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Did you go to sleep last night thinking that what you really need from life is a 500-some-odd-horsepower family car that uses no gasoline? If so, you’re in luck, because the 2025 Kia EV9 GT has shown its face in Los Angeles, and it’s exactly what we all expected.
Not to be confused with the EV9 GT-Line that you can buy today, the new EV9 GT follows in the footsteps of the smaller EV6 GT. It’s sportier looking than the standard EV9, but doesn’t go completely overboard. The EV6 GT’s lime green motif returns and the finish on the brake calipers is repeated on interior contrast elements.
The dual-motor setup (160 kW front, 270 kW rear) combines for 501 horsepower (122 horses up on the GT-Line) and an unspecified amount of torque. Electronic torque vectoring ensures that the wheels with traction get the bulk of it, however much it may be. While the bigger EV9 is down 75 horses to the EV6 GT, Kia says it’s still enough oomph to get the three-row to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. Not bad for a family car.
And like its smaller sibling, the EV9 GT gets more than just some extra power. This becomes the first three-row SUV in Kia’s entire lineup (ICE or EV) with an electronically controlled suspension. It’s of course integrated into the EV9 GT’s drive mode selector, which includes Normal, Eco, Sport, and My Drive modes. Drivers can both tailor their own experience with the “My Drive” option or skip straight to the sportiest settings by mashing the bright green “GT” button on the left side of the steering wheel.
Kia is also experimenting with new ways to involve owners in the more simplified EV driving experience. Borrowing a trick from its cousin Hyundai, Kia implemented a simulated gearbox complete with paddle “shifters” that emulate the experience of using a conventional dual-clutch automatic. This is paired with an in-cabin sound generator that simulates not only “engine” noise, but the sounds of the shifts themselves.
While Kia doesn’t have all of the EV9 GT’s specs published just yet, there are a few items we know for sure. It retains the standard EV9’s 7.8 inches of ground clearance and 5,000 pounds of towing capacity, and its 800-volt electrical architecture means it’s compatible with the same fast-charging setups as the standard three-row. It’ll also have a NACS port. Total range and battery capacity are still up in the air.
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