It has only been one year since the global launch of the all-electric Kia EV9 SUV and the South Korean carmaker has already brought out a new high-performance variant. The EV9’s sales figures were impressive but seemingly not enough for Kia who wanted to go even further and make the most powerful three-row SUV they have ever built. To that end, the 2026 Kia EV9 GT was recently unveiled at the 2024 LA Auto Show and it will arrive with enhanced performance, upgraded suspension, and new design elements.

The Kia EV9 was brought to India earlier this year in its top-spec GT-Line AWD trim. It arrived as a Completely Built Unit (CBU), and as a result, the all-electric SUV commanded a price of ₹1.29 crore (ex-showroom). In the GT-Line AWD guise, the Kia EV9 offered a single-charge range of 561 km with its 99.8 kWh battery pack. It made 378 bhp and 700 Nm of peak torque and could make the 0-100 kmph sprint in 5.0 seconds. With the 2026 EV9 GT, Kia has upped the performance by a significant margin.

2026 Kia EV9 GT: Improved performance

The 2026 Kia EV9 GT is geared towards enthusiasts who want a bit of fun while retaining the practicality of an SUV. The EV9 GT comes in all-wheel drive guise as standard and features two electric motors mounted on both ends. The front end gets a 160 kW motor while a 270 kW motor is placed at the rear. The entire setup churns out an estimated 501 bhp, marking a whopping 122 bhp increase over the EV9 GT-Line.

Kia claims the EV9 GT can go from 0-100 kmph in just 4.3 seconds, 0.7 seconds faster than the GT-Line model. To help bring it to a quick stop, Kia has fitted in upgraded brakes with GT-badged front calipers.

2026 Kia EV9 GT: New suspension and tech

With the extra performance comes the need for better suspension adaptability, and to that end, Kia has introduced the new driver-selectable Electronically Controlled Suspension (ECS) system. This brings multiple driving modes with individual settings for shock damping, steering, and brake feel. The driver gets a bright green button on the steering wheel, pressing which turns on the GT mode. This dials the dampers to their stiffest setting to provide track-worthy cornering.

The 2026 EV9 GT will feature what is termed the Virtual Gear Shift (VGS). This feature was adapted from Kia’s parent firm Hyundai, who had their version with the Ioniq 5 N. The VGS aims to simulate an internal combustion engine with a traditional step-shift automatic gearbox. With this system, the EV9 GT can simulate gear shifts and torque cuts as it accelerates. The driver can further choose to select gears manually using paddle shifters on the steering column.

The Kia EV9 GT will be available with an ADAS suite that brings a wide range of safety features, such as parking collision avoidance, frontal collision avoidance, cyclist and pedestrian detection, navigation-based Smart Cruise Control, and a blindspot and surround view monitor.

2026 Kia EV9 GT: Exclusive design elements

To set the EV9 GT apart from the rest of the lineup, Kia has given it a series of unique exterior and interior design elements. The all-electric SUV rides on 285/45R-21 high-performance Continental tyres wrapped around exclusive 21-inch alloys. Brake calipers are coloured in neon green and the SUV gets further GT-exclusive trim elements for its front fascia.

The bright green accents continue inside the cabin on various areas such as the steering wheel and the seats. The interior is available in GT-exclusive Dark Gray & Black leatherette upholstery with neon accents and Alcantara suede inserts. The steering wheel and dashboard are given GT-exclusive trim as well.

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2026 Kia EV9 GT: Pricing and availability

Kia has stopped short of announcing the prices for the 2026 EV9 GT and the single-charge range that it will carry. The 2024 Kia EV9 started from $54,900 (approximately ₹46.38 lakh) in the US and ₹1.29 crore (ex-showroom) in India. The EV9 GT is expected to cost more and bring a reduced single-charge range at the expense of all the added horsepower. What is clear so far, is that the new high-performance variant will be launched in the second half of 2025. For the Indian market, Kia may bring the EV9 GT as yet another CBU with a huge premium over its sticker price.

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