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Kia has expanded its performance-skewed GT range of models with three new EVs, but they may not come to Australia.
Electric Cars
Kia unveiled three new high-performance GT models for its electric car portfolio at the Brussels motor show – but none are guaranteed for Australian showrooms.
The Kia EV3 compact SUV, EV4 hatch and sedan, and EV5 medium SUV were all shown with upgraded GT variants.
While the GT badge has been used on petrol-engined models previously, as well as on flagship versions of the EV6 and EV9 electric cars based on an 800-volt architecture, the new models mark the first appearance of the GT badge on Kia’s 400-volt electric vehicles.
The EV3 GT, EV4 GT and EV5 GT are also the first of Kia’s GT-badged electric vehicles, which send more power to the front wheels than the rears, unlike the EV6 and EV9, which use rear-biased all-wheel drive.
The EV3 GT and EV4 GT models share the same platform and drivetrain upgrades, featuring a combined 215kW output and dual-motor all-wheel drive with a 145kW front motor and 70kW rear motor.
The most powerful EV3 GT-Line sold in Australia currently has a single 150kW motor driving the front wheels, with the same 81.4kWh battery as the new GT versions.
Acceleration to 100km/h in the EV3 GT takes 5.7 seconds, or a slightly quicker 5.6 seconds in the EV4 GT. By comparison, the EV3 GT-Line quotes a 7.9-second time, or 7.5 seconds for the lighter EV3 Air Standard Range.
Kia has added a GT-specific suspension tune with electronically controlled adaptive dampers, and both EV3 and EV4 GT models are quipped with 20-inch alloy wheels and performance tyres.
Kia says the suspension tuning changes result in improved cornering stability and “a more focused and immersive driving character.”
The brand's Virtual Gear Shift system, which adds pauses and torque surges into the driving experience to mimic the feel of a dual-clutch transmission, and active sound design with GT-specific modes, are also equipped.
The interior of the EV3 GT receives neon interior accents, ambient lighting linked to drive modes, and semi-bucket seats inspired by those fitted to the EV9 GT.
The EV4 GT gets a similar seating and colour highlight upgrade, and a GT-specific three-spoke steering wheel.
The larger EV5 GT previewed in European guise actually takes a small step down in power compared to the all-wheel drive EV5 sold in Australia.
Kia quotes a 225kW combined output for the EV5 GT, down 5kW on the combined claim for the EV5 AWD in Australia, which has a 160kW front and 70kW rear electric motor drivetrain. The EV5 GT instead runs a 155kW front motor and 70kW rear motor.
Battery capacity is also down slightly on the Australian version of the EV5, with an 81.4kWh capacity instead of the 88.1kWh battery fitted to Long Range models here.
Acceleration from 0-100km/h is claimed to take 6.2 seconds in the EV5 GT, compared to 6.1 seconds for an EV5 Earth AWD or 6.3 Seconds for the GT-Line AWD.
Changes to the EV5 GT include sport seats and ambient lighting linked to drive modes, but the EV5 skips the virtual gear shift system of the EV3 and EV4.
Chassis changes include high-performance tyres and GT-specific tuning for the electronically controlled suspension.
Externally, apart from wheels and badging, the three new GT models look similar to the existing GT-Line versions of their respective models. The sports seats, neon green interior highlights and neon green brake calipers mark a more pronounced change.
Kia Australia confirmed that the EV5 GT shown at Brussels won't reach our shores, with its production based out of Korea, unlike Australian-bound EV5s, which are sourced from China.
The EV3 GT and EV4 GT are under consideration for a local introduction, but are still unconfirmed at this stage, with a spokesperson for Kia Australia telling Drive it has its "hand up for all new Kia EV product," but that they are "under study for Australia".
Kia Australia head of product planning, Roland Rivero, told Drive last year: "Small SUV sales are, to a large part, front-wheel drive or two-wheel drive anyway.
"We are looking into it, but at this point in time, there's no rush to add any more variants to EV3."
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Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
