The 2026 Kia EV9 GT Turns A Family SUV Into A 3-Row Sports Car

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Kia unveiled a significantly beefed-up version of its EV9 electric SUV. It's called the 2026 Kia EV9 GT and Kia has decided that the best way to upgrade its eco-friendly family SUV is to give it a two-motor drivetrain that churns out a fairly ridiculous 501 horsepower. Following with the sports-car trend, the EV9 GT will do the 0-60 sprint in a scant 4.3 seconds. That's the same time to highway speed as a Porsche 911 Carrera T. 

 "Why?" you may be asking. Kia America's COO and EVP Steven Center gives an explanation in a press release: "The EV9 has been a home run for Kia and introduced the first mass-market electric three-row SUV. And EV9 GT includes all those wonderful elements while amping up the fun factor significantly. This new halo trim is set to spark the hearts of driving enthusiasts who still need the practicality of a six-passenger SUV. You can have your cake and eat it too!" Essentially, Kia made a car for going to soccer practice as with roughly the same alacrity as a high-strung muscle car.

To be fair to Kia, this isn't just a horsepower boost to the EV9. The EV9 GT is being treated, more or less, as its own vehicle and not just another trim in the EV9 lineup. Visually it stands out with its own styling cues, and mechanically, it differentiates itself a fair amount (apart from the obvious difference of having more than 500 horsepower). Kia notes that the EV9 GT will host an electronically controlled suspension system that's not only unique to the vehicle, but it will be the first time a Kia SUV has ever been fitted with such a system.

Kia

The EV9 GT's battery runs on an 800-volt architecture and Kia says that with DC fast chargers, it can charge from 10% to 80% in 25 minutes. As a bonus, it will use the NACS (North American Charging Standard) port that's compatible with Tesla's Supercharger network. Kia has not announced an estimated range figure for the EV9 GT, but given its power, it will likely be a little less than the base model EV9's maximum 304 miles. The EV9 GT's price is also not known, but it will most likely be more expensive than the current $73,900 EV9 GT-Line. It will reportedly enter production in South Korea during the last half of next year.