We’re living in a very interesting and important moment for EVs in the USA as I write this. What once seemed like a path that was being both paved and mandated by the government has been all but closed, models, heck whole lines of vehicles have been abandoned, and companies are all trying to determine what their best path forward is. Hyundai may have been one of the companies, like Toyota, who actually played this whole long game right and I’d argue that the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy is proof positive of it. We recently had the keys to this car and spent a week with it, coming away both impressed, and convinced that we, now more than ever, understand the role the EV will play in the US car marketplace in the short and longer term. Before we get to all that stuff, let’s talk about the car, shall we?
I Ioniq 9 Calligraphy is a top of the line offering from Hyundai that is the largest of their EV offerings and they threw the kitchen sink at this one on all fronts. It packs 422hp, 300+ miles of range, more technology than virtually anything else on the road, and a cabin space that is so spacious as to be kind of shocking and so comfortable as to be mind boggling. In the title I called the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy a people mover and don’t take that the wrong way, that is what this vehicle does and it’s a compliment. There have been very few cars I have ever driven over the years that delighted the passengers as much as this one has in my experience.
Let’s get one thing handled right off the bat. This thing is a rocket. It will NEARLY make it into the 12s at the drags, running in the 13.1-13.3 bracket through the quarter mile. That will wreck an AMG Mercedes of the same size and class and pretty much everything else. All in a package that is defined as an SUV but surely gives off more van vibes in its overall envelope, especially from the side. While the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy would mangle that AMG in the straight line department, we’d prefer the German car to this one in the bends and twists. The Ioniq has a curb weight of over three tons, listed as 6,008lbs. In our case the car was shod with 285mm Hankook Ion Evo SUV tires and like all tires designed for EVs they tend to be harder on all fronts to lessen rolling resistance and add to range. Pairing this with a compliant and comfortable suspension but one that has not been designed for performance driving leaves the Ioniq 9 a cruiser and not a handler.
To clarify, this vehicle drives very well and comfortably, it delivers the experience the designers and engineering team wanted it to and the one that most people are looking for. If cornering performance in your larger SUV is a concern or a buying decider for you, this one may leave you wanting. If you love having instant power and shocking muscle cars, sports cars, and luxury cars with a conservatively styled EV, this thing is a dream ride.
It sounds like I’ve never been in a car before when I revel in the size and expanse of the interior, but it really is next level. There is a really nice simplicity to the 2026 Ioniq 9 Calligraphy that I genuinely appreciate. Cars that go down this road HAVE to be good because they are not trying to mask their shortcomings with gadgetry or other gimmicks. In the case of the Ioniq 9, there’s there nice curved screen for the driver, comfortable and reasonably supported buckets up front, and a dash layout that is easily navigated and dare we say sparsely elegant.
The second and third rows are where the car really shines and what passengers were reveling in. The captains chairs in the second row leave so much room that NBA players could ride in comfort with both leg and head room. The third row presents what I think is the most spacious and comfortable third row passenger experience on the market today, bar none.
As you can see, when all the seats are dropped, there’s an insane amount of storage and usable room for whatever you want to place back here from potted plants to circus elephants. Seriously, it’s enormous.
The frunk is small-ish and we used it to store the charging cord and adapter plugs that allow the Ioniq to be used at whatever charging station you’re nearest to. As mentioned, range if over 300 miles which is solid and kind of amazing for a vehicle this size. Charging is also expedient with the capability of going from 10% to 80% in about 24 minutes on a 350-KW charger.
We did enjoy the rear styling and use of the lights that form a kind of horseshoe outline around the whole perimeter of the car’s ljftgate. Overall, styling is very conservative and perhaps a touch too far in that direction if I am being brutally honest. For the price of just about $80,000 and what this rig delivers, I’d like a little more panache or at least a little more gravitas with the design. Perhaps that’s in the wheels, the front end treatment, or some stylized moves with the flanks, but as nice as it is, there could be some more happening and I’d be in favor of it.
In closing, the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy shows us what the true strengths of the EV can and should be. This is a large vehicle that delivers performance, luxury, and functionality on a level that honestly, a gas version would not match or could not match in a toe to tow comparison. The accelerative power is one thing but the passenger comfort and overall usability of this SUV are amazing. For the size, the range, the performance, and the price tag, the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 stands (in my eyes) virtually alone in the SUV field, especially of those in this size bracket. A truly wonderful machine that does its job quietly and very quickly if you want it to.
