Kia EV9 GT arrives with 502bhp and £82,000 price tag

UK orders have opened for the new Kia EV9 GT, which brings more than 500bhp and a 0-62mph time of less than 5 seconds to the Korean brand’s seven-seat SUV.

The EV9 GT is the second high-performance EV from the Korean brand and costs from £82,185, with order books opening from June 18.

Positioned as a grand tourer, Kia says the EV9 GT blends an “exhilarating” drive with the comfort and range needed to cover long distances. At the heart of the experience is a significantly upgraded two-motor system which produces 502bhp and 546lb ft – a 124bhp and 30lb ft lift over the regular all-wheel-drive model.

That allows this 2.6-tonne, five-metre, seven-seat SUV to race from standstill to 62mph in just 4.6 seconds – faster than a Porsche Cayenne S. Top speed is 136mph. Like its EV6 GT sibling the Kia EV9 GT features “Virtual Gear Shift” which uses clever power mapping to simulate the action of a sequential six-speed transmission, enhanced by a rev counter, and audio and physical feedback.

To support the extra power, the EV9 GT’s brakes have been upgraded and the chassis enhanced with an electronic limited slip differential system and adaptive damping. The electronically controlled suspension adjusts stiffness depending on which of six drive modes is chosen, along with altering steering and brake feel. It also features road-scanning technology to pre-load the suspension for upcoming changes in the road surface such as potholes.

The EV9 GT uses the same 99.8kWh battery fitted to regular versions of Kia’s flagship SUV, offering up to 280 miles of range and charging speeds of up to 210kW. That allows the huge battery to be topped up from 10% to 80% in 24 minutes.

Visually, the EV9 GT gets a similar treatment to the smaller EV6 GT, with neon green brake callipers, and neon green interior trim. It also gets part-suede GT sports seats, a GT-exclusive steering wheel with neon green GT button, and 21-inch GT alloy wheels, along with a unique customisable digital lighting grille.

The GT9 EV adds this to the standard range-topping GT-Line S spec, which includes everything from adaptive LED lights, and a powered tailgate to heated and cooled seats in rows one and two, a 14-speaker Meridian sound system and fully loaded driver assistance including Highway Assist 2.0 with adaptive cruise and lane following, remote parking assist.

The EV9 GT comes as standard as a seven-seater, priced at £82,185. Alternatively, a six-seat configuration is available for £83,185. The only option is premium paint at £725. Orders for the EV9 GT are open now, with first UK customer deliveries expected in the autumn.