The Kia EV9 is one of the best electric cars on the market. It's efficient, practical, and luxurious. It's also not lacking in power, but Kia has gone and given it a boost anyhow. This is the 2026 EV9 GT, a 501-horsepower crossover that'll help you get your kids to school that much quicker. It makes its Thursday debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Where the regular all-wheel drive EV9 has motors on the front and rear that make 189 hp each, the GT gets a 214-hp front motor and a 362-hp rear motor. Of course, it doesn't take a mathematical genius to figure out that 362 plus 214 doesn't equal 501, but presumably, each motor makes peak power at a different speed. Kia also says its still finalizing horsepower figures for the EV9 GT, so that 501 hp could rise by the time deliveries begin.
Kia claims the EV9 GT does the 0-60 MPH run in 4.3 seconds, 0.7 seconds faster than the EV9 GT-Line AWD. To deal with the extra power, the EV9 GT gets larger brakes, upgraded suspension with adaptive dampers, Continental tires wrapping 21-inch wheels, and an electronic rear limited-slip differential. So, the EV9 GT shouldn't just be quicker in a straight line—it'll be better in the corners, too.
Another notable upgrade is what Kia calls Virtual Gear Shift (VGS), a mode that simulates an internal-combustion engine. It's a feature Kia has adapted from corporate cousin Hyundai, which debuted its own version with the Ioniq 5 N. Essentially, VGS mimics the sound and feeling of a traditional car engine, with fake engine sounds, gear shifts, and torque cuts. You can use it in a simulated automatic-transmission mode, or row through the "gears" using the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. It works uncannily well in the Ioniq 5 N, so it should be great here, too.
Beyond the unique 21-inch wheels, the EV9 GT is distinguished visually by various trim pieces on the exterior and lime-green accents inside. The EV9 GT also gets more bolstered sport seats trimmed in Alcantara.
As standard, you get tons of driving-assist tech, and a Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) port, so you'll be able to juice up the EV9 at Superchargers. Unlike other EV9 models, which are built in West Point, Georgia, the EV9 GT will be built in South Korea.
Kia hasn't announced two important figures—price or range. Expect it to cost a couple thousand more than the $75,395 of the current GT-Line AWD, and range to be worse than that car's 270 miles. Deliveries are set to begin some time in the second half of 2025.
