Kia politely asked dealers not to mark up prices on the EV9, but all it can do is ask

It’s hard to get excited about new vehicle launches these days. Assuming you can find in-demand models on a dealer’s lot, many stores add thousands of dollars to the bottom line in markups, accessories, and other fees. The practice has tarnished the release of otherwise great cars like the Toyota GR Corolla and Honda Civic Type R, but it’s also impacting mainstream, non-performance cars like three-row SUVs and hybrids. Kia is preparing to release the new three-row EV9 and is taking a proactive approach to prevent dealer markups.

The automaker sent a letter to its dealers earlier this week, saying that “the EV9 customer is an important new owner to the Kia brand, and price transparency will be paramount as part of their purchase experience. We ask dealers to retail the EV9 without markup over the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price.”

Kia asked nicely, but it doesn’t have a ton of options to force dealers to sell the SUV at MSRP. The Kia Telluride and other popular models have long had markups due to strong demand and limited supply during the pandemic. Ford made a similar move last year, warning dealers not to mark up the F-150 Lightning, but it’s unclear if any legal or other actions have been taken against the stores that didn’t listen.