Kia Teases Power Packed EV9 GT: The Ultimate Three-Row SUV

It won’t be long before every Kia electric vehicle has a GT variant. The next to arrive should be the Kia EV9 GT, which is scheduled for the 2026 model year.

When it arrives, the GT model will be the most powerful version of the three-row electric SUV from Kia. This new version is scheduled to debut in January 2025, which technically makes it an early-release 2026 model. The concept model might show up at the 2024 LA Auto Show, and until then, it seems that Kia is keeping a proverbial lid on things with very few details being offered.

While we wait for the Kia EV9 GT to arrive, here are a few impressive features of the current EV9 lineup.

The EV9 has reclining seats

Most vehicles don’t have reclining seats in the rear, but the GT-Line and Land trims of this Kia electric SUV have them. The reclining front seats include a power legrest for the driver and front passenger. The second row of the Land and GT-Line models offers these seats with the comfort and qualities desired. In the front and middle rows, you’ll also enjoy heating and ventilation for these seats.

The driver’s seat can massage your aching back

The GT-Line features the Ergo Motion driver’s seat, which includes seatback and cushion massaging to make your stiff and achy muscles feel much better. This seat has large inflating air bladders that inflate and deflate aggressively to massage your muscles and feel soft. This will make you feel a lot better when you pull into the driveway in your EV9. After a long day at work, you’ll be glad to have this seat in the driver’s position.

Useful second-row storage

When the new Kia EV9 GT arrives, we hope it will still have the second-row slide-out center console from the lower trims. This is a covered cubby that slides out from the back of the center console to give you a shelf and a drawer for second-row passengers to use and enjoy. This is a good place for some snacks that can be enjoyed by the kids in the back of this electric three-row SUV. This cubby is something you don’t find in every SUV.

Customize your drive

The drive mode settings found in the Kia EV9 make it easy for you to create your own customized mode. This My Drive Mode allows you to pair features from two of the other modes to make this SUV drive the way you want. The other modes are Eco, Normal, Sport, and Snow, which makes for interesting combinations that allow you to have the customized mode that you want to enjoy during your drive. Create the My Drive Mode that works for you and put the driving qualities found in other modes together for this customized feature.

The rear camera images in your mirror

If the new Kia EV9 GT is the new top model for this three-row electric vehicle, it should include a rear camera mirror. This feature is also part of the Land and GT-Line trims, which come with a “full display mirror” that shows the images from the rearview camera in the mirror. This means you’ll have a clear camera feed with a wide view of what’s going on behind you during your drive. This mirror also allows you to have a vertical angle of view and adjust the brightness to your liking.

The EV9 doesn’t sound like an electric vehicle

EVs are supposed to drive silently, but for most drivers, not hearing anything going on under the hood would make for a jarring experience. In order to make drivers feel more comfortable with this three-row electric vehicle, Kia includes the “Sounds of Nature” program that brings relaxing natural sounds into your cabin. This means you can enjoy sounds that make you feel like you’re at the beach, walking through the snow, or flying through space. This is one way to replace the engine sounds that aren’t part of the EV9 experience.

A small cargo hold under the hood

The Kia EV9 doesn’t have a gas-powered engine, which leaves room for a frunk under the hood. This space is smaller than you might expect but still large enough for some of your stuff. This space measures 3.2 cubic feet in the Light trims and 1.8 cubic feet for the Wind and above models. Does this mean the Kia EV9 GT might not have a frunk at all? We’ll have to wait and find out.

The new Kia EV9 GT is on the way, but it won’t be here until next year. Until then, the current EV9 has a lot to offer.