The EV9 was first unveiled as the Kia EV9 Concept at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show,[8][9] featuring three rows of seats.

[12][13] The EV9 was officially presented on 14 March 2023, featuring a similar design to the concept and the second-row seats which rotate 180 degrees.

[14][15] The EV9 features the brand's 'Opposites United' design philosophy with a 'Digital Tiger Face' front fascia, vertical headlights and taillights.

Kia said the EV9 was "formed from a polygonal design language" with the side has triangular fender structures and geometric wheel arches.

[17][18] Other available features include Digital Exterior Side View Mirrors which uses side cameras (in place of conventional door mirrors) and side interior displays on the front doors, Dual-Colour Ambient Lighting, Ergo Motion Seat massage function, a Meridian 14-speaker premium sound system, Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 and a Relaxation Seat mode for the first and second-row seats.

[29] Indonesia was chosen as the first country in the South East Asia region to launch the EV9 due to its productive growth of the electrified vehicle market.

[31] The EV9 was launched in Singapore on 11 January 2024, in a sole GT Line Long Range AWD variant.

[33] The EV9 was launched in Malaysia on 11 June 2024, in a sole GT Line trim using the Long Range powertrain and available in either 7 and 6-seater configurations.

[35] The EV9 was released in New Zealand in August 2023, in three trim levels: Light, Earth and GT Line.

[40] The 2024 EV9 was awarded "Top Safety Pick" by IIHS, which applies to vehicles built after January 2024, when Kia adjusted the headlights equipped on the Land and GT-Line trims to reduce glare to meet all those requirements.