Kia EV6 Review
The Kia EV6 is an excellent family-friendly electric car that combines practicality, range and technology
Strengths & weaknesses
- Great to drive
- Long driving range
- Plenty of technology
- Conventional looks
- Not as comfortable as Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Some rivals are more practical
The Kia EV6 is one of the best electric cars around. It combines cutting-edge technology that enables a long driving range and plenty of performance with a practical, appealing and comfortable cabin. It’s also great to drive and is good value for an electric car.
The EV6 comes in two forms, rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD). The former is the better buy for most drivers, as it has more range - around 328 miles per charge - and still has plenty of performance. The AWD model is faster but you sacrifice about 15 miles of range and it’s quite a bit more expensive.
No matter which version you choose, the EV6 has incredible charging tech included. It can use 350kW rapid chargers, which allow a 10-80% charge in less than 20 minutes. That means you can undertake long trips in almost the same way you would in a petrol car.
Both models use the same size battery, which is a 77.4kWh unit, but as the AWD versions have extra motors on the front axle, they are more powerful. The RWD version has 225hp and the AWD model has 321hp.
The EV6 is built using the same technology as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, another fantastic electric car. The Ioniq 5 is available with a smaller battery pack, though, so there’s a more affordable version of that car. The EV6 is different to drive, though - it’s more fun.
The two cars have similar features such as the media systems and are similarly comfortable on bumpy roads, but the Kia is more conventional and the Hyundai looks more futuristic. Which one you prefer is up to you, but you should consider both if you are looking for an electric family car.
Read on to find out more about the Kia EV6 and decide whether if it’s right for you.
Should I get a Kia EV6?
✔ Great to drive
✔ Long driving range
✔ Plenty of technology
✘ Conventional looks
✘ Not as comfortable as Hyundai Ioniq 5
✘ Some rivals are more practical
If you want an electric car then the Kia EV6 should be near the top of your shortlist. It’s a fantastic all-rounder and is impressive in many ways. It’s fun to drive, comfortable, has plenty of range, can be charged up incredibly quickly, is quiet inside and has lots of technology.
The cabin is high quality and has enough space for the family, plus it has a decent boot and there’s lots of standard equipment. If you can afford it - it’s still very new so prices are still high - then the EV6 is a fantastic option.
- Models explained
- Trim levels
- Batteries and range
- Charge time
- Best EV6 for...
- Rivals
- Dimensions
- Boot space
- Reliability
- Warranty
- Should I buy used?
- Deals
Kia EV6 (2021-present): models explained
Kia EV6
The Kia EV6 is a large family car with a hatchback boot. It’s somewhere in between a hatchback and an SUV in format, so you might call it a 'crossover'.
There are two versions, the RWD and AWD models. The former is rear-wheel-drive and has 225hp and a driving range of up to 328 miles per charge, while the latter has 321hp and a range of 314 miles, according to the official figures.
There are three trim levels, which you can read more about below: Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S. There is also an upcoming GT model that will be the fastest and most powerful Kia ever, but this version hasn’t arrived in the UK yet.
Which Kia EV6 to buy: trim levels
| Trim | Equipment | Deals |
| Air | Limited stock: The entry-level model comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, twin 12.3-inch media screens with sat-nav, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, vegan leather upholstery, adaptive cruise control and keyless entry, so it’s the best value model. | |
| GT-Line | Limited stock: GT-Line adds sportier-looking bumpers, suede upholstery, wireless phone charging, LED headlights and ‘relaxation seats’ for the front of the cabin. | |
| GT-Line S | Limited stock: The top-spec model gets 20-inch alloys, a sunroof, an automatic tailgate, a Meridian stereo, a head-up display, remote parking assist and blind spot collision avoidance tech. |
Kia EV6 batteries and range
There are two battery options in the EV6 globally, but in the UK you can’t buy the 58kWh ‘Standard Range’ model - we only get the 77kWh ‘Long Range’ battery. That’s fine by us, but it does mean the EV6 is a little more expensive as standard.
The battery allows for a range of 328 miles in the RWD model with 225hp, and 314 miles in the AWD model with 321hp. We’d pick the former as it’s still fast enough for most people but has a bit more range. Both range figures are good for an electric car of this size and price, though.
Kia EV6 charge time
The Kia EV6 takes around 34 hours to charge up fully from a normal three-pin wall plug. Unless you have plenty of time on your hands this is likely to be for emergencies only, as with a home wallbox charger the 77kWh battery takes around 11 hours to charge fully - easily done overnight.
At a typical 50kW charger - found all over the country at motorway service stations and supermarkets - the car can charge from 10-80% in around an hour. If you can find one of the newest 150-350kW chargers, this drops to as little as a very impressive 20 minutes.
Best Kia EV6 model for…
There are two motor options for the Kia EV6, RWD and AWD, and three trim levels - Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S. You can read more about those above, but to help you decide which version works best for you we’ve picked out some different combinations below for a handful of different situations.
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Kia EV6 RWD Air: The entry-level model is great value, as it has the longest range of the EV6 lineup and still comes with loads of standard kit and a high-quality, upmarket interior. | |
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Kia EV6 RWD GT-Line: GT-Line comes with relaxation seats, which might be handy for parents, and the adaptive LED headlights make driving at night much more relaxing as well. | |
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Kia EV6 AWD GT-Line: The fastest model is the AWD version, which has 321hp. It goes from 0-62mph in just 5.2 seconds, which is faster than most hot hatchbacks and some sports cars. | |
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N/A: We really can’t find a sore spot in the EV6 range. Clearly the RWD model is better value but the AWD version is great as well, and there are only a couple of trim levels, all with loads of standard kit. |
Kia EV6 rivals
The Kia EV6 has quite a few rivals, as there are lots of electric family cars being launched now. The most notable rival is the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which is built using the same technology - it has the same batteries and charging tech, for example, and you can spot similar equipment inside as well. It’s more comfortable than the EV6 but not as fun to drive.
You might also consider the Volkswagen ID.4, Skoda Enyaq iV or Audi Q4 e-tron, which are all based on the same battery tech as each other. They’re capable of around 300 miles of range in the most efficient models.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model 3 are the best-driving electric cars alongside the EV6, so those are also great options to think about if you want a fast and fun family car with electric power.
Kia EV6 practicality: dimensions and boot space
Kia EV6 dimensions
The Kia EV6 is 4.7m long and 1.9m wide, so it’s larger than you might think. You can read more about its dimensions in our dedicated page linked to below, where you can find out everything you need to know about the EV6’s size and weights.
It’s spacious inside as a result. There’s plenty of room for adults even in the rear seats, and while headroom isn’t the best, legroom is excellent. Tall drivers might have some trouble in the top-spec model with the sunroof, as the driver’s seat doesn’t go low enough, though.
CLICK TO READ OUR FULL STORY ON KIA EV6 DIMENSIONS
| Length 4,695mm | Width 1,890mm |
| Height 1,545mm | Weight 1,985kg - 2,090kg |
Kia EV6 boot space
The EV6 has a 480-litre boot, which is okay for a family car but not as big as many of its rivals’ luggage areas. For example, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 has 527 litres of space and the load bay is a more useful shape than the Kia’s as well. Similarly, the VW ID.4 has a 543-litre boot.
If you fold down the rear seats then there’s 1,260 litres of space, which again is okay, and will be enough for most families, but it’s not close to the best in class.
CLICK TO READ OUR FULL STORY ON KIA EV6 BOOT SPACE
| Seats up 480-490 litres | Seats down 1,260 litres |
Kia EV6 reliability
As the Kia EV6 is electric, it’s likely to be much more reliable than any petrol or diesel car. We don’t have much data on its long-term reliability yet, though, as the car is still quite new.
The long warranty (see below) gives plenty of peace of mind, though, and Kia came in second overall in the 2021 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, so clearly many owners are impressed with their Kia cars.
Kia EV6 warranty
The Kia EV6 comes with a fantastic seven-year warranty, just like all other Kia models. It’s also covered by an eight-year battery warranty that covers you against loss of capacity.
The Kia warranty is one of the best in the whole industry, and only Toyota offers a longer one from the factory for its similarly shaped bZ4X crossover.
| 7 years | 100,000 miles |
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON USED CAR WARRANTIES
Used Kia EV6: should I buy one?
The Kia EV6 is one of the best all-round electric cars you can buy at the moment. It has plenty of range and rapid charging, so you can get around without anxiety, plus it’s comfortable, spacious and great to drive.
There are some rivals that are more practical, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 offers a similar package with better practicality and comfort, but the EV6 is still a top choice. It has loads of tech in the cabin, is well-built and the interior is upmarket and feels worth the asking price. If you can afford a nearly new EV6 it’s a brilliant choice, or if you can wait a few years for prices to come down then it’s looking like a future electric car bargain.
Best Kia EV6 deals
The entry-level Air model is an excellent choice for value for money. It’s well equipped and still comes with the 77kWh battery, so you get an excellent range of 328 miles on a single charge. It feels well built and unlike a typical base-spec car.
The GT-Line version adds some sportier-looking bits for the exterior, which help it to stand out a bit more. There are some other bits of equipment included but all models come with the essentials, so there’s no wrong answer when it comes to trim levels.
Choose the AWD model if you want the most power and performance. It has 321hp, so performance is great, and it’s fun to drive as well. The motors are very punchy and getting up to speed is nippy - 0-62mph takes just 5.2 seconds.
*Representative PCP finance - 2018 Ford Fiesta 1.0 ST-Line Hatchback:
| PCP representative example | APR rates available | |||||
| Cash price £12,000 | APR 7.90% | Value of loan | From | |||
| Fixed monthly payment £218.12 | Annual mileage of 8,000pa | £25,000+ | 6.9% | |||
| Total cost of credit £2,755.55 | Term 48 months | £12,000-£24,999 | 7.9% | |||
| Optional final payment £4,285.79 | Loan value £12,000 | £8,000-£11,999 | 8.9% | |||
| Total amount payable £14,755.55 | Deposit £0 | <8,000 | 9.9% |
BuyaCar is a credit broker, not a lender. Our rates start from 6.9% APR. The rate you are offered will depend on your individual circumstances.