I’ve seen the question come up many times: how are auto journalists supposed to remain impartial to normal cars when they spend all their time around six figure machines with six hundred horsepower? I’ll tell you that the sliding scale relativity is less of an issue than you’d think… but it is a thing. If I have a few EVs in a row, I might be especially critical of a coarse gas engine. Six hundred horsepower can be disappointing or exciting, depending on what I was driving the week before. All that to say this: this 2026 Kia EV9 GT was sandwiched in my schedule alongside a Range Rover Sport SV and a BMW M2 CS, and I still really liked it.

Fast charging and faster acceleration

New for 2026, the Kia EV9 GT (not GT-Line) is the new crown of Kia’s EV9 flagship three-row electric SUV. Sporting two high-output AC motors, it produces 502 horsepower and 545 foot-pounds of torque; improvements of 123 ponies and 29 twisties over the GT-Line. Said motors are fed by the same 99.8 kWh battery as before, with the same future-proof 800-volt charging architecture that enables a 10-80% charge in as little as 24 minutes on a sufficiently strong charger. The official estimated range comes in at 418 kilometres on a single charge.

The EV9 was already fairly quick, and now it’s properly authoritative in its straight-line shove. It doesn’t run out of breath on the highway anymore, instead pulling relentlessly to extremely extralegal speeds without breaking a sweat, and can sprint to 100km/h in four seconds. But, an EV being quick isn’t news; what is newsworthy is how well this big family hauler handles itself.

Fast through corners, too…

It’s fitted with new electronically adaptive shock absorbers, and in doing so, Kia has expanded the operating envelope of the EV9 to maintain the excellent ride quality you’d expect from a big SUV, while also offering the body control and reflexes of something much more interesting than a humdrum commuter bus. 

Alongside the smarter and stiffer suspenders, Kia has developed a new e-LSD; an electronically actuated limited slip differential of sorts for the rear axle. I have long been of the opinion that a mechanically limited/locking drive axle is required reading for proper performance machines, and it’s a testament to how serious Kia is about this EV9 GT that they’ve implemented it – and to fabulous effect, I should add.

The rest of the EV9 lineup handles fine for what it is – I’d even say they do fairly well – and only really shows cracks in the facade when really pushed, when its electronic aids struggle to contain its comfort-biased mass. The EV9 GT, conversely, handles shockingly well, now that it’s imbued with proper hardware to facilitate fun, instead of relying on a digital safety net to keep things on the straight and narrow (that net is still there, for the record, but doesn’t have to intervene nearly as much).

…and more importantly, fun

Put it in GT mode via the big green button on the steering wheel, and everything stiffens up, the steering gets noticeably heavier, and feels more direct. Throttle response is exciting, and power is prodigious. Hustle it through a corner and it’s ready and willing, eager to play, and displaying impressive balance. It’s not a wild drift machine by any means, but with the enhanced mechanical agility and e-LSD, it puts its power down confidently, and even gives you the sense that you could balance it on the throttle coming out of a corner. You know, like a sports car.

Let me be abundantly clear and acknowledge that what I’m saying sounds ridiculous. It’s a big, comfy, well appointed, three-row SUV. On top of this, it’s an electric vehicle. Both of these things are notoriously hefty on their own, but the EV9 GT, which tips the scales at around 5,900 pounds, doesn’t really carry a major weight penalty over everything else it’s size and shape, and due to it being an EV, it carries most of its heft low, in its floor. It’s not unheard-of that this much mass can be made to handle as well as it does, but it is a pleasant surprise in this family-friendly form factor.

Playful and useful

The cabin of the EV9 GT is dressed up to match its sporting hardware, with (surprisingly subtle, really) lime green accents throughout the cabin to match the massive brake calipers. The seats appear to be lifted straight out of the likes of the Kia EV6 GT and Hyundai Ioniq 5N, with aggressive bolstering, excellent support, and grippy faux-suede to hold you in place during the maneuvers this handsome brick is capable of. 

Other than all that jazz, it’s still an EV9, just better. It’s comfortable, and very well appointed, with excellent feeling materials used throughout. I didn’t think I’d be a fan of shades-of-grey interior motif, but it works well and looks suitably serious without being overly severe. There’s plenty of space and storage for the all three rows of seating, and cargo space is healthy as well, made better by power-folding second and third rows. 

The infotainment software is the same as seen on just about every other Kia, which is a good thing, as it looks great and is easy to live with. Unlike other Kias, it lacks the love-it or (mostly) hate-it switchable climate and media bar, and instead has a classy array of capacitive shortcuts integrated into the matte dashboard trim, and almost everything has a dedicated button or knob. This is among the better interior layouts on the market, and the excellent chairs and tasteful materials puts it over the top, and helps it feel a lot more expensive than it is. 

Wrap it up

On that note: every EV9 GT comes loaded to the gills with every trick Kia has up its sleeve, like the dual moonroofs, powered and heated seats, and very effective driver aids, among others. They ring in at $85,295, with your only options being paint and dealer add-ons; our tester’s Ivory Silver paint adds $250 and brings the tally to $85,545 as tested, before destination, dealer fees, or any rebates that may still be in effect wherever you are. For the space, features, performance, and practicality offered, the 2026 Kia EV9 GT is a pretty fabulous value, electric or otherwise.