2026 Kia EV9 Light Long Range: Lakewood Buyers Guide

The number that matters here: 305 miles

Range anxiety is the single biggest objection EV shoppers bring into the showroom, and the Light Long Range exists to answer it directly. The 99.8-kWh battery — the same size used in Wind, Land, and GT-Line — pairs here with a single rear motor tuned for efficiency rather than output, which is how it reaches 305 EPA miles, ahead of even the AWD trims above it. For a household making regular runs to North Jersey, Philadelphia, or down the Parkway to the Shore towns in summer traffic, that's genuinely meaningful buffer over the base Light's 230-mile rating.

Why it's not simply "the better Light"

Here's the trap: shoppers assume more battery means more of everything, and on this trim it doesn't. Peak output is 201 horsepower against the Light's 215, because Kia tuned this powertrain for range efficiency over acceleration. In everyday Lakewood traffic the difference is not something most drivers will notice; it matters more if you cross-shop the EV9 against something explicitly sold on quickness. If power output next to range genuinely bothers you, the honest comparison to make on the lot is against Wind, which restores power (and adds all-wheel drive) at a real price jump.

Who should pay the $3,000

Buyers whose EV hesitation is specifically about running out of charge — not about acceleration — are the clearest fit. It's also the pick for anyone who charges primarily at home overnight and wants to stretch the gap between full charges as far as possible, or who occasionally tows a small utility trailer to the Shore without wanting to think hard about the range math beforehand. The store's reviews suggest EV9 buyers here skew toward exactly that profile — families replacing a Sorento or Telluride who want three-row space without constant charging stops, like the customer who wrote about switching from a Sorento to an EV9 and now driving out of their way just for the dealership's service department.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the 2026 EV9 Light Long Range cost?

MSRP is $57,900 plus the $1,645 destination charge, before New Jersey's 6.625% sales tax, title, and registration. See the pricing & leasing guide for the full math and current DiFeo Kia offers.

Why does the Light Long Range have less horsepower than the base Light?

Kia tuned this powertrain for maximum range efficiency rather than output — the bigger 99.8-kWh battery adds weight, and the motor and gearing are calibrated to stretch every kWh toward the 305-mile EPA figure rather than toward 0-60 times. It's a genuine engineering trade-off, not a mistake or a downgrade.

Is the Light Long Range worth $3,000 over the base Light?

If 230 miles feels tight for your typical week — regular highway trips, occasional long drives, or simply wanting more buffer before winter range loss becomes a concern — yes. If your driving is mostly local and you charge every night regardless, the base Light covers the same daily pattern for less money.

Does this trim have all-wheel drive?

No — like the base Light, it's rear-wheel drive only. The Long Range battery is available with AWD starting at the Wind trim, which also restores the power the Light Long Range trades away.

Where can I test drive one near Lakewood?

Browse current EV9 inventory at DiFeo Kia, or schedule a test drive to feel the range-tuned powertrain for yourself.

The bottom line

The Light Long Range is a specialist, not a general upgrade: pay $3,000 more than the base Light, get the longest range in the entire lineup, and accept slightly less power in return. For range-anxious buyers, that's an easy trade to make.