Review: Kia EV6 GT-Line – A Stylish, Feature-Packed EV

The Kia EV6 is a modern, stylish EV that is aesthetically and environmentally friendly, luxurious, and feature-packed.

Unveiled in March 2021 it is the first model to be built on the automaker’s new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). Available in several trims, including the base Air, GT-Line RWD and AWD and, later this year, the impressive EV6 GT. Driving ranges go as high as 500km+ on a single charge, depending on the trim level and battery pack.

The EV6 is equipped with a single or dual electric motor, which produces up to 239kW (GT-Line). This instant power can accelerate you from 0 to 100km/h in just over 5 seconds. The EV6 also features Kia’s latest infotainment system, and advanced driver-focussed systems such as AEB and lane keep assist.

The EV6 GT will come with 430kW and reach 100km/h from a standstill in 3.5 seconds. We can’t wait to review that for you!

Overview of the Kia EV6

I’m not convinced of the SUV moniker given to this car as there are very distinct sedan-like qualities of the EV6, but I’ll stick with it to save confusion.

Firstly, This electric SUV seats five people and comes with a range of innovative technology that makes it a smooth, efficient, and enjoyable drive. The designers have made sure to include plenty of space for all passengers, as well as a high level of comfort and luxury that you would expect from a much more expensive vehicle.

The Kia EV6 is an excellent choice for anyone who wants an electric SUV that is easy to drive thanks to its lightweight design and responsive steering. Fitstly, the interior is luxurious, spacious and feature-packed, with plenty of room for passengers and a surprising amount of luggage. This EV6 is smooth and quiet, making it an excellent option for city dwellers who are looking for a handsome, no-fuss daily driver.

Secondly, the Kia EV6 has collected some impressive awards for its relatively short time on the Australian market, with just 564 examples delivered in 2022.

• Wheels Car of The Year
• Carsales Car of The Year
• Red Dot – Best of The Best Car Design
• Red Dot – Most Innovative Product of the Year

Design and Exterior Features

The Kia EV6 has a sleek design that is modern and stylish whilst also providing plenty of space for passengers. The designers have used a unique crossover SUV styling that jet fighter fuselages and sports cars have inspired. I don’t know what you think, but I get mega Aston Martin DBX vibes from the back of the EV6.

This sleek styling looks great and ensures that the EV6 stands out from other electric vehicles by a long way. The design the same across all models, although the GT-Line offers slightly sexier black wheels and more luxurious interior features. The colour range of the EV6 is quite limited – red, blue, pearl white, and black. The GT-Line is also available with a matte finish called Moonscape – with an equally stratospheric option price of $3,295.

Interior Features

The Kia EV6 is a spacious, comfortable crossover SUV that provides ample room for passengers and luggage. The seats are soft and luxurious, with plenty of room for passengers on short or long journeys. The seats have heating and cooling options for all-season comfort (GT-Line). The EV6 GT-Line also comes with an impressive 14-speaker Meridian premium infotainment system that features a 12.3-inch touchscreen, as well as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration.

Other interior features include infinite colour spectrum LED mood lighting, as well as a high-quality leather steering wheel and piano black finish to the centre console where the futuristic rotary gear selector sits. Generous cup holders and door-pocket storage are other features across the range, as are height-adjustable seatbelts and rear headrests.

Performance

Thanks to a considerable amount of testing and validation in Australia during its development, the Kia EV6 has been given a terrific balance between performance and lightweight design to make it smooth and efficient. The twin-motor set-up mated to the 77.4 kWh battery delivers linear performance that makes the driving mood more stable and predictable. High-performance dampers, front McPherson strut/ rear multi-link suspension and the choice of AWD or RWD combine to provide confident and responsive handling with excellent grip and a pleasant ride.

As we know, any performance excitement in an EV brings on time spent stationary waiting for the batteries to recharge. The EV6 minimises this in two ways. The first is a three-stage Smart Regenerative Braking system that works with the i-Pedal driving mode. I love that the paddles behind the heated steering wheel manage this. It’s not quite as efficient as the Volvo C40 Recharge we reviewed recently, but jolly close to it.

The second recharge-minimising tactic is that the battery can be charged from 10-80% in less than 20 minutes with the right super-duper charging station.

On the open road, the EV6 has some torque steer that may affect performance, but this is likely to be on unsealed or wet roads. You need not worry, as ESC (Electronic Stability Control) with TCS is standard across the range.

Feature-Packed Safety Features

The Kia EV6 is equipped with an array of safety features to ensure that you and your passengers are safe and protected on the road. This electric SUV comes with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems that use sensors to detect traffic and hazards, as well as self-parking sensors and a 360-degree camera system.

The EV6 also comes with a wide range of active and passive safety features that will keep you and your passengers safe, even in the event of a collision. My favourite is the Lead Vehicle Departure Alert system which lets you know when the car ahead of you has safely pulled away. Great for stop-start traffic and the busy junction where you are trying to focus on multiple moving objects.

• ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) with EBD & BA
• ESC (Electronic Stability Control) with TCS
• HAC (Hill-start Assist Control)
• MCB (Multi-Collision Braking)
• AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) Car, Pedestrian, Cyclist & Junction Turning
• LKA (Lane Keeping Assist)
• LFA (Lane Following Assist)
• BCW (Blind Spot Collision Warning) with RCCW
• (Rear Cross Traffic Collision Warning)
• BCA (Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist) with RCCA (Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance)
• SEW (Safe Exit Warning)
• DAA+ (Driver Attention Alert) with Lead Vehicle Departure Alert
• ISLA (Intelligent Speed Limit Assist)

Smart Electrics

Where the EV6 is particularly smart is its use of Vehicle to Load (V2L) technology, where the energy stored in the batteries can be used inside the car for things such as charging a laptop or an esky.

Externally you can get a little more ambitious with V2L. The EV6 can power your electric items with its 230-240V AC at 3.6kW. Electric bikes, camping equipment, and power tools are easily kept on the go with the EV6.

The other intelligent electric feature of the EV6 is the location of the powered charging port. Unlike almost every other EV, the EV6 has its port at the rear on the driver’s side, just under the LED tail lights and houses a Type 2 & CCS charging port and a charge level indicator.

Technology

The Kia EV6 comes with a wide range of technology that will make your drive smoother and more enjoyable. This crossover SUV features wireless charging for your smartphone, as well as proximity sensors and cameras built into the exterior mirrors that provide excellent Bling-Spot vision to the rear when parked on the high street. Many is a cyclist that I’ve avoided opening a door into.

Other convenient technology of note includes:

• 3x USB Chargers (1 x Type A & 2 x Type C) in Front Tray with Multimedia Connectivity
• 2x USB Charger (Type C) in Front Seat Backs
• 2x 12 Volt Power Outlets ( 1 x Boot side / 1 x Front Tray)
• Wireless Phone Charger (QI)
• Shift By Wire Shift Knob (Dial Type)
• Steering Wheel Paddles (Brake Regen Control)
• ASCC (Advanced Smart Cruise Control) with Stop and Go
• Curved Display (12.3″ Digital Driver Cluster + 12.3″ Touch Screen Infotainment)
• Augmented Reality Head Up Display (AR-HUD)

Price and Ownership

The Kia EV6 is a luxurious electric SUV that comes with a competitive price, but the EV6 GT is going to top $100,000 when it arrives later in the year. Prices below exclude on-road costs and registration.

• EV6 Air RWD – $72,590
• EV6 GT-Line RWD – $79,590
• EV6 GT-Line AWD – $87,590

Kia has gone to great lengths to capture their share of the upper-mid SUV segment by offering pre-paid and transferable servicing plans as well as road-side assistance.

When you order your EV6 you can purchase 3 years, 5 years or 7 Years of servicing at the time of the vehicle purchase & control your future spending by paying for all your services in advance.

• 3 Year – $594
• 5 Year – $1,089
• 7 Year – $1,584

Pros and Cons

What we love about the EV6

• As I have said many times before, I love an EV (or a PHEV for that matter) that still feels like a car. The EV6 does this very well. The driving dynamics, visibility, and head-turning looks are spot on.
• Hallelujah! The convenience of Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA), which we sampled and loved on the Sorento GT-Line. Using sensors, RSPA can safely move the Kia EV6 into a parallel or perpendicular space from the key remote.
• The interior fit and finish of the EV6 GT-Line are without question of a European standard. The use of quality materials gives a luxurious feel from the moment you use the flush door handles to open the door.

What we don’t particularly love about the EV6

• It took me three days to determine that the HVAC controls and the Audio controls were on the same panel in the dash. You have to tap a button to switch between them. Thank god for the steering wheel controls.
• Fly-by-wire is excellent for aviation, but the same technology used in the rotary gear shifter can be dim-witted and quite slow to respond if you are trying to do a quick three-point turn.
• Possibly due to the massive battery pack located under the floor, the driving position felt too high. I found myself trying to drop the seats another 2-3 centimetres.

Conclusion

I’ve loved almost every Kia that I’ve reviewed. I think it’s because they have found in Australia a market that suits their driving dynamics DNA and their styling and performance benchmarks. It shows in their sales numbers which were up 15% last year.

With the EV market on a tear, the Kia EV6 is the stylish and environmentally friendly EV we need, and the driving experience it delivers is timed to perfection.