Kia EV6 review - one of the best EVs on sale
"The Kia EV6 is one of the best electric cars on sale, with a great range and rapid charging"
Pros
- 300-mile+ range
- Fast charging
- Impressive tech
Cons
- Firm ride
- Rear headroom limited
- Smaller battery size not available in the UK
Verdict - Is the Kia EV6 a good car?
The Kia EV6 is a sporty electric hatchback with a range of over 300 miles, impressive 240kW rapid charging and a range of motor combinations – including a 577bhp flagship GT. The EV6 is closely related to the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which was our Best Family Electric Car for 2022. All this makes it a potential favourite in the battle between the Skoda Enyaq, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Cupra Born and Tesla Model Y.
Kia EV6 models, specs and alternatives
Top 10 best electric cars 2024
As Kia’s first purpose-built electric model that can’t be had with a petrol or plug-in hybrid powertrain, the EV6 has some key advantages. Its low centre of gravity allows for better handling and a flat floor improves passenger and luggage space compared with EVs derived from combustion-engined models.
As you'd imagine, it's a close-run fight between the EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 but even after we compare them back-to-back, the choice is likely to come down to personal taste. The Kia is more conventional and sporty looking than the quirky Hyundai, with a slightly more precise driving experience. The Hyundai is more striking and a bit more practical, with extra space in its back seats and boot.
The Kia stacks up well in its own right, however, with a competitive range figure and interior for the price, making it one of the best EVs in the £40,000-60,000 price bracket. Launched at the end of 2023, the Horizon trim level is the most compelling so far, costing just a tad more than the entry-level Air, but with quite a bit more kit. Above this sit GT-Line and GT-Line S versions, but unless you prefer their sporty looks, we’d argue they seem rather superfluous.
Three power levels are now offered in the UK: a more affordable rear-wheel-drive model, an all-wheel-drive version with an extra motor up front, and a high-performance flagship EV6 GT. All versions come with a 77.4kWh battery. The rear-wheel-drive model produces 226bhp and has a range of up to 328 miles. The all-wheel-drive model offers more power, for a total of 321bhp but with a reduced range of 314 miles. The GT gets a supercar-rivalling 577bhp, but despite its ‘grand tourer’ image, has the shortest range – at just 263 miles.
We've now tried all three, and it’s the rear-wheel-drive version in Horizon trim we’d recommend. It feels every bit as quick as its 7.3-second 0-62mph time suggests. It's very quiet, especially at town speeds, and feels slightly sharper than the equivalent Hyundai Ioniq 5. Not only does the EV6 look a bit more sporty thanks to its lower stance but its suspension is a notch firmer as well, improving body control but also transmitting a few more bumps into the seats.
Although the all-wheel-drive model is faster in a straight line, it doesn’t feel much more exciting to drive, has a shorter range and costs more, so we think the cheaper rear-wheel-drive version is the sweet spot in the range.
The EV6 GT is the most powerful production Kia to date, and with 577bhp it’s certainly not slow. It’ll get from 0-62mph in just 3.5 seconds and hit 162mph flat out. As well as adding a chunk of power, engineers have made changes to the suspension and brakes, amongst other things. Disappointingly, this version has the shortest range; the GT claims only 263 miles on a charge.
Inside the EV6, your eyes will be drawn quickly to the curved dual-screen setup for the instruments and infotainment, which spans the dashboard in a graceful arc. Materials are luxurious and the interior gives Volkswagen a run for its money in terms of build quality. There's ample space and lots of kneeroom even in the second row, although headroom does suffer somewhat because of the low roof. The 490-litre boot should come in handy, as will the 40-litre 'frunk' in the rear-wheel drive model.