Something interesting is going on, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it happen before, at least not in these past few years: a vehicle is getting discounted at dealers before it’s even officially launched. That’s what’s happening with Kia and its newest EV, the EV9. Dealers across the country have hit the EV9 with discounts — massive ones, in some cases.
Kia’s U.S. launch of the EV9 hasn’t officially happened yet. If you’re in the market for the EV9, though, you’re in luck, because you can get thousands off one right now. It’s not just a few dealers either. Of over 1,000 EV9s I found listed for sale as of this writing, more than few of them had discounts. In some places its a small but noticeable drop. Others have massive price drops, as if these things have been on the lot for months and they can’t be moved. Let’s take a look at a few.
Citrus Kia in Ontario, California has five EV9s currently in their inventory; each has $3,750 in Kia Customer Cash on the hood. It’s the same situation just over 20 miles away at Riverside Kia with its four EV9s. Head west, and Car Pros Kia of Glendale has even bigger discounts. A few of the 13 EV9s in its inventory have $7,184 off their MSRPs.
Looking at dealers across the country, that $3,750 seems to be the most common discount on the EV9. The discounts do get higher though. Janesville Kia in Janesville, Wisconsin has a single EV9 in its inventory with a $6,462 discount.
Elk Grove Kia in Elk Grove, California had five EV9s in their inventory, one of which had a $5,000 discount off of its $65,395 MSRP — it looks to have sold already. The same $5,000 discount can be found on two EV9s at a Kia dealer in Renton, Washington.
The biggest price drops (so far) are at dealers on opposite sides of the country. One of the five EV9s at aforementioned Elk Grove Kia had a $10,000 discount off of its $78,390 MSRP, but it appears to have been sold as well.
The biggest discount goes to King Kia in Laurel, Maryland. The dealer has one of the biggest inventories of EV9s I’ve seen so far, with 23 on its lot. Every single one has the $3,750 discount save for one. A 2024 EV9 Light Short Range (EPA estimated at 230 miles) has a price listed at $53,565, which mean it has been discounted by $13,750.
Looking at its price history on Cars.com, you’ll see it was listed just 25 days ago; a week after it was listed it was hit with a $10,000 markup. Right before Christmas, the dealer seems to have come to its senses and lowered the price to what it is now.
While these prices are good for shoppers, it’s a reality check for the EV market. EV sales grew in the U.S. in 2023, but it would seem their sales are plateauing or outright slowing down in some cases. And a brand new model that hasn’t even officially been launched yet getting hit with discounts should worry anyone in the industry that’s watching. If you can afford it though I’d take advantage of these price drops while you can, the EV9 looks to be a good value.