2026 Kia EV9 GT Review: Forbidden Fruit

High-performance family haulers are objectively silly.

Oh, you want space for the whole crew? Let’s just make that a little less comfortable for everyone but the driver. A vehicle built for road trips? Hold on, just cutting the range and efficiency a skosh.

The silliness is part of the appeal. How else do you explain the continued existence of the Dodge Durango Hellcat, shuffling along and moaning for brains? Kia wants in on the action with its off-again, on-again GT badge, applying it to the award-winning EV9 for a hi-po electric hauler.

Currently available in Canada but on indefinite pause in the US, is this 502-horsepower three-row forbidden fruit worth the squeeze? I spent a week finding out.

The entire EV9 lineup sees an important update this model year. Styling tweaks are subtle, as the big three-row ushered in Kia’s current design language. A Nightfall package—Kia’s name for blacked-out trim models—is now available for those wanting a stealthier EV. Every model also switches to the expected North American Charging Standard (NACS) port, though to unlock the quickest charging this 800-volt platform is capable of still requires a CCS adapter and 350 kW (or greater) DC setup.

Then there’s the GT. Still utilizing the 99.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack of the other dual-motor setups, it ushers in a more powerful rear electric motor for a combined system output of 502 hp, while torque climbs to a maximum of 545 pound-feet. Kia has included the virtual gear shifts from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, too. This isn’t simply a power-up exercise either: Kia has hurled upgraded brakes and a unique, electronically-controlled suspension—a brand first—at the EV9 to make for a more holistic experience.

Visually, there isn’t a whole lot new going on with the GT over the existing GT-Line. The whole point of the latter is to look like the former, anyway. There’s a unique daytime running light (DRL) signature baked into the nose, unique 21-inch four-spoke alloys with lime-green brake calipers peeking out, and… that’s about it. The EV9 ushered in Kia’s current, angular design language, and three years have been kind to it. There’s plenty of gloss black outside to signify this is a road-biased SUV, and it offers a good level of contrast with the green-gray paint.

More power than a Corvette Stingray—and all of it available in an instant—makes the EV9 one of the morning commute greats. The attitude isn’t far removed from the regular dual-motor setup, it’s just more muscular everywhere, and sustains the shove for longer. Kia says it’ll hit highway speeds in the mid-4s and yep, that tracks.

Yes, the simulated shifts are here, and they work as expected, offering a semblance of “engine braking” at lower speeds. There are a few different soundtracks drivers can select too, and as is the case in most everything else that offers such a setup, it helps provide an additional level of feedback when hustling. My suspicion is that will be a rarity for owners however; turn it all off, and the EV9 barely hums as it makes steady progress.

Officially the GT treatment chops range down to 260 miles (418 kilometers). DC fast-charging can do the 10-to-80 percent top-up in as little as 24 seconds; a full charge on a Level 2 setup is a little under nine hours. Towing capacity remains unchanged at 5,000 pounds.

The EV9 tips the scales at nearly 6,000 pounds (2,727 kilograms), and I’d be lying if I told you that it felt much lighter than that when asked to make quick direction changes. Mind you, it rolls on winter rubber for our time together, lowering the ceiling on outright capability. Nonetheless the GT is an adept and yes, even fun package when considered within the three-row realm. The AWD system is clearly rear-biased, and while the steering is light on feedback and weight, the squircle wheel is quick and consistent, allowing the driver to find a comfortable rhythm and work from there.

Kia’s (and Hyundai’s, and Genesis’) regenerative braking is amongst the best in the game. The levels are predictable and offer genuine change, while one-pedal takes little time to get used to. Thankfully, one of the big updates this year is a consistent regen setting, so the EV9 remembers the last selection.

I’m convinced the EV9 might be the quickest and tidiest point-to-point three-row SUV you can buy for under six figures. Even something like an Alpina XB7 would find it tough to ditch those Star Map headlights in the rear view.

Even with its adaptive dampers, the GT rides with an additional firmness over lesser EV9s. In the default setting it’s hardly a problem: the setup is reassuring and aligns with expectations. Only larger potholes or speedbumps result in significant jiggle, though the EV9 does quickly calm down. That firmness translates into rock-solid body control on the highway, where there’s slightly more road noise than the last EV9 I drove, though that could very well be down to the winter rubber.

The GT comes standard with unique (synthetic leather) sport seats up front, trading the mesh headrests for solid items and adding additional bolstering. The latter aren’t static either, with the option to have the seats hug the driver even more in Sport and GT drive modes. This isn’t new tech within the greater Hyundai group, but I still like it all the same. The front thrones benefit from heating, ventilation, and a massage function.

The second-row experience is solid, with twin captain’s chairs also boasting heat and ventilation along with plenty of adult-friendly head- and legroom. The EV9’s two-seat way-back is pretty standard amongst the three-row set; tight on legroom and with a low-ish cushion, it’s okay for shorter trips and still comes with sizeable cup holders and USB-C ports.

Like so many other sporty trims, the EV9 GT adopts a monochrome look inside with the vast majority of surfaces being black or a particularly dark shade of gray. Subtle texture work keeps the space visually interesting, as do the splashes of neon green that have come to embody the GT trims. This includes the thin strip bisecting the seats; it’s nice to see Kia has applied it all the way to the third row. The EV9’s semi-floating center console is a functional family feature, making room for small bags up front while providing ample storage space near the back. The wireless charger is grippy and keeps mobiles out of the driver’s field of vision—good. A suede dash insert replete with GT logo wraps up the changes.

Kia’s tech lineup is generally easy to use—except for the small panel for advanced climate controls tucked right behind the steering wheel. That’s an awkward one. The rest is good, using large icons for the main menu and a few choice physical controls to keep things simple. The screen also defaults to a darker setup, so there’s little light pollution at night. Wireless Apple CarPlay works without issue here as well.

The full alphabet soup of driver assists also functions as expected. Kia’s highway drive assist is natural in its responses, though I’d appreciate it requiring more frequent reminders that the driver actually be paying attention.

After a week of living with the 2026 Kia EV9 GT, did it convince me Kia USA should add it to the lineup? Sure. The GT doesn’t rewrite the three-row rulebook the same way the EV9 itself did when it debuted a few years back, but a roughly $4,000 increase for an additional 120 horsepower, better handling and braking—not to mention the oh-so-crucial bragging rights—is small potatoes for one of the most accomplished fast family haulers on the market. C’mon, America: be a little more Canadian, eh?

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