BMW iX vs Kia EV9: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the BMW iX burns about $800 of fuel annually against $850 for the Kia EV9. That $50 yearly gap compounds to roughly $250 over five years and $400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Kia EV9 is the stronger commuter at 101 mpg city, while the BMW iX pulls ahead on the interstate at 94 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Drivetrain and class: the BMW iX is offered with All-Wheel Drive, the Kia EV9 with Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.