GWR Kia, one of the UK's largest Kia dealerships, now hosts a dazzling new showcase for the Kia EV9, designed to capture the attention of hundreds of thousands travelling along the M4 each day. This prominent display features the latest electric SUV from Kia, positioned strategically on the top floor of the dealership's glass-fronted building on the Great West Road in Brentford, West London.
Anyone familiar with driving west out of London, will know the spot in Brentford. It site high above the street and is clearly visible from distance.
The unveiling of the new electric flagship, the Kia EV9, at GWR Kia coincides with a significant overhaul of the showroom itself. Notably, the top floor now exhibits four models of the EV9, each in the eye-catching Pacific Blue, illuminated by distinctive vertical LED headlamps that are synonymous with the model's design.
Paul Philpott, President & CEO of Kia UK, emphasised the strategic importance of the location, stating, “GWR Kia’s striking position next to the M4 makes it the ideal place to showcase our most important cars. This new display will be seen by thousands of people every day, demonstrating the EV9’s striking design and electric power to people travelling in and out of London.” He highlighted that this display underscores the mutual confidence in electric vehicles among Kia, its dealers, and customers.
Since its opening in August 2016, GWR Kia claims to have become one of the busiest in the nation, handling close to 3,000 new Kia sales in 2023 alone. That push on new cars lines up with a robust used vehicle sales department. To complete the circle, the dealership features its own café and an extensive workshop, situated on the lower ground floor. Quite how often an EV9 needs to come in for treatment is uncertain at this time – but we'll have a better assessment of its reliability by 2026.
In alignment with modern sustainability practices, the dealership is equipped with various green technologies such as air source heat pumps, solar panels, water harvesting systems, and low-energy LED lighting, which aim to significantly reduce its environmental footprint.
The dealership's renovation is part of Kia's broader initiative to update its brand identity across the UK. Since the global launch of its new brand identity in 2021, over half of Kia’s 190 UK dealerships have adopted this new ‘Global Store Concept,' with GWR Kia scheduled to complete its update in the latter half of 2024.
The Kia EV9 itself is an impressive size, with plenty of power and decent battery sizes. Kia cars have always been functional, but now the company is pushing harder on aesthetic appeal, as well as versatility – with configurations of six or seven seats and a choice between rear- or all-wheel drive. The EV9 is available in three well-equipped trim levels, starting at £65,025 on-the-road.
It boasts an impressive electric range of up to 349 miles on a single charge, according to the WLTP Combined cycle, with its standard 99.8kWh battery. Moreover, the EV9 supports ultra-fast charging, which can add up to 154 miles in just 15 minutes when using an 800V charger capable of delivering at least 210kW.
Kia’s commitment to customer satisfaction is reinforced by its standard seven-year/100,000-mile warranty on the EV9, promising long-term reliability and peace of mind for buyers. The car itself is not cheap, but we'll need to see just how competitive the leasing etc rates are in August/September before passing full judgement.
As the Kia EV9 takes centre stage at GWR Kia, both the dealership and the manufacturer are setting a new standard for the presentation and promotion of electric vehicles in the UK, capturing both the market’s and commuters’ attention alike. It comes with a 7 year warranty, which should give anyone knew to the brand a degree of confidence.
We're expecting to see multiple commercial options from Kia over the next two years – with similar powertrains/baselines coupled with various van body options.