KIA EV6

Kia reaches a new level with the stunning EV6

Andrew Walker

2021 has seen the number of electric cars coming to market gather speed. The latest to arrive is the KIA EV6, the brand’s first dedicated electric vehicle. It’s underpinned by the new E-GMP platform and is the first of 11 all-new BEVs to be launched by Kia by 2026, which just goes to show how quickly electric cars are taking over. After spending two days driving it, we can say with certainty that it’s one of the best electric cars yet.

Models and powertrains

There’s a choice of two powertrains: 226bhp RWD single motor or 321bhp AWD dual motor, both coming with 77.4kWh battery packs as standard. From launch you can choose from three models; ‘Air’, ‘GT-Line’ or ‘GT-Line S’, with a high-performance ‘GT’ flagship to join the range later. Entry level ‘Air’ is only offered in rear-wheel drive, with ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ models available with both rear or all-wheel drive.

Battery range and performance

The RWD EV6 can travel up to 328 miles on a single charge. With a power output of 226bhp and maximum torque of 350Nm, it can sprint to 62mph in 7.3 seconds and will go on to reach a maximum speed of 114mph. The AWD EV6 with dual motor, offers 321bhp and 605Nm of torque. It accelerates to 62mph in just 5.2 seconds, with a top speed of 114mph. Battery range is 314 miles on the combined WLTP cycle for GT-Line models fitted with 19” wheels and up to 300 miles for GT-Line S models with larger 20” wheels.

Charging

The EV6 comes with a multi high-speed charging system which is compatible with both 800V ultra-fast charging and more mainstream 400V fast charging, without the need for a special adapter or additional on-board charger.

All models are equipped with a Type 2-to-Type 2 charger, as well as a Type 2-to-Domestic three-pin plug charger. For home use, a 7kW home charger will recharge the EV6 from 10 – 100% in 7 hours 20 minutes. Out on the road, a 50kW rapid charger will take the car from 10-80% in just 1 hour 13 minutes. Plug in to a 350kW ultra-fast charger and it only take 18 minutes to recharge from 10-to-80%. Our advice as always is to invest in a home charger and plug in whenever you can. We recommend Rolec; see http://www.rolecserv.com/home-charging .

Exterior

Kia has resisted the temptation to over ‘SUV’ the EV6, so what you get is a five-door Sportback with plenty of internal space. The front comes with a new ‘Digital Tiger Face’ which includes a sequential dynamic light pattern. Below this sits a low air intake for optimum aerodynamics. A character line runs along the bottom of the doors and at the back, there’s a sloping C-pillar with an integrated black glossy insert, a roof spoiler and rear lights that wrap around the edges of the boot hatch.

Interior

The uncluttered dashboard is dominated by the infotainment and instrument cluster screens, which stretch across two-thirds of the dash. Below them sits the new multi-mode display, something which will feature in future Kia cabin designs. It replaces physical buttons with a dedicated ‘haptic’ touchscreen, providing shortcuts to climate control, infotainment and SatNav. You don’t need to delve into too many sub-menus to choose what you want, a problem associated with many existing car infotainment systems. It’s easy to work, too.

Thinking outside the box, Kia has cleverly incorporated premium relaxation seats on GT-Line and GT-Line S models. At the touch of a button, the seats can lift and recline, enabling the driver and front passenger to relax while the EV6 is parked or charging, something electric car drivers spend plenty of time doing.

Practicality

Up front you get a storage tray and on GT-Line and GT-Line S models, an integrated wireless charging pad. The glovebox comes with 10.5 litres of space and there’s front and rear drinks holders. Connect your device with two USB inputs, a normal and a C version and in the rear, the twin C USB inputs are located on the inside edges of the front seats. There’s also a plug socket in the centre rear, allowing you to plug-in a domestic appliance, useful for festivals or e-bike charging while on the go. Another design feature is the floating front centre binnacle, with additional storage space underneath.

The boot comes with 490 litres of storage. Fold down the 60:40 second-row of seats and this increases to almost 1,300 litres. The EV6 also offers bonus storage. At the front, in the ‘frunk’, there’s an additional 52 litres of space in RWD models and 20 litres for AWD models. There’s also space underneath the rear boot floor, perfect for that charging cable.

Regenerative braking

The EV6 features a new ‘i-PEDAL’ mode. It’s been designed to enable easy one-pedal driving in most driving conditions. It works really well, perhaps too well. Luckily, there are three other regenerative levels, of which Level 3, one below i-PEDAL is a great compromise. This allows you to recharge the batteries but not to the detriment of the driving experience. You can go backwards from here, through regen 2, then 1 and can also turn the regen off altogether, which really makes the EV6 a fun car to drive.

Driving

We had the opportunity to drive the AWD GT Line S and a RWD GT Line at the UK press launch in Suffolk. Once sat comfortably behind the wheel we headed out from Stansted Airport towards deepest Suffolk on a route designed to showcase the EV6’s driving manners.

On the motorway you can utilise the ADAS functions, sit back and enjoy the ride. We seamlessly connected our iPhone to Apple CarPlay and were able to make and receive a number of hands-free calls, the quietness inside the EV6 being a real bonus.

There’s a slot-car feel to the all-wheel-drive model on winding B roads, particularly round the corners. Yes, you can still feel the battery weight, but it doesn’t spoil the fun on the AWD version, which was particularly accomplished on corners. The comforting ‘Scalextric’ hum of the engine

only increases the enjoyment and I found myself smiling as the journey progressed.

The rear-wheel-drive version is not quite as much fun, making slightly harder work of the same driving route in the opposite direction. Don’t get me wrong, compared to other electric cars, it’s still pretty damn good and sportier overall than the Hyundai IONIQ 5 which is built on the same platform.

As we drove along we switched between the three driving modes – Eco, Normal and Sport. Each does what is says on the tin. The longer you spend in the EV6, the better you’ll get at selecting which driving mode and regeneration level works best for you, or the driving situation you’re in. We found that Eco or Normal mode at regen level 3 worked well and was the most satisfying for urban driving or slow traffic. On the motorway, level 1 or 2 of regen was better.

The one-pedal mode, which offers the highest level of regen and reduces your need for the brake, is quite heavy and your right foot will begin to ache after a few miles. Plainly, when battery range isn’t your paramount concern, turning off the regen and driving in Sport mode opens up the performance and the EV6 definitely doesn’t disappoint. The car’s ability to iron out the shakes associated with large battery EVs also shines through.

Pros

Like the IONIQ 5, the EV6 uses 800 volt technology, so the the battery can charge much faster. Currently, only a couple of other electric cars are able to do the same. For the company car driver, it’s 1% BIK and 300-mile range make the EV6 a very attractive choice indeed. Furthermore, it’s an exciting looking car, features on-trend tech, comes equipped with high levels of safety and there’s space inside for five.

Cons

The i-PEDAL will aid battery range but makes your right foot work hard for it. While we love how the EV6 looks, some may prefer a less interesting looking car to own.

Conclusion

We were blown away by the Hyundai IONIQ 5, both by how good it looks and how well it drives. Arguably, the EV6 is even more attractive and thanks to its sleeker profile, is actually more fun on the road, too. However, it’s not all about fun. The EV6 is also realistically priced and looks and feels like a car you could live with every day. Add in a 300-mile real world battery range and it’s a car that offers a compelling argument to make that switch from your existing petrol or self-charging hybrid to a full-electric car.

CC&V VERDICT

Simply, one of the best electric cars yet

CC&V RATING:

N N N N N