Kia EV6 Review & Prices

The Kia EV6 is an electric SUV that’s a bit like Tony Stark from the Iron Man franchise. Like him, it’s stylish and glamorous but also extremely clever.

The 2023 carwow Buy It Award winner is sold alongside alternatives such as the Nissan Ariya, Ford Mustang Mach-e and Volkswagen ID4. It sits above Kia’s other electric SUV, the e-Niro, costing more but dazzling with bold looks, more performance and up-to-the-minute tech.

If you want to make a statement, the EV6 is a good way to do it. Its distinctive face, wide haunches and sloping roof give it presence, while the curved light bar around the rear end makes it look a lot like an Aston Martin DBX. Unlike the Aston, though, the Kia starts from just over £44,000.

If the EV6’s looks aren’t for you, then the closely related Hyundai Ioniq 5 might appeal more with its retro cool. But what makes the Kia so clever?

Well, there are two things that make it stand out next to similarly priced alternatives. The first is its deeply impressive maximum charging rate of 350kW. If you can find a charger that can deliver that, it can add 62 miles of range in just over four minutes. Speedy!

EV Range Test: Audi Q4 e-tron v BMW iX3 v Ford Mustang Mach-E v Hyundai Ioniq 5 v Kia EV6 v Skoda Enyaq

The second clever feature is what’s called a vehicle-to-load (V2L) system. In simple terms that means the car can power household items, such as a kettle or microwave, or even charge another EV, from its charge port. That’ll be seriously handy in a power cut.

The interior isn’t quite as dramatic to sit in as the exterior is to look at, but it is modern and neatly designed. Dual 12.3-inch screens dominate the dashboard, which look posh but are also pretty easy to operate. The dash itself also has nice textures and ambient lighting, while the neat centre console design makes this look and feel more interesting than the interior of a VW ID4.

It’s roomy, too – there’s loads of space up front, while rear passengers have plenty of legroom, and there’s a completely flat floor so an adult can use the middle seat without too much complaint. It’s only headroom that might be a little tight for tall adults due to that sloping roofline. The boot isn’t as big as a Skoda Enyaq’s, either, but it’s hardly cramped.

Currently, you can choose between a 229hp rear-wheel drive EV6 and a 325hp four-wheel-drive version, both with a 77.4kWh battery. The lower-powered model has a claimed range of 328 miles, while the more powerful EV6 has an official range of 316 miles. If you have a 7kW home charger then it will take around 10 hours to charge your EV6 from empty to 100%.

The 325hp AWD model delivers punchy performance, along with decently sharp handling, making the EV6 a sportier car to drive than the Ioniq 5 it shares so much with under the skin. The 229hp RWD car is no slouch, and if you can live with brisk rather than rapid acceleration you are rewarded with a lower purchase price, a slightly longer range, and a bit more luggage space in the front boot.

If you regularly carry passengers that get car sick, the EV6 could be a good option because it has stiff suspension so its body doesn't lean much in corners. This means it's not as comfortable to drive as some alternatives, but when you combine this with the fact the steering is direct like a sports car and the EV6 is one of the most fun EVs this side of a Tesla Model 3.

Is 325hp not enough for you? As of late 2022 there’s the EV6 GT with dual electric motors producing 585hp, 21-inch alloy wheels, more supportive sports seats and adaptive suspension. You’ll need to stump up more than £60,000 for that one, however.

But why wait? The models on the road right now are some of the best electric cars you can buy. Take a look at the latest Kia EV6 deals and used Kia deals, or browse used stock from a network of trusted dealers. You can also sell your current car through carwow, too.

Prices start from just over £44,000. That buys you a rear-wheel-drive car in the most basic Air specification. Basic is a bit of harsh description, though, as even the most affordable EV6 is well equipped.

You get 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, vegan leather upholstery and the full twin-12.3-inch infotainment and driver displays with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. During our time with this entry-level car it didn't feel lacking in much at all, except perhaps electric adjustment for the seats and a powered tailgate – though the latter is only offered on top-spec GT-Line S models.

If you want the extra welly of the 325hp AWD model, you’re looking at over £50k for a GT-Line car. These models get some styling tweaks on the outside, black suede seats, a wireless smartphone charger and front parking sensors, which are particularly useful with these being quite a big car. Top-spec GT-Line S versions have some extra driver assistance technology, a 360-degree parking camera and 20-inch alloy wheels. The performance-focused 585hp GT will be in showrooms soon, costing over £60k.

Whichever model you choose, the EV6 is competitively priced. A Hyundai Ioniq 5 costs a little less, but the Tesla Model 3 costs a little more – and carwow’s trusted dealers should be able to trim a bit off those asking prices.

The Kia EV6 is fast and fun to drive down a country road, but its suspension is quite firm

In town

Electric cars like the EV6 work brilliantly around town. There’s the obvious environmental benefit, but they’re also very good at nipping away from the lights and making the most of any gap in traffic.

The EV6 is easy to drive through busy city streets. With just one forward gear, the Kia makes smooth progress in stop-start traffic. Regenerative braking (which reclaims energy that would otherwise be lost) slows the car down before you’ve even touched the brake pedal, and you can adjust the regen braking’s strength using paddles behind the steering wheel. Set it to maximum strength and you can drive without touching the brake unless you need to make an emergency stop.

Compared with the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Kia’s suspension is firmer. You feel sharp potholes more than you would in the Hyundai or the Skoda Enyaq iV. It’s certainly not a harsh ride, though, and you’ll feel the benefit of the Kia’s firmness when you get out of town onto quicker roads.

Light steering and smooth controls are another plus around town, and forward visibility is good. On the other hand, the view over your shoulder isn’t. Thick pillars and the small rear window create big blind spots. This is less of a pain than it might be, as every EV6 has rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. The top-spec GT-Line S has a brilliant 360-degree camera system that shows you all around the car.

On the motorway

Whether you are driving the 229hp or 325hp model, the EV6 will be up to 70mph before you know it.

You’ll be cruising along in quiet and comfort, with only some road noise from the big wheels and tyres to disturb you and your passengers.

The Kia’s firm-ish ride comes into its own on the motorway, with a much less floaty feel than the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Anyone who suffers from car sickness will appreciate the Kia’s stable and secure feel.

Long periods of sustained high-speed running aren’t ideal for the range of any electric car, but the EV6 is compatible with charging speeds up to 350kW. So if you can find such a powerful charger, by the time you’ve bought a muffin and a cup of coffee, the EV6 should be ready to continue your journey.

On a twisty road

This is where the EV6 really scores over the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Skoda Enyaq iV. It really is fun to drive down a favourite B-road. A Tesla Model 3 is better still, but the EV6 is a car to keep keen drivers happy.

All models handle neatly and keep body roll in check, but it’s the more powerful AWD model that really launches between corners at warp-factor speeds. When the GT arrives it will be quicker still. In the RWD version, the electric motors are clearly tuned for a more leisurely response to your inputs, but once you're moving it really doesn't hang about.

That’s not to say that the EV6 couldn’t be even better to drive. The light steering is a big plus around town, but a bit more feedback about what the front tyres are up to would make the Kia more involving.

There's loads of space in the cabin and the boot, but the Ioniq 5 and Enyaq iV have more room still

The driver and front seat passenger have plenty of space to stretch out in a cabin that’s packed with clever tech and practical features.

Your eyes are immediately drawn to the twin-screens in front of you. They’re very impressive and clever bits of kit, which we’ll come back to later.

Once you’ve had a good play with the two displays, you’ll start to notice some thoughtful touches in the rest of the cabin. The door bins are a good size, and there’s a big bin beneath the central armrest. There’s more open storage between the two front seats, twin cupholders, and USB and USB-C chargers.

The driver and front seat passenger sit relatively high, even with the seats on their lowest setting. There’s plenty of scope to lift the seats higher, and a wide range of adjustment to the wheel. Whatever your size and proportions, we’d be surprised if you can’t get comfy behind the EV6’s wheel.

Manual seat adjustment is standard on the entry-level Air model, but with powered adjustment of the lumbar support. Step up to GT Line or GT Line S for electrical adjustment for the driver and front passenger’s seats, including two-way lumbar support.

If we’re being picky, the front-seat head restraints are quite far forward, almost pushing your head forwards slightly. It’s something that will annoy some drivers, but others will barely notice.

Space in the back seats

The EV6 was designed from the start to be an electric car, which is usually good news for anyone hitching a ride in the back. Why? Well, with no need for a transmission tunnel or exhaust pipes, Kia has been able to make the floor completely flat, so there’s room for everyone’s feet, even when seating three.

Legroom is very good, so adults should have no problem getting comfortable. However, you do sit quite low to the floor with your knees pushed up a bit. What’s more, if you are really tall, the sloping roofline will bring the ceiling quite close to your head.

The rear seats recline if anyone wants a quick nap, and the fold-down armrest in the central seat back includes a couple of cupholders.

Boot space

We think most buyers will be happy with the Kia’s boot. There’s 490 litres of space with the rear seats upright, although that drops to 480 litres in high-spec cars with a speaker under the floor. It's a large, useful space that carried a bulky pram with room to spare.

Pop the bonnet open, and there’s another small luggage area where you’d find an engine in a conventional car. Go for a rear-wheel-drive EV6 and there’s a useful 52 litres of space. There’s just 20 oddly shaped litres in the AWD car, because of the additional motor driving the front wheels.

Most of the time, you’ll probably rely on the boot at the back, which can be extended using levers either side of the tailgate to fold the rear seats down.

Although the Kia has decent luggage space, it’s worth remembering that both the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (527 litres) and Skoda Enyaq iV (585 litres) have more room for bags if that’s one of your priorities when choosing your next car.

The cabin is strong on tech and style, but has a few harder plastics if you go looking for them

The way the EV6 looks is one of its big selling points, and it very nearly lives up to that visual drama inside. It’s as if someone has time-travelled back with a car from five or 10 years into the future.

There are lots of different textures and finishes in the cabin, but it hangs together as a pretty convincing whole. And if you are one of the last few car buyers who think of Kia as a cheap and cheerful brand, prepare to change your mind – this is a very well-finished car. You can find some hard and scratchy plastics if you go looking for them, but you can say the same of some EVs with much more upmarket badges.

As soon as you sit behind the wheel, you’ll notice the huge twin screens. Both measure a whopping 12.3 inches across. The one in front of you does the job of conventional dials, but with a lot more choice about what information appears and how it’s displayed. You can set the screen up just how you want it using controls on the steering wheel.

The second screen takes care of infotainment. It could be intimidatingly complicated, but there’s a row of touch-sensitive shortcut buttons below the screen that make life easier. One of the buttons turns this row from an infotainment menu to air con controls. Hitting the buttons while driving takes concentration, but we prefer this set-up to the overly minimalist dashboard in the Tesla Model 3 which puts all the controls within the touchscreen.

Kia doesn’t offer a lot of optional extras for Kia EV6 buyers. The biggest choice you will have to make is colour, and whether to go for a standard or premium paint finish. There is a range of accessories, however, including a tow bar and electrics if you want to tow a horsebox or caravan behind your EV6.

Being an electric vehicle, the EV6 has no exhaust emissions. So it’s a very green choice, especially if you sign up to a clean energy tariff.

What’s good for air quality and reducing your carbon footprint is also good for your bank balance. Running an EV6 will be very cheap if you have a charging point installed at home. The exact cost will vary depending on your provider and tariff, but reckon on around £15 for a full overnight recharge.

Instead of miles per gallon, the common way of measuring the efficiency of an EV is how many miles it can cover per kWh of electricity. According to the official figures, the EV6 RWD will go 3.8 miles/kWh. A Skoda Enyaq iV 80 RWD achieves 3.9 or 4.0 miles/kWh depending on the spec, so it’s just a little more efficient than the EV6.

In real world testing, we achieved 3.7 miles/kWh and got 273 miles out of the Dual Motor EV6 with a 78kWh battery capacity, which is a hugely impressive 91% of its 273-mile claimed range. That's also a very good efficiency figure and put it on par with the BMW iX3 and Ford Mustang Mach-e in the same test.

For company car drivers, going electric is a no-brainer. Between now and April 2025, zero-emissions cars are in the 2% benefit-in-kind tax bracket. It means a rapid and practical EV like the Kia will cost drivers less in tax than a tiny petrol hatchback. Now is the time to switch to an electric car if you’re a business driver, as such low tax rates won’t last forever.

Private buyers don’t miss out on tax breaks, with no vehicle excise duty (car tax) to pay when you buy the EV6, or in future years. Again, that has to change eventually, so buy your EV now and enjoy the tax savings while they last.

The EV6 has a five-star rating from the crash test experts at Euro NCAP. It scored strongly in all categories, with 90% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child occupants, 64% for protecting vulnerable road users, and 87% for its safety assistance systems. These include Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), which is Kia’s name for its autonomous emergency braking system. This will apply the brakes in an emergency if the driver fails to do so, and can detect cyclists and pedestrians as well as other cars and motor vehicles.

Security kit includes an alarm, a button to lock and unlock the doors when you are inside the car, an immobiliser, locking wheel nuts, and a visible Vehicle Identification Number.

The Kia EV6 is still a new car, so it’s early days to make any definite call on reliability. That said, with fewer moving parts electric cars are generally more reliable than models with an internal combustion engine.

Then there’s Kia’s strong reputation for building strong and durable cars to consider. The Korean car maker is usually at the sharp end of customer satisfaction surveys and reliability studies.

Like other Kias, the EV6 comes with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty that’s much longer than the motor industry average. The same length of cover applies to the battery and electric motors as to the car’s other components.