2026 Kia EV9 GT-Line AWD Review

A Three-Row EV That Finally Fits Real Life

There’s a moment when you’re reviewing a vehicle where the specs stop mattering and the real test begins. The school runs. The grocery trips. The highway drives back and forth across Dallas traffic.

That’s exactly how I approached the 2026 Kia EV9 GT-Line AWD.

I picked it up, charged it once, and just lived with it. Commuting from Rockwall into downtown Dallas, running errands, hauling the kids around, and seeing whether a three-row electric SUV actually works in the real world. And by the end of the week, one thing became pretty clear: the EV9 might be the first big electric family SUV that actually makes sense.

If you want to see it out on the road and in action, we also walk through the whole experience in our full video review on the TXGarage YouTube channel. But after spending real time with it, there’s plenty to talk about here as well.

Looks That Stick

One thing Kia has done very well in the last few years is give its vehicles personality. The EV9 is a perfect example of that.

It’s big, boxy, and upright in a way that feels intentional. The proportions are clean, the stance is confident, and it manages to look futuristic without trying too hard. Electric vehicles can sometimes drift into the territory of “design experiment,” but the EV9 feels grounded.

This particular tester came finished in Wolf Gray with a black roof, which really works with the shape of the vehicle. The contrast highlights the squared-off design and gives the EV9 a premium look without being flashy.

Up front, the lighting signature is what grabs your attention first. The headlight design and digital pattern lighting grille give the EV9 a distinctive face, especially at night. It’s modern, but it still feels approachable — not something that looks like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie.

And that’s really the theme of the design. Interesting enough that it stands out in a parking lot, but not so radical that it scares off families looking for a practical SUV.

Inside the Future

Step inside the EV9 GT-Line and you immediately notice how open everything feels.

The interior of this tester combines gray seating with lighter trim elements, which helps keep the cabin bright and modern. It’s a nice balance — upscale without feeling overly sterile.

Front seats in the GT-Line are packed with comfort features. Heated, ventilated, and even massaging, they’re the kind of seats you appreciate on longer drives. The heated steering wheel is another nice touch, especially during the colder months.

Kia uses a wide digital display setup across the dash that combines the driver display and infotainment screens into a single visual panel. Technically they’re separate screens, but the design makes them look seamless.

The system works well overall, though there is one annoyance. The center screen that houses many of the climate controls sits partially behind the steering wheel depending on how it’s adjusted. That means when you’re trying to tweak settings on the move, you sometimes have to lean around the wheel to see everything clearly.

There are still some physical buttons, thankfully, but not as many as I’d like. Adjusting the rear climate from the front, in particular, can take a little more attention than it should.

It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s a reminder that sometimes traditional knobs and buttons still win when it comes to ease of use.

Second Row Comfort

One of the highlights of this EV9 GT-Line AWD is the second row.

This configuration uses captain’s chairs with power adjustment and leg supports. My kids were immediately impressed by the ability to recline, extend the leg rest, and just relax back there.

For families, that kind of comfort matters more than you might think. Long drives become a lot easier when the passengers in the middle row actually enjoy the ride.

Even the third row feels usable. Adults can sit back there without feeling cramped, and legroom remains respectable considering this is still an SUV rather than a full-size van.

Plugged and Ready

One of the biggest advantages of the 2026 Kia EV9 is its charging setup.

This model uses a Tesla-style charging port, which means access to the Tesla Supercharger network without needing adapters. That alone makes road trips far less stressful.

During my week with the vehicle, I stopped at a Supercharger with about 46 percent battery remaining. The EV9 estimated around 18 minutes to reach 80 percent and roughly an hour to reach a full charge — though most EV owners know stopping at 80 percent is usually the smarter move.

In practice, the charging experience was completely painless.

I charged the vehicle on Sunday and drove it all week without worrying about range. Commuting from Rockwall into Dallas, running errands, and making a few longer drives still left plenty of battery to spare.

For many families, that’s the real test of an EV. If it can handle your daily routine without constant charging stops, range anxiety fades pretty quickly.

Smooth and Confident

The 2026 Kia EV9 GT-Line AWD uses a dual-motor setup paired with a large battery pack, giving it both all-wheel drive capability and plenty of power.

But here’s the interesting part: I drove almost the entire week in Eco mode.

And it never felt slow.

Electric vehicles have instant torque by nature, and the EV9 takes advantage of that. Passing on the highway or merging into traffic happens quickly and smoothly. You don’t need to switch into Sport mode to get moving.

Sport mode does exist, and yes, it can make the EV9 feel surprisingly quick for such a large vehicle. But in everyday driving, Eco mode provides all the performance most drivers will ever need.

Ride quality is another highlight. The EV9 is quiet, comfortable, and easy to drive. Steering is light but predictable, making it easy to maneuver in parking lots or tight suburban streets.

Driver assistance systems like adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist also work well, though they aren’t quite as advanced as systems like GM’s Super Cruise. Still, for highway cruising they do the job reliably.

Overall, the EV9 feels composed and confident — exactly what you want in a large family vehicle.

Practical by Design

Three-row SUVs live or die by practicality.

Behind the third row, the EV9 still offers enough space for groceries, backpacks, and everyday cargo. It’s not massive, but it’s usable — and that’s the real measure.

Fold the third row down and the cargo area expands dramatically, giving you plenty of room for larger loads or road trip gear.

Passenger space is equally impressive. During the week I had both adults and kids riding along, and nobody complained about legroom or seat comfort.

That’s a good sign.

The EV9 manages to deliver real passenger space without sacrificing cargo usability, something not every three-row SUV manages.

Price and Perspective

The EV9 lineup starts at around $54,900 for the base Light SR trim. From there the range climbs through the Light Long Range, Wind, and Land models.

This tester — the 2026 Kia EV9 GT-Line AWD — carries a base price of $71,900 and an as-tested sticker of $76,670.

That’s a lot of money.

But it’s important to remember that the EV9’s biggest strength might actually be its lower trims. You don’t need the fully loaded GT-Line to get the space, range, and practicality that make this SUV appealing.

Compared to competitors like the Hyundai IONIQ 9, Cadillac’s electric three-row SUVs, or even the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, the EV9 finds an interesting middle ground. It offers real family space and modern EV technology without pushing prices into luxury territory.

And in at least one case — the Mercedes EQB — I’d honestly take the Kia.

The Takeaway

After a week of real-world driving, the 2026 Kia EV9 GT-Line AWD left a strong impression.

It’s comfortable, practical, easy to charge, and surprisingly enjoyable to drive. More importantly, it proves that electric vehicles don’t have to feel like compromises.

For families considering the jump to an EV, the EV9 is one of the most convincing arguments yet.

It’s not the most high-tech electric SUV on the market, and it’s not the fastest. But it might be the most approachable.

And sometimes that matters more.

The EV9 is a reminder that the best vehicles aren’t always the most complicated ones — they’re the ones that simply fit into your life.