2022 Kia EV6

The Kia EV6 is a Kia, but not as you know it. The Kia EV6 is a bold SUV that is sleek, sporty, and sure to turn heads. This car has made such an impression, and there’s already an extensive waitlist in Australia, so let’s look at why this could be the perfect EV for you.

Overview

Variants:

Kia EV6 Air RWD Single Motor, Kia EV6 GT-Line RWD Single Motor, and the Kia E6 GT-Line AWD Dual Motor

Range:

528km (Air), 504km (GT-Line) and 484km (GT-Line AWD)

Charging time and ports:

11 hours on an 11kW charger, 1h15m on a 50kW charger and 18 minutes to go from 10-80% on a 350kW charger. The Kia EV6 uses a Type 2 AC/350kW DC charger.

Battery:

77.4kWh high-voltage lithium across all models

Power:

168kW (Air and GT-Line RWD) and 239kW (GT-Line AWD)

Efficiency (Vehicle consumption):

16.5kWh (Air), 17.2kWh (GT-Line RWD), and 18.0kWh (GT-Line AWD)

Acceleration:

0-100 km/h in 7.3s (Air and GT-Line RWD), and 0-100 km/h in 5.2 (GT-Line AWD)

Top Speed:

185km/h (Air and GT-Line RWD) and 260km/h (GT-Line AWD)

Torque:

350Nm(Air and GT-Line RWD) and 605Nm (GT-Line AWD)

Weight:

2000KG (Air and GT-Line), 2105kg (GT-Line AWD)

Drive Type:

RWD and AWD

Dimensions:

L 4680-4695mm, W 1880-1890mm and H 1550mm

Design & look

The Kia EV6 might not be the cheapest EV going around – you could get the Polestar 2 or the Tesla Model 3 for less – but it is one of the best EVs on the market right now… if you can get your hands on one. Kia’s foray into the EV space has caused quite a stir, with a current waitlist of about 25,000 in Australia alone!

Its design is undoubtedly unique, and as a large SUV (based on its dimensions), it’s quite sporty, sleek and modern. And despite its SUV label, it could almost be considered a large hatchback or coupe-style SUV – something very different for Kia.

It’s unsurprising to note that the car has won several design awards, including the 2022 Red Dot Design Award for Best of the Best Car Design. It is also the Wheels Car of the Year for 2022.

There are three different variants of the Kia EV6: the Air RWD Single Motor, the GT-Line RWD Single Motor, and the GT-Line AWD Dual Motor. Between the three different variants, you can choose between power and range, with the Air giving you the biggest range of 528km and the GT-Line AWD giving you a lot of power with its dual motor.

Visually, the differences between the Air and the GT-Line variants are in the alloys, with the Air riding on 19″ alloys and the GT-Line getting 20″ alloys. The GT-Line has a slightly different body kit as well.

All versions have flush-fitting door handles, LED lights and power-folding mirrors.

If you have yet to experience driving an EV, you will find that driving the Kia EV6 feels very familiar unless you’re planting your right foot, where you’ll definitely feel the difference in speed!

If you don’t care so much for the power of the AWD version, you’ll likely find the Air or the GT-Line RWD Single Motor to be perfectly fine, and you get that little bit more range when choosing the single motor variants as the twin motor will use more power, giving you less range.

The Kia EV6 is an excellent choice as it gives you the best of both worlds when it comes to being a road car and a performance car. Drivers will find it’s quite a nice feeling to drive, and it hides its weight very well.

It’s also a very quiet drive, and Kia has done a great job of reducing wind and road noise.

Features and interior

Inside the car, things remain interesting and modern. The Air gets part-vegan leather seats, while the GT-Line has part-vegan suede and leather – both options look great!

The car uses twin displays for your infotainment system and your dash, allowing you to use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto while keeping your AC, radio and navigation controls separately below. You also get dual-zone climate control, onboard navigation and wireless phone charging, though you will need to use a USB port to use the Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which may annoy some given how modern the car is otherwise.

The GT-Line also gets an augmented reality head-up display showing your speed, speed limit, and navigation directions. You will also get a heated steering wheel, heated front seats and a 14-speaker Meridian sound system. The seats also have a lean-back relaxation mode which is perfect for when you’re stopping to charge.

The seats are very comfortable, making those longer trips better for everyone in the car, with the backseat passengers receiving loads of space, allowing you to fit three passengers comfortably. However, due to the sloping roof, you may find taller passengers have little headroom.

There are USB charging ports on the front two seats allowing you to keep your phone topped up when sitting in the back, and you also get a power outlet in the backseat, perfect if you want to charge your laptop on the go from meeting to meeting or to keep the kids entertained. In addition to this, one fantastic option with the GT-Line is the V2L charger on the outside of the car that allows you to charge other objects – great for camping!

Speaking of camping, you’ll have plenty of space for all your gear in the 480-490 litre boot and then a 20-52 litre ‘frunk’ at the front of the car, depending on whether you’ve opted for an RWD or an AWD variant.

Got a trailer? Kia says the car will tow 1600kg braked and 750kg unbraked with a 100kg downball. The car will also automatically detect the weight and can adjust the expected range accordingly.

Performance

All variants of the car get the same 77.4kWh battery with the option of both RWD and AWD. The Air and GT-Line RWD have a single motor that can get you from 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds, while the dual motor GT-Line AWD will get you there in just 5.2 seconds.

The Air gets you the most range out of the car with 528km between charges, while the GT-Line RWD, which has the same motor and battery, will get you 504km, and the GT-Line AWD will get you 484km.

The Kia EV6 has one of the fastest charging speeds, with the ability to charge from 10-80% in just 18 minutes using a 350kW charger or one hour and 13 minutes on a 50kW charger. It’ll take you about 11 hours to fully recharge if you’re at home.

Safety and warranty

The Kia EV6 has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and has a long list of safety features, including a reverse camera, auto emergency braking, blind-spot collision with rear cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist, front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system, multi-collision braking, active cruise with speed limit assistance and more.

You get driver and passenger airbags and front-side, curtain and centre-side airbags. There are also two ISOFIX points in the rear seats.

You will receive a seven-year unlimited-kilometre warranty with the high-voltage battery covered for the same time, however, this is capped at 150,000km. You can also purchase servicing packs for three, five or seven-year blocks.

Summary

The Kia EV6 is one of the best EVs on the market right now. It’s got a very unique and modern look and feel while also being a very comfortable ride with a decent range, making it perfect for getaways. The downside, however, is that there is a considerable waitlist for this vehicle, so it may be some time before you’re able to get your hands on one!

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