Two months ago, I became the happiest man on the planet.

I proposed to my girlfriend of seven years. For two months, my life has been a dream, both because it all feels so surreal and so… unknown. No matter how much you say to yourself that you’re ready, nothing can truly prepare you for the next chapter. Or even just the transition period before the next chapter, a.k.a. the wedding.

Though we decided to hold our wedding in 2027, our days have already been filled with constant planning: hunting for creative ideas, finding compromises between our eclectic tastes, and stressing out over absurd prices.

When you’re busy planning for the next milestone in your life, the last thing you need is to stress out over everything else besides the wedding. So, when I got the Kia EV9 for a week, I learned to appreciate all the little things and focus on what’s really important.

Testing out new limits

A relationship comes with its fights. When you’re planning for your first major event as a couple, you find new limits and disagreements. Sometimes, you don’t agree on a design or the budget.

Likewise, when you drive a new car, you need to test its limits. The Kia EV9 taught me patience, because the car itself practically has no limits. This beast has 384 horses and 700Nm of torque.

Though I kept within the speed limit, I felt the raw power lurking underneath. Thank goodness I have a lighter foot because even a small tap revs this baby up. Driving it on SLEX was bliss on all four wheels.

But keeping safe within those limits

Easy driving is crucial when you’re starting to plan for a wedding. That’s because everything starts with a good venue. And hunting for a good venue comes with several oculars, often out of town. Besides its power, the Kia EV9 makes long road trips a breeze with its ADAS features.

Our first ocular was a quaint space in Laguna called Lakehall at Nena’s Sanctuary. From the very beginning, we knew we wanted something like this: a spacious garden-type venue with picturesque views of a lake and a golf course. It felt perfect, based solely on how it looked in photos. But obviously, it was quite a drive from our homes in Quezon City, spanning both the Skyway and SLEX.

Of course, the car has cruise control and blind spot detection. The highlight, however, is its sensitive lane keeping and lane following assists. The EV9 will keep you from changing lanes when it detects another car coming fast from the next lane. It also has forward collision avoidance, which is perfect for those trips on the fast lane.

Both side “mirrors” are just rear-facing cameras with screens mounted inside the vehicle on either side. It takes some getting used to, but they offer great views of traffic beside and behind. Likewise, the rearview mirror is convertible into a screen. If you’re travelling with a lot of luggage, the camera system offers an unobstructed view of the back.

With all of these nifty features, I felt safe for long trips.

A new life in comfort

After our big day in Laguna, we went to a wedding of a mutual friend in the city.

Now, a plethora of safety features is also important for city driving. But what I really want for driving around Metro Manila is an even more impressive array of comfort and convenience features, especially when facing tough traffic conditions.

It’s not an exaggeration when I say that the Kia EV9 is the most luxurious car I’ve ever driven. There are so many creature comforts. The driver’s seat, for example, moves in eight directions, has lumbar support, massage functions, and cooling. Likewise, passenger seats have the same, if not a bit lesser, functionalities. Whether you’re a driver or a passenger, the EV9 makes you feel like you’re travelling in first class.

The entire cabin comes with tri-zone climate control. It doesn’t matter much if you’re travelling with someone who gets cold easily. Personally, I prefer keeping the driver’s area cool, while my fiancée likes it warmer. Of course, I still get too cold, especially when my fingers are dab smack in front of the vents. Thankfully, the steering wheel has heating, so I can keep driving comfortably.

Entertainment is no issue, either. The EV9 comes with fourteen Meridian speakers, a huge 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and support for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. It also has an abundance of USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad on the center console, and a plug at the back.

All of these were so useful while going through Manila traffic between the church and the reception venue. We also had a lot of time in between, so we decided to just chill in the car for a while. It was like staying in our own little hotel room.

In it for the long haul

Finally, we capped off our short Kia EV9 stint with a date at Café Giya in Angono. A trip to Rizal had us going up and down winding roads. It’s a different beast compared to open freeways and tight streets. Because it’s our third big trip, we started worrying about the range of the Kia EV9.

Actually, we had nothing to worry about. The car has a gargantuan 99.8kWh battery. A full charge can supposedly last over 500 kilometers. Even if this estimate is generous, getting mileage close to this number is already impressive for a full EV. Our short stint wasn’t enough to truly test the battery, but our long trip from Quezon City to Laguna knocked off only 20 percent of the battery.

By the time we went to Rizal, the car didn’t have full range anymore. In fact, we were hovering around 30 percent. At this time, we decided to give the regenerative braking a try. The EV9 has paddles for increasing the intensity of the braking. At full force, it also has i-PEDAL STOP.

The higher levels are usually what you’d expect from regenerative braking. However, at maximum, the i-PEDAL STOP makes it so that you don’t even need to brake anymore. It feels a bit jerky at first, but it’s oddly satisfying to rely purely on the car to brake for you.

Because the car is fully electric, I didn’t have a gas tank to rely on for a full recharge using the braking. Still, using Rizal’s many slopes to recharge helped me keep my dwindling battery alive until I got to a charging station. With 11kW AC charging, it takes almost 10 hours to charge, but only 83 minutes with 50kW DC or 24 minutes with 350kW DC charging.

Range anxiety, begone!

This is how you start a new chapter

This three-leg trip was our first major event as a newly engaged couple. We had disagreements. We had tough spots. But we had fun. We found new ways to love.

The engaged life is fraught with challenges, but it doesn’t have to be an unnavigable nightmare. With the right support and the right mindset, love will always find a way to rise to the top.

Like Pegasus to Hercules, the Kia EV9 was our loyal steed. We pushed the car (and ourselves) to the limit, but it delivered everything we needed.