Kia EV9 vs Mercedes-Benz EQB

The Kia EV9 starts from $97,000 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz EQB opens at $84,900. That makes the Mercedes-Benz EQB the more affordable entry point by $12,100.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $106,700 and $93,390 respectively.

Both models qualify for Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) exemption, which is a significant advantage for salary-sacrificed novated leases. Depending on your tax bracket, this can save $5,000-$15,000+ per year compared to an equivalent ICE vehicle.

Both the Kia EV9 and Mercedes-Benz EQB hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 84% for the Kia EV9 and 95% for the Mercedes-Benz EQB.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. Both models are evenly matched with 6 out of 10 key ADAS systems.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Kia EV9 and 7 in the Mercedes-Benz EQB.

The Kia EV9 features a 12.3-inch touchscreen, while the Mercedes-Benz EQB gets a 10.3-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Kia EV9 stands out with heated front seats and power tailgate that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz EQB. The Mercedes-Benz EQB counters with ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Kia EV9 uses a Electric producing 160kW and 350Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 9.4 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz EQB responds with a Electric making 140kW and 375Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.9 seconds.

The Kia EV9 has the clear power advantage at 160kW vs 140kW. In the real-world sprint, the Mercedes-Benz EQB is 0.5s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

Battery: 76.1kWh (Kia EV9) vs 66.5kWh (Mercedes-Benz EQB), giving WLTP ranges of 519km and 465km. DC fast charging peaks at 240kW (Kia EV9) vs 100kW (Mercedes-Benz EQB).

The Kia EV9 measures 5,010mm long on a 3,100mm wheelbase, 326mm longer than the Mercedes-Benz EQB at 4,684mm (2,829mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Kia EV9 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 333L in the Kia EV9 and 495L in the Mercedes-Benz EQB, giving the Mercedes-Benz EQB a 162L advantage.

For towing, the Kia EV9 leads with a 2,500kg braked capacity vs 1,800kg. That 700kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Running cost data is not yet available for both models. We will update when figures are confirmed.

Warranty: 7 years / 999,999km (Kia EV9) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz EQB). The Kia EV9 has longer coverage.