The 2023 Kia EV6, a Hyundai Ioniq 5’s fraternal twin and winner of our 10Best Trucks and SUVs award, successfully negotiates the EV market with nimble handling and a very innovative design.
Rear-wheel drive is the norm, despite the fact that all-wheel drive vehicles are more potent and may be selected with larger battery packs with a maximum driving range of 310 miles.
Hot-shoe drivers should go for the new GT version of this year’s model because it boasts 576 horsepower, which will make Stinger owners envious as it passes them.
This year’s top model in the EV6 series, the ballistically speedy GT, comes equipped with an adjustable suspension and 576 horsepower. Along with the GT’s improved performance, Kia has also given the interior racier touches like sport seats and neon green trim.
The base price of the EV6 increased by $7100 in 2023 due to the elimination of the entry-level Light trim and the replacement of it with the rear-wheel-drive Wind model.
Pricing and Which One to Buy.
Light :$43,925 Wind:$50,025
Wind AWD:$53,695 GT-Line:$54,225
GT-Line AWD:$58,695 GT AWD:$62,925
EV Motor, Power, and Performance.
The EV6 can have an electric motor put on the rear axle to provide rear-wheel drive, or it can have electric motors on the front and back axles to provide all-wheel drive.
The GT-Line AWD we tested in Europe impressed us with its smooth acceleration, responsive handling, and tunable regenerative braking settings.
That 320-hp GT-Line model produced a swift 4.5-second zero-to-60-mph performance at our test track. More range is available if you choose the rear-wheel drive option, but in our testing, it took 6.7 seconds to reach 60 mph.
Range, Charging, and Battery Life.
Two battery sizes are available for the Kia EV6: a 58.0-kWh pack and a 77.4-kWh pack. Of those, the larger one will undoubtedly offer a greater driving range. The larger, long-range battery is EPA-rated for up to 310 miles, while the smaller, regular battery has an EPA-rated range of 232 miles.
On our 75 mph highway fuel-economy route, we drove an all-wheel-drive Wind variant, which comes standard with a larger battery pack, and measured 230 miles of real-world highway driving range before Kia claims that its battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent when plugged into a 350-kW fast-charger in under 18 minutes and has an operational voltage of 800.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo.
Inside, the EV6’s layout and style are less avant-garde than they are on the outside, but it still has more beautiful and cutting-edge amenities than any other current Kia car.
The EV6 combines high-tech features like a digitized dashboard with practical features like a floating center console with plenty of storage options and a large bin underneath it.