Should you buy a Kia EV9 now, or wait for the new Skoda Peaq? 

Up until a few years ago, big seven-seat SUVs were almost all hybrid or petrol powered. Now though, loads of electric options are hitting the market. There’s the Volvo EX90 and Hyundai Ioniq 9, but one of my favourites is the Kia EV9.

Now though, Skoda is sticking its hat in the ring with the new Peaq. On paper, it’s a tempting package. It costs a lot less than the EV9, offers more range and similar levels of practicality, but is it worth waiting for?

I’ve had a good poke around the new Skoda Peaq at the launch in Switzerland, and I’m also very familiar with the EV9. Let’s compare the two.

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Skoda Peaq vs Kia EV9: price and specs

Let’s start with brass tacks. The new Skoda Peaq will start from £51,980 when it goes on sale in September. Given it’s not available to order yet, there are no Carwow discounts available. However, you can save an average of around £6,000 across the Skoda range at the time of writing.

The EV9 is quite a bit more expensive. It starts from £66,645, and even with an average saving of £6,800 through Carwow it works out around £10,000 more expensive than the Skoda. So what are you getting for your extra cash?

Well, the Kia comes with heated and ventilated front seats, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, a 12.3-inch touchscreen and 19-inch alloy wheels as standard. You can also spend up to £78,600 on your EV9 by going for the GT-Line S with individual captains chairs in the back, and it also gets adaptive LED headlights, a Meridian sound system, blind spot assist, 21-inch alloy wheels and sportier styling.

The entry-level Skoda Peaq comes with heated front and rear seats, a 13.6-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging and 19-inch alloy wheels. The top-spec SportLine costs £58,280, and comes with matrix LED headlights, a surround-view camera, remote parking assistance and 21-inch alloy wheels.

So the Skoda is significantly cheaper than the Kia with even the top-spec model costing less than a basic EV9, and it’s similarly well-equipped. First round goes to the Peaq.

Skoda Peaq vs Kia EV9: interior and practicality

The Skoda Peaq is hugely practical, and it’s packed with clever features. Up front, there’s plenty of adjustment in the driving position to get comfortable behind the wheel, and when you’re parked up there’s a hidden table in the centre console for your laptop – or your fast food.

Moving to the middle row, the seats slide and recline so your passengers can get comfortable, and there’s acres of head and legroom. I’m over six feet tall, and in this picture I have the seat pushed all the way forward for the person behind me. I could still travel a good distance like this.

You will need that second row pushed forwards to get adults in the very rear though, because it’s not quite as roomy back there as the Kia EV9.

Speaking of the Kia, it’s just as easy to get comfortable in the front, and the middle row is also slightly roomier than the Skoda. This is to be expected though, because the EV9 is physically longer and a bit wider than the Peaq.

Boot space is a mixed bag. With all seven seats in place, the EV9 has more carrying capacity – 333 litres to the Skoda’s 299 litres. However, with the third row folded away the Peaq has 935 litres of space, beating the Kia by more than 100 litres.

As for the interiors themselves, I prefer the Skoda’s. The Kia’s infotainment system is a bit dark and confusing to use compared to the Peaq’s bright and clear display, and the EV9 also has a baffling panel between the two main screens for the climate controls. You can’t see it without craning your neck around the steering wheel.

That’s not to say I dislike the EV9’s cabin. Far from it. It looks smart with its multi-layered dashboard and ambient lighting, and the build quality is also excellent. I just reckon the Peaq’s interior is easier to use, and in places it feels even posher. There’s soft-touch leatherette on the dashboard, doors and centre console, and the light cream option makes it look nice and airy inside.

Skoda Peaq vs Kia EV9: motors, batteries and range

All versions of the Kia EV9 come with a massive 100kWh battery, and you can choose between a 200hp rear-wheel drive version or an all-wheel drive car with 378hp. There’s also a bonkers GT version with 501hp on offer.

The single-motor model will do up to 349 miles on a charge, dropping to 316 miles in the dual-motor car. It’ll also charge at an impressive 210kW at a DC fast charger, meaning you can go from 10-80% in just 24 minutes.

That’s faster than the Skoda can charge, because it tops out at 199kW. However, it has a smaller 86kWh battery, so 10-80% still only takes 28 minutes.

Despite having a smaller battery, the Peaq offers more range than the EV9. It’ll do up to 390 miles in single-motor guise. A dual-motor model will also be available, but Skoda hasn’t confirmed the range figure for that car yet.

Final verdict: is the Skoda Peaq worth waiting for?

If you’re in the market for a big, seven-seat electric SUV, I’d highly recommend waiting for the new Skoda Peaq to go on sale. We’ve not been given the chance to drive it yet, but if Skoda’s other EVs are anything to go by then it’ll be a comfy cruiser.

It’s also got a bigger boot than the EV9, more range, a nicer interior and it’s a lot cheaper to buy as well. The Skoda Peaq is shaping up to be a fantastic electric family hauler.

That said, if you need a new car now then the EV9 is still a brilliant option. It looks wicked, offers acres of interior space and it’s lovely to drive as well. With Carwow savings you can pick up a new EV9 for around £60,000, the same as a top-spec Peaq, or you could check out used examples for as little as £50,000.

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