Kia flagship EV9 GT..Near-Perfect High-Performance Large SUV Appears
Mar 10, 2025
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The strong acceleration and zero-back 4.5-second performance that threatens sports cars shows that the car is not just a family SUV. Despite its huge body, it shows impressive driving performance and sets a new benchmark in the electric SUV market.
The Kia EV9 GT is a model that faithfully meets the specifications of a large SUV while showing strong performance. The full length is 5,015mm, the full width is 1,980mm, and the overall height is 1,755mm. The wheelbase is 3,100mm, and it boasts a considerable size even at a glance. It's almost like the Kia minivan carnival.
The test car is a full option and costs 91.73 million won.The battery has a 99.8 kWh battery capacity, and the certified driving distance when fully charged is 408 kilometers in complex, 431 kilometers in urban areas, and 380 kilometers on highways.The manufacturer's announced zero-back acceleration was 4.5 seconds, but Kagai's actual measurement using a performance timer showed 4.6 seconds.
EV9 GT appearance is similar to the basic model, but has a detailed differentiated design element. The front part is not much different from the basic EV9.The bumper shape was partially changed and the grill garnish finished in a dark color.
There is a bigger difference in the side. The window chrome line has been changed to black.The roof rack is also black to highlight the sporty feel.
GT-only 21-inch wheels and neon color (green) brake calipers are applied to give a differentiated impression.The tires are equipped with Continental Sports Contact 6.It is a high-performance tire for summer, so care must be taken when operating in winter.
The rear side is also not much different from the EV9 basic model.Although a bumper exclusively for GT has been applied, it is difficult to notice a big difference in appearance other than the GT emblem. It has a simple design that feels like a large SUV. Starmap Signature, Kia's latest design element, is applied to the rear lamp.
Trunk space also provides ample space as it is a vehicle with a total length of more than 5 meters.
It also provides two and three thermoelectric remote folding and a V2L terminal that can use 220V electronics indoors.
If you open the hood, there is a small frunk storage space and a space where you can exchange the air conditioner filter. Usually, Hyundai-Kia vehicles are often exchanged near the passenger seat in the first row, but this method has been seen for the first time in a long time since the old Starex.
When entering the room, differentiated elements of EV9 GT are placed everywhere. Basically, the Ergo Modern seat is applied, and it is equipped with an electric function that can adjust the bolster and legrest. Digital side mirrors are also standard on GT.
seat adds a GT-specific neon color point to harmonize the alkantara with leather. The seat cushion is rather firm and the leather texture feels luxurious.Considering the price range, the more differentiated finish may feel regrettable.
The steering wheel also includes an electric telescopic function.The dashboard and the handle were applied with artificial leather.
Various materials are applied to the dashboard and door trim to emphasize the sense of luxury. The ambient light can be adjusted separately at the top and bottom, allowing individual color setting.
However, despite being the most expensive flagship model in Kia with a price range of close to 100 million won, it is regrettable that it lacks interior distinction from other models.
The instrument board also follows the composition of a typical Kia.It lacks originality as a flagship electric SUV. The air conditioning system can be seen through a separate display on the right side of the instrument panel, but there is still a problem of poor visibility while driving due to partial cover by steering wheels.
It was finished with an aluminum pedal.The accelerator pedal added a '+' mark and the brake pedal added a '-' mark to add detailed details.
In addition, navigation and multimedia buttons are separated by touch, improving operability.Vibration feedback is also provided when the button is entered.
Navigation Setup button touch recognition is poor based on the top full option test drive and multimedia screen blackouts intermittently seem to need improvement.
Airplane display position is fresh. However, while driving, a part of the display is covered in the steering wheel, so visibility is not good.
The digital outside mirror is applied to the EV9 GT by default.It also has excellent night vision. When passing through a narrow parking lot entrance and exit lamp, it is impossible to look up and adjust the angle like the existing mirror method, and it can be somewhat inconvenient to change the camera composition.
In addition, by scanning the QR code located under the digital side mirror, you can see the introduction of the material applied to the EV9 interior.
The rear seat also provides an electric control seat including heating and ventilation, legrest, massage, and relaxation functions. However, Legrest actually feels uncomfortable unless the passenger seat is moved forward.
Instead of the Panorama sunroof, a rear-seat sunroof that does not support debt was provided separately to minimize frustration.
The rear seat also supports both heating and ventilation. By employing a three-zone air conditioner, the temperature and air volume can be controlled separately. It also provides a massage function, providing comfort that is not lacking in long distances. Unfortunately, the side electric blinds are not supported.
The biggest strength of EV9 GT is its strong acceleration performance. Based on the manufacturer's announcement, it boasts a zero-back of 4.5 seconds, and when measured with a performance timer, it was marked as 4.6 seconds, which is close.
Due to the characteristics of the electric vehicle, the maximum torque is displayed immediately.It provides strong straight acceleration in combination with the all-wheel drive system. As soon as you step on the accelerator pedal, torque is delivered immediately, so the acceleration of the escape is very good. Thanks to the long wheel base, straight stability is easy when driving at high speed. The maximum speed is limited at 220 km/h.
The reaction of the lower body is softer than expected when crossing the speed bump.In particular, the rear suspension absorbs shock flexibly.When passing through certain irregularities such as bumps, the vibration of the body popping up intermittently occurred, causing unpleasantness. This seems to be a common problem in other vehicles with the E-GMP platform.
After setting the electronically controlled suspension to Sports Plus mode, I went over the speed bump again. As it was a GT model, I expected a solid setting, but it maintained a softer ride than I thought.
When entering the bend for the first time, it showed a certain level of inhibition of the roll. Rolling inhibition appears to be somewhat lacking on a bend with repetitive corners. The body exits the corner, allowing some rolling.
On a proper winding road, limitations due to vehicle size and weight over 2.5 tons are revealed. The electronically controlled suspension becomes a little harder in Potts Plus mode, but still maintains a relatively smooth ride.
Electronic LSD is applied to distribute left and right driving power to help corner. Due to the nature of large SUVs with high garages, rolling suppression is not perfect, so the limit is clear in sharp corners. In particular, in the hairpin section, the feeling of leaning the body is somewhat higher. It's hard to expect agility like a sports sedan.
Steering gear ratio is long due to the characteristics of large SUVs.When cornering, a half-beat slow reaction comes out. The brake performance is impressive.Even with repeated sudden braking, performance degradation is not significant.
Due to the weight of the vehicle itself, it is a stable and fun tendency based on ample output rather than a setting for completely radical sports driving. The brake performance is better than the existing EV9. Even in repetitive high-speed rapid braking situations, it is not easily exhausted, is stable, and maintains steady braking.
EV9 GT is a model suitable for consumers who want the practicality, space, and performance of family SUVs at the same time. You can experience the strong acceleration of electric vehicles, but it is a vehicle that is difficult to expect smooth handling at the level of sports sedans.
However, it has clear advantages as a family SUV, such as large space, various convenience specifications, and the use of luxurious materials. Above all, however, the high price of nearly 100 million won compared to performance is holding back.
EV9 GT provides both strong performance and practicality to drivers looking for high-performance electric SUVs, but its somewhat disappointing winding performance and high price are factors to consider.
One line review
Advantage: Relaxed space and strong performance of 585 horsepower..Braking performance stable against repeated braking
Disadvantage: High price compared to completeness..Intermittent navigation blackouts are urgently needed to be improved
Editor Choi Hyun-wook hw.choi@carguy.kr
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
