Review: 2022 Kia EV6

The new Kia halo car has arrive: EV6. Fully electric, futuristic, stylish and fast! This high-tech Kia is pushing boundaries and definitely looks the part. We took it for a quiet, yet exhilarating drive.

INITIAL IMPRESSION

Most people's first reaction when seeing the all-new Kia EV6 is something like 'I've never seen this before'. Few vehicles look as futuristic as the Kia EV6, with its sharp lines, bold look and very attractive back end.

It's not really a hatchback, nor is it a coupe. It's a crossover, but with the space inside of a small suv. There are plenty of very interesting features we haven't seen on any Kia before, making this the halo car in the line-up.

Driving it is an experience by itself, being fully electric. It's whisper quiet, yet very fast. Combined with a high-tech, minimalistic interior it really makes you feel like you're going into hyperspace.

DRIVEABILITY

Driving an electric vehicle is an exhilarating experience and that is most definitely the case with the Kia EV6. The GT-Line we got to test drive is equiped with a dual-motor - one for the front axle and one for the rear -, putting out 239kW and 605Nm, which are huge numbers for a compact vehicle like this. Easily proven by its 0-100kmh time: just over 5 seconds! the entry level Air model is equiped with one motor that still delivers a very decent 168kW and 350Nm to the rear wheels, but obviously isn't as fast as the GT-Line.

What you do get in the Air is a range of 528km from its 77.4kWh lithium-ion battery, where the GT-Line has to make due with 484km because of its performance figures and additional equipment that make the car heavier, as well as 20-inch alloys compared to 19-inch on the Air. The driving experience is similar as the EV6 handles very tight, has a low centre of gravity and corners sharply.

A full suite of Kia’s active safety technology comes fitted standard across the range including autonomous emergency braking with intersection support, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane following assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and traffic sign recognition, plus a centre airbag between the front occupants.

Another important point is the charging capability of the EV6, which can handle 800V. Though this amount of power isn't widely available yet, the EV6 is future proof and using a now standard 350kW charger you can replenish the battery from 10 to 80 percent in under 20 minutes. Say goodbye to range anxiety and long stop overs!

LIVEABILITY

There is no denying that when you step inside the Kia EV6 it feels like your entering the future. We've seen a similar design of the interior in the Sorento and Sportage, but in the EV6 it looks even more futuristic and sleek. It's minimalistic in looks, but don't miss out on a single option. Especially the curved display - dual 12.3-inch screens - that shows you all available information is an eye-catching feature and includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, next to satellite navigation and DAB+ radio. Dual-zone climate control comes standard across the range as well.

There is no lack of technology features inside the EV6, like a 360-degree camera, 14-speaker sound system, head-up display, heated steering wheel and Blind-Spot View Monitor. The latter projects a camera feed from the side mirrors into the instrument cluster when the indicators are activated - very cool. And then there is the Remote Smart Park Assist, which allows the EV6 to be driven in and out of a parking space from the key fob, while you stand outside.

Our GT-Line in all-wheel drive trim also offers a sunroof, which especially with the metallic white paintwork likes the part. You won't get that in the Air, but both do come standard with a wireless charging pad, two USB-C points up front and another two USB-C plugs for the second row. There’s also a 12V plug up front, which always comes in handy.

Boot space measures in at a claimed 490 litres with the second row in use for the Air variant and 480 litres for GT-Line models, the higher grades losing 10 litres thanks to the inclusion of a subwoofer with the premium Meridian audio system. An additional storage cubby under the bonnet adds 52 litres of cargo capacity for rear-wheel drive models, shrinking to 20 litres in all-wheel drive models.

COST

The starting price for Kia's new halo car is around $72k for the entry level Air, jumping up to just under $80k for the rear wheel drive GT-Line and topping out at around $88k for the top-of-the-range GT-Line with all wheel drive. The latter two also do come with nice features like heated and ventilated seats, power adjustable driver’s seat, power tailgate, and leather seat trim with sueded inserts.

Kia covers the EV6 with its standard seven-year warranty with ‘high-voltage parts’ limited to seven years or 150,000km.Servicing can be prepaid at time of purchase and is available in three packages – three years at $594, five years for $1089 and seven years at $1584. That averages out to around $226 per annum on a seven year plan.

CONCLUSION

From the LED headlights to the curved tail-lights, the Kia EV6 is an eye-catching appearance. It sets the bar high for any other electric vehicle, or any other car for the matter. It's futuristic exterior is only matched by its greatly finished interior, that offers plenty of space for all occupants and their luggage. And you can drive them around (very) fast without having to worry about your range or charging time.

With the EV6 Kia announces the next generation of not only its own line-up, but frankly the future of electric vehicles as a whole. We're looking forward to being part of it!