Hot electric Kia EV9 GT SUV unveiled at LA Auto Show

Kia’s 494bhp EV SUV will get from 0-62mph in just 4.3 seconds and gets sporty styling upgrades

The new electric Kia EV9 GT gets a sportier look and more power (Kia)

Kia has revealed the hottest version yet of its award-winning EV9 all-electric SUV at the 2024 LA Auto Show.

The Kia EV9 GT gets more powerful twin electric motors – one on the front axle and one on the rear – to boost power to 494bhp, up from 378bhp on the GT-Line S model. Electronically controlled suspension also features for the first time, automatically adjusting depending on the drive mode selected, while the mode settings also change steering and brake feel.

GT mode, accessed by hitting a button on the steering wheel, puts things into their sportiest setting. Bigger brakes are fitted to cope with the extra performance of the GT model.

The Kia EV9 GT is the most powerful three-row Kia ever (Kia)

The Kia EV9 GT also features virtual gear shifts (VSG) that mimic the feel of a traditional automatic gearbox rather than the electric car’s one-speed unit. It provides notable shifts under acceleration, while paddles behind the steering wheel can be used to manually ‘shift’ through the gears to increase the feeling of engagement.

An in-cabin electric ‘active sound design’ (e-ASD) works alongside VGS to mimic the sounds of the gear shifts as the EV9 GT accelerates.

The Kia EV9 GT is fitted with an electronic limited slip differential (e-LSD) – just like the EV6 GT – to improve cornering stability by limiting wheelspin to the tyres with less grip and rerouting torque to the tyres with more traction.

The Kia EV9 GT interior features green trim and new sports seats (Kia)

Like all other EV9s, the GT is based on the E-GMP platform which features 800V fast charging, which makes the car capable of charging from 10-80 percent in less than 25 minutes with DC fast chargers. There’s no word yet on the maximum claimed range of the GT model but expect it to be less than the 349 maximum range currently quoted.

Exterior changes to the GT model are limited to exclusive 21-inch alloys, green brake calipers, a new lighting pattern and GT-exclusive patterns on the active air flaps at the front of the car.

Changes inside are more extensive with new sports seats trimmed with alcantara, bright green accents around the car including on the steering wheel and seats, GT-exclusive graphics on the 12.3-inch digital driver display and a unique ambient lighting scheme.

Otherwise, the new EV9 range topper comes with the full roster of luxury and safety kit as the current top-spec GT Line S models.

First UK deliveries are expected sometime in 2025, with prices expected to be around the £80,000 mark.