Kia EV6 Review 2024

The Kia EV6 is probably best sampled in entry level Air trim. The basic model is well priced and has almost all of the feel-good factor of the pricier models, while also having the longest range of the lot. We doubt you'll ever miss all-wheel drive and while the basic car's 229PS performance is unremarkable on paper, it does the job just fine in practice. 

That said, some of the tech on GT-Line S trim is really impressive, while you'll bait sports cars with the all-wheel drive car's performance. It all depends on your budget, really. 

Similar? The Hyundai Ioniq 5 basically is the Kia EV6 but with a significant exterior and interior restyle. That said, the Hyundai has been set up more for comfort than the sporty driving Kia. There's also the equally closely related Genesis GV60, which is intended to be a more premium alternative.

Other rivals include the cool and classy Polestar 2, Ford's heritage-plugging Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen's electric SUV, the ID.4. The Mercedes EQA is smaller but posher, while there's also the practical Skoda Enyaq iV and the classy Audi Q4 e-tron. The Tesla Model Y is also worth considering, while the Nissan Ariya is strong all-rounder.

Sometimes EVs feel like a race to the bottom in terms of interior quality because so much money goes towards the batteries and huge infotainment screens, there's not much left for the soft-touch plastics we used to crow about. 

The Kia EV6 hasn't completely avoided this, but it feels nicer inside than some of Volkswagen's latest EV efforts. Pretty wallpaper-like trim coverings do redress the balance, and the doors feel nice and plush. Only the wobbly centre armrest disappoints.

The Kia EV6 has a huge infotainment screen that stretches from behind the steering wheel to the centre of the dashboard, which tech nerds will tell you is actually two 12.3-inch screens merged together. Either way, it looks as high-tech as any other system on the market right now. 

If we were being nerdy again, it doesn't have the bright colours, depth and vibrance of the screens you get in the Volkswagen ID.4, but it's close, and you also don't need a doctorate in computer programming just to operate it. Which is definitely a good thing.

Sticking a postcode into the nav is easy and it'll factor in charging stops on long journeys. It also has the central pillars to any good infotainment system: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both wireless. 

Below the centre half of the big screen, you get a crisp-looking dual-purpose touchscreen that switches its roles between sat-nav and air-con functions. It's a neat solution, which also looks cool, and although it can be a little more fiddly than conventional buttons, you can select either display role to be the default one. 

If the dual-purpose screen is cool, the head-up display (HUD) is infotainment hedonism. It does all your standard HUD stuff, projecting things like your speed and sat-nav directions onto the car's windscreen. 

But it also interacts with your surroundings, letting you play Maverick from Top Gun – sadly, without the Sidewinders – by tracking other vehicles in your immediate vicinity, and highlighting them as they overtake. Even the sat-nav's directions are interactive: as you approach turns and junctions, a scrolling arrow directs you where to go.

Getting into the Kia EV6 is easy because the large batteries stored in the floor mean the seat is much higher than you realise, so you slide sideways onto the driver's seat, rather than dropping down into it. 

Unsurprisingly, there's loads of room for tall adults to stretch out in the front, the seats feel well padded, and the width of the car means you'll not be elbowing your front-seat passenger. 

The back seat is similarly impressive with plenty of head-, elbow- and kneeroom. Large rear doors give decent access, and the rear-seat backrest reclines by a few degrees. Tall people shouldn't have too much of an issue with headroom, even if there's less than in the Ioniq 5, although we'd avoid the sunroof of the Kia EV6 GT Line S if you regularly carry tall passengers in the back.

The only downside is that your knees sit at a steeper angle than feels natural due to the high floor. This is a common EV issue, and it's not as bad in the EV6 as in some. That said, the floor is completely flat meaning there's plenty of room for three passengers' feet, although we feel there could be a little more support in the middle seat.

Everything else in the back is very well thought out. Tiny quarter lights at the back of the car keep the cabin bright, you get separate rear air vents, plus bright white LED lighting and a pair of USB plugs in the backs of the front seats.

Even with the Kia filled with people, there's plenty of smaller storage spaces to hide their stuff. There are large felt-lined door bins (a VW trick that stops things jangling about), a huge tray under the control console between the front seats, another lidded cubby under the armrest and a large glovebox that is nicely damped. You'll even find airplane-style pockets that won't sag on the backs of the front seats.

Any nasty surprises when you get to the boot? No, not really. The Kia EV6 has a 490-litre capacity and rear-wheel drive models get a bonus 52 litres of storage under the bonnet. That outright capacity is a bit down on rivals like the Skoda Enyaq iV and Ford Mustang Mach-E, however. 

The boot's hatchback style opening makes it easy to load bulky items – even if the sloping roofline makes it less practical than an estate – and there's no lip to lift things over. Fold the back seats down, easily done by yanking a couple of handles at the front of the load bay, and the floor remains flat once the back seats are locked down into position. 

Complaints? Well, the hidden storage area under the floor is a little shallow and basic versions of the EV6 don't get an electric opening/closing boot: something to bear in mind as the boot lid weighs quite a significant amount.

The Kia EV6 is currently available with three power outputs: a rear-wheel-drive, long-range model with 229PS, a 325PS all-wheel drive car that leans more towards performance, and the range-topping EV6 GT with 585PS for supercar-baiting performance.

Which to choose? Honestly, we would stick with the 229PS car. In real-world terms, it has all the performance you'll ever need – all EV6s surge forwards from low speeds with the effortlessness of a Bullet Train riding a power surge – and the basic car is no different. Its acceleration time of 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds doesn't do justice to its big-wave thrust from a standstill.

What's more, the single gear and the nature of an EV's power delivery - which can be modulated with microscopic precision - means you'll get that performance in one seamless lump without having to worry about gear changes. It's perfect for modern driving's cut-and-thrust.

Unconvinced? Okay, we can't deny the 325PS model is quicker: it does 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds, the performance doesn't tail off too much on faster roads, and the four-wheel-drive system that gives extra traction. However, there is a slight trade-off in range and cost.

The trade-off on both counts is bigger with the Kia EV6 GT, but that's a decision you'll make consciously. This 585PS dual-motor lunatic does the 0-62mph dash in a ludicrous 3.5 seconds, and that makes it a Kia that's faster than most Ferraris.

We think the more affordable rear-wheel-drive models make more sense than their pricier all-wheel-drive alternatives in the Kia EV6 range, and that's compounded by the fact they can travel slightly further between charges. According to WLTP tests, a Kia EV6 Air or GT-Line with the RWD drivetrain can officially travel up to 328 miles. That will drop slightly in the real world (just like petrol or diesel cars, efficiency depends on a range of factors including driving style and even the weather), but you should be able to see 250 miles plus from a charge in most situations.

Kia quotes a range of 314 miles for the EV6 GT-Line AWD, while the GT-Line S RWD manages 313 miles. This drops to 300 miles from the all-wheel-drive GT-Line S. The high-performance Kia EV6 GT has an official range of 263 miles.

When you've had one of those days and just want to get home in comfort and serenity, the Kia EV6 is a brilliant companion. Without a petrol or diesel engine, the EV6 has an obvious advantage in terms of refinement compared to conventional alternatives, but it goes further than that. You won't hear much in the way of wind- or road noise, either, particularly if you buy one of the lower-spec models with their smaller alloy wheels (and, crucially, more bump-absorbing tyres).

The Kia EV6 has been given the full five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP, with strong scores across the board. 

Standard safety kit includes automatic emergency brakes that detect cars, cyclists and pedestrians, plus lane assist and active cruise control that means the car can, more or less, drive itself on A roads and motorways while you keep your hands on the wheel and your foot off the pedals. 

Kia EV6 GT-Line S models upgrade the standard car's Highway Driver Assist for Highway Driver Assist 2: as well as driving you down a road like the standard system, HDA2 can deal with junctions autonomously and, so long as it is safe to do so, overtake other cars on the motorway when you indicate to pull out. 

The Kia EV6 is still a relatively new electric car but we've heard of very few issues or gremlins. The brand performs well in reliability surveys such as HonestJohn.co.uk's annual Satisfaction Index, while Kia's sector-leading seven-year, 100,000 mile warranty - which covers all the EV components - should go some way to temper any fears you have. Electric cars also have fewer moving parts than petrols and diesels, so there's less to go wrong in the first place, their regenerative brakes prolong the life of discs and pads, plus there are no expensive oil and spark plug changes to worry about. 

The cheapest Kia EV6 to insure is the Air, which sits in insurance group 34, while the most expensive is the high-performance EV6 GT, which is in group 45. The rest of the range sits somewhere in the middle.

What this means in reality depends on your personal circumstances, such as how many miles you cover each year, your home address and your level of driving experience and claim history. The Kia EV6 could be quite an expensive car to insure (it's quite a complex car to repair following a crash), so it's worth shopping around for insurance quotes.

Electric cars are currently exempt from road tax, although that's set to change from 2025. That means if you buy a Kia EV6 now, you'll enjoy free road tax for a couple of years before being stung with an annual bill similar to taht of a regular petrol or diesel car. That currently stands at £190 per year, but that will likely rise by the time 2025 rolls around.  There's a further catch - those electric cars with a list price when new of more than £40,000 - which includes all EV6 models - will be liable for the additional surcharge for premium cars, meaning you'll have to stump up hundreds more in VED between years two and six of the car's life. Again, this is currently £90, but will likely go up by 2025.

The rules do change fairly regularly, so it's worth checking out the latest road tax rates before parting with your cash.

The Kia EV6 is available in three trim levels: Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S. 

The Kia EV6 Air is easy to spot by its modest styling, 17-inch wheels and lightly tinted rear windows. Inside, you get vegan-leather seats that are manually adjustable with electric lumbar support. The front seats and steering wheel are heated, you get two 12.3-inch displays with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, hooked up to a six-speaker stereo. You also get rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

The Kia EV6 GT-Line gets black 19-inch wheels, more heavily tinted rear windows and a GT-Line body kit that make it more visually arresting than the basic model. Suede seats mean it also feels posher on the inside and the seats are electrically adjustable in the front. You also get wireless phone charging and front parking sensors.

Kia EV6 GT-Line S models look a tad sportier still thanks to their 20-inch alloy wheels and, from the outside, you'll also notice their electrically operated sunroof. Inside, you get desirable kit like cooled front seats, heated rear seats, plus the heavy boot lid opens and closes electrically. The basic stereo is also replaced with a 14-speaker Meridian system, you get a 360-degree view parking camera, and you can park the car remotely. 

Standard equipment on the Kia EV6 GT includes 21-inch alloy wheels, GT exterior styling with neon green brake calipers and rear privacy glass. Inside, the GT comes with black suede bucket seats with neon green stitching, manually adjustable front seats, heated seats (front and rear), a power tailgate and alloy pedals.