powerful of the two dual-motor variants, packing 427hp. Its claimed range is 372 miles from its 106kWh battery.

Pros
• Extremely comfortable over bumps
• Roomy in all three rows of seats
• Looks ace

Cons
• Some flimsy bits of interior trim
• Not very efficient
• Leans a lot in the corners

Kia EV9

The EV9 immediately stands out thanks to its spaceship looks – it’s like the BMW iX’s cooler cousin, which is a bit of a slight on BMW. We have the dual-motor model here – one rung down from the high-performance EV9 GT – and it has 385hp, a 96kWh battery and a claimed range of 313 miles, the shortest in this test.

The EV9 range starts from £66,035, and at £77,785 our test model here is the cheapest in this group.

Pros
• Higher performance than the numbers suggest
• Really roomy inside
• Space-age styling

Cons
• Could be more efficient
• Dull-looking dashboard
• Awkward door openings

Verdict

Every car here has its plus and minus points, and if you’re in the market for a posh electric SUV you probably wouldn’t be too disappointed with any of them. Whether it’s the Volvo’s Scandi-minimalist styling, the BMW’s high-octane handling or the Kia’s impressive roominess, there’s definitely something to recommend every model here.

But there’s a clear winner, and it’s a car that combines a long range, super-cool styling, a great interior with loads of room and a superbly comfortable ride over bumps. It’s one of the cheapest models here yet it feels every bit as good as the £100,000+ BMW iX.

That car is the Hyundai Ioniq 9. We were confident about how good it was when we named it Comfortable Cruiser in the 2026 Carwow Car of the Year awards, and in this company it’s proven itself again. It’s the best large electric SUV you can buy right now.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

Click here to follow us on Reddit, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos. You can also subscribe to our WhatsApp channel to get the latest news sent straight to your phone.