2026 Kia EV9 GT | UK Review

A silly SUV too far, or the best Kia GT yet?

By Matt Bird / Wednesday, 23 September 2026 / Loading comments

This is PistonHeads - of course there was some reticence around the Kia EV9 GT. We declared the best automobile since 1998 to be the Lotus Elise, a car that in its original format weighed little more than a quarter of the EV9. A quarter! This is the largest, most expensive Kia ever offered to UK customers, twice that of the much-loved (and much-missed) Stinger GT from just a few years ago. Even those sold on the idea of an electric SUV might need some convincing of the 9: usually the best battery-powered buses are the laid-back ones (think Volvo), not the souped-up ones (think Audi). Plus the EV6 GT already exists in the Kia line-up, with more power for a lot less money and the same driver-focused tech. You might say that it looks smarter, too…

So the flagship EV9 surely has a tough job on its hands convincing the detractors, not helped by being - and this is no exaggeration - one of the most irritating cars on sale. By default, it bongs when the speed limit changes, bongs as you move from Park to Drive, and bongs at the smallest speed transgression. As you attempt to disable some of that via many, many prods of the touchscreen, the attention assist is upset you aren’t looking ahead. The lane keep has all the subtlety of a ten-pin bowling barrier, so the XXL GT weaves down narrower roads like a torque-steering hot hatch. And the Virtual Gear Shift that is considered a selling point of the car only seems accessible from the screen which is a bit too far away.

Bring all that together with a tough low-speed ride, sticky steering, and an interior that has as many smart and sporty touches as it does cheap and cheerful Kia ones, and the first impression is not good. Limited to just a quick test drive, it would prove maddening more than anything else. But it’s worth sticking with, honest. Having to disable the assists every single time the car is turned on is frustrating, though it’s advisable in a lot of new cars (just more time-consuming here). And once you’re not being driven to distraction, there’s the capacity to appreciate the car beneath the bongs, because it really is a decent one. Once above commuting speed, the ability of the suspension to marshal two and three-quarter tonnes of Kia is very impressive, maybe helped by the lighter wheels fitted as standard (it really is about more than just the green bits).

It’s complemented by steering that actually inspires confidence with its weight and response when going quicker - and while the EV9 is not a car that shrinks around you (what a feat that would be), neither is it one where the dimensions feel like an impediment to fun. Brake pedal feel is good, the regen smartly calibrated (and easily adjusted), the speed obviously considerable - without being the only point of interest. There’s just a little bit more about the everyday experience to elevate it above a regular EV9.

The bright yellow GT mode is hard to ignore for long, though, and is further proof that the 9 isn’t one to judge purely on appearances. (Bold may not necessarily always be beautiful, but it at least stands out.) Rather than turning the Kia into an unyielding, unpleasant mess, it usefully sharpens the driving experience without abandoning an easygoing nature. Steering, suspension and sound are all turned up a few notches, without being so overwrought (as often happens) that it can’t be driven more than a few miles. Heaven knows what it must look like from behind (or coming the other way), but there’s something approaching entertainment on offer, the EV9 being far keener to change direction and involve the driver than the dimensions would have you believe. The dash gets a funky new look, and an individual mode on the same button is handy (even if it does require more screen fiddling).

What doesn’t require more fiddling, as it turns out, is the VGS, as it’s accessible via the star shortcut on the wheel. As Dobie mentioned from the international drive, it’s a nice feature to have even when going without the paddles, the rhythm of ratios changing (even artificial ones) a welcome accompaniment. It remains a convincing innovation, too, with gearshift jolts introduced where it’s appropriate and the build-up of performance through the ‘revs’ totally convincing. In fact, it’s a better installation than in the EV6, with eight gears instead of six aiding the sense of acceleration, a more inspiring sound, and faster shifts around the limiter.

Indeed, there are a few scenarios where the 9 is actually preferable to the 6, which is surprising. Sometimes the other GT feels like it has a bit too much power for its own good; 150hp or so less makes the 9 feel more cohesive and less chaotic, its eLSD doing as desired rather than feeling overworked. Obvious though it will sound, too, this thing is ginormous: there can’t be much else that can carry so much as well as keep the driver moderately engaged. It’s subdued at a cruise, the seats are excellent, storage and charging solutions plentiful, and so on. Maybe the niche of people to which the big Kia’s strengths will appeal is small, though they’ll likely be impressed. Especially when they become rather less than £80k, too.

Put most simply, the GT is a likeable car to drive in a host of circumstances. Sure, it is big and heavy, though it’s hardly the only such car to be larger than ideal; battery power may not appeal to all, though the EV9 wouldn’t drive as nicely with a combustion engine lumped out front. And which one would Kia use? Something less weighty and more efficient would be great, of course - you’ll do well to get 3mi/kWh - though again that’s true for a lot of EVs. At least you won’t forget driving one in a hurry.

Moreover, lest we do forget, this isn’t meant to be the core Kia GT product. It's meant to be a bit of fun at the top of the range, the silly SUV that sells in small numbers to the very committed. And the lineup is definitely more interesting for having this around. Of more relevance will be those Kia EVs coming soon that cost half as much and weigh hundreds of kilos less; if the leviathan EV9 GT can be as enjoyable as this post-bong phase, hopes certainly deserve to be high for models like the upcoming EV4.

SPECIFICATION | 2026 KIA EV9 GT

Engine: Twin permanent magnet synchronous electric motors
Transmission: Single-speed, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 508
Torque (lb ft): 546
0-62mph: 4.6sec
Top speed: 136mph
Weight: 2,718kg
Battery: 800V lithium-ion, 99.8kWh capacity
Efficiency/range: 2.8mi/kWh, 316 miles
Max DC charging: 350kW; 10-80% charge in 24mins
Price: £82,235