The Kia EV9 GT is coming in 2025 with fake gearshifts and 494bhp

We thought the standard EV9 was Kia’s final boss… but we were wrong. This is the EV9 GT, Kia’s true endgame boss, dressed up with more aggressive bumpers, neon green accents and 21in alloy wheels. But, more importantly, twin electric motors producing a grand total of 494bhp.

Unveiled at the LA Auto Show, Kia says that it's targeting a 0-60mph sprint time of just 4.3s (0.7s quicker than the 380bhp GT-Line S). That’s brisk for a three-row mega-SUV that’ll happily rival Final Fantasy’s biggest and baddest for sheer presence. 

Paired with an electronic limited-slip differential and bigger brakes, this thing should have all it needs for when things get twisty. And when they do, the adaptive suspension - a first for any Kia SUV - will adjust the damping (and steering/braking feel) via the different drive modes.

Clearly taking inspiration from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, you’ll also get a 'Virtual Gear Shift' as standard, which mimics a paddleshift gearbox and gives you a fake redline and a slight delay in acceleration as you perform a virtual upshift. That works alongside the 'Active Sound Design' (or fake noise, as it’s known to most of us) to try and weave some sporting feel into the EV9.

We’re expecting it to deploy the larger of the EV9's battery options with a 99.8kWh unit, and Kia has confirmed that the 800-volt architecture will remain, allowing a 10-80 per cent recharge in less than 25 minutes.  

Oh, and those green accents we mentioned earlier - there are lots more of those inside the cabin across sections like the steering wheel and the part-Alcantara sports seats. You’ll also see new graphics on the 12.3in infotainment screen.

The last change involves the safety suite, which gains 'park collision protection' to add to an already strong list. The GT is expected to arrive in the second half of 2025, with pricing yet to be confirmed. In the UK the standard EV9 starts at £65,025 though, and for that money you only get a single motor and 197bhp. So yeah, the EV9 GT won't be cheap.