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Electric Kia, EV9 GT with virtual gearbox that feels like a real automatic and restyled EV6 debuts

The new series of the crossover-coupé, which also includes the most powerful electric Kia ever, and a new version of the Korean manufacturer's largest suv that pushes driving pleasure to new heights with Launch Control and a virtual dual-clutch gearbox, respectively, arrive in Italy.

by Massimo Mambretti

14 July 2025

3' min read

Key points

Kia, what the revamped EV6 looks like
Kia, the EV9 GT has a virtual gearbox that perfectly simulates a real automatic

3' min read

The expansion and renewal of the Kia range continues at a pace matched by very few other brands. As it prepares to launch the new generation of the Sportage suv and announces the forthcoming introduction of the EV5, an M-size electric high-wheeler, it is introducing substantial updates to its first electric native models, namely the EV6 crossover-coupé voted Car of the Year in 2022 and the imposing EV9 suv, which can also be chosen with a seven-seat cabin. The newcomers come with remodelled ranges that offer not only longer range and many technological innovations, but also GT variants, the most powerful and sophisticated of their respective families, based on the E-GMP native electric architecture with 800-volt mains. This is what they look like.

Kia, what the revamped EV6 looks like

Revised in many respects, the EV6 now features a revamped exterior design, a new fourth-generation 84 kWh battery (8.5 per cent larger than the previous generation) that offers a single charge range of up to 582 kilometres according to the Wltp standard, and more functionality.

The new EV6 features Kia's new family feeling. The front end now incorporates daytime running lights with Kia's innovative Star Map lighting, giving it a futuristic, sporty look. The overall aesthetics are further enhanced by a harmonious line that seamlessly connects the bonnet to the lower section of the vehicle, as well as the eye-catching wing-shaped bumper design, which adds an extra element of dynamism. Newly designed blinds stand out from the side, while the new rear light signature tends to amplify the EV6's width. Into the cabin comes a newly designed steering wheel, a fingerprint recognition system on the centre console, an upgraded wireless charging pad for smartphones and the latest generation of always-on infotainment inherited from the latest Kia.

The revamped EV6 is available in three versions with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive with power outputs of 229, 325 and 650 hp and 63 or 84 kWh batteries. The range on sale at prices ranging from €46,000 to €76,000 includes the Air and Gt-Line trims for the less powerful versions and the exclusive GT trim for the more powerful EV6, which, along with all-wheel drive, offers the larger battery size that can cross the 100 km/h mark in 3"5 with the new Launch Control mode, which is complemented by the new GT car configuration.

Kia, the EV9 GT has a virtual gearbox that perfectly simulates a real automatic

If in the case of the EV6 the GT acronym identifies the most powerful electric Kia to date, in that of the EV9 it refers to the most powerful version in the range. Indeed, the most powerful SUV ever made by Kia. In fact, the twin-engine powertrain that generates the electric all-wheel drive delivers 508 horsepower and propels this variant of the big suv, 0.000 metres long and with a mass of 0000 kg, to 100 mph in 4"6. The system is powered by a 99.8 kWh battery that recharges from 10 to 80 per cent DC in 24 minutes.

The Virtual Gear Shift, which simulates an automatic gearbox that can be used in all car configurations except Eco and Terrain for low-grip surfaces, enters the Kia line-up. The driver can use the steering wheel-mounted controls on both sides to manually shift gears, while the feeling of driving an Ice-powered car is amplified by the Active Sound Design that faithfully reproduces the sound of the engine accompanying gear changes in the cabin. In addition, the EV9 GT adopts Road Preview, which makes use of advanced sensors and the front camera to check road conditions and any imperfections in the road surface, which sets the electronic suspension in the best possible way to effectively overcome bumps and thus improve dynamism and comfort.

On sale at prices starting at €90,000 at the same time as the MY 2026 release of the EV9Gt-Line with a six- or seven-seat interior whose price list starts at €83,000, the EV9 GT features exclusive exterior and interior elements and is offered with virtually full-featured equipment and a seven-passenger cabin.