2021 (71) Kia EV6 236kW GT Line S 77.4kWh 5dr AWD Auto

The EV6 brings Kia to another level as an EV maker. Jonathan Crouch looks at the updated version.

Ten Second Review

Kia's EV6 has long been difficult to ignore in the affordable part of the mid-sized EV segment, but competition has stiffened in recent times, hence the need for this smarter, classier-feeling longer-ranging facelifted model. Can it keep this bold Korean maker on the podium in this challenging segment? We're going to find out.

Background

Prior to the 2021 arrival of this EV6, Korean maker Kia's offerings had been worthy, sensible, good value and, whisper it, rather dull. But that changed with this car's introduction. The idea here was to reinterpret full-electric technology for the affordable part of the mid-sized market in a sporty, desirable fashion. And create a really appealing Korean alternative to established style-conscious segment choices like the Polestar 2 or Tesla Model 3. That was quite a challenging brief for a manufacturer just evolving from budget brand status, but Kia went about it with enthusiasm. A great advantage lay with its access to the Hyundai Motor Group's advanced 800V E-GMP platform, which the EV6 would share with its similarly engineered close cousins the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and the Genesis GV60. And the design team built on this sure foundation with distinctive looks and surprisingly accomplished handling. By 2024 though, other rivals were fronting up with smarter-looking cabins and better EV mileages, hence the need for an EV6 facelift package that addressed both these things with a smart exterior refresh.

Driving Experience

Very little has changed about the way this improved EV6 drives, though not too much needed to. Perhaps the biggest difference with this facelifted car is one Kia doesn't want to talk about, a largely unexplained 80kg weight increase. No part of which is down to the biggest engineering change here, a new slightly larger-capacity 84kWh battery, which is fractionally lighter than the old 77.4kWh unit but, more importantly, boosts driving range by a very useful amount - from 328 to 361 miles in the base 225bhp rear-driven version. This makes 62mph in 7.7s (nearly half a second slower than before thanks to that extra weight). As before, there's also the option of having your EV6 with an electric motor on both axles, rather than just one at the rear, creating the AWD model we tried. With this, the extra little 74kW motor at the front boosts total output to 320bhp, which provides for 62mph in 5.3s and nearly twice the amount of pulling power - 605Nm - on the way to the 114mph top speed that all versions of this Kia share. Range with an AWD EV6 is up to 339 miles - up from 314 miles before. This isn't one of those EVs that hurls itself away from rest or catapults itself at the horizon, which for us is a good thing, the delivery of torque and speed here being pleasantly linear and combustion-like. If you want an EV6 that does kick you in the back away from rest, Kia will attempt to sell you a top GT model with a twin motor output uprated to 577bhp and a thumping 740Nm of torque. But you don't really need that GT model's manic speed - rest to 62mph in just 3.5s en route to 162mph; and you don't really need its standard adaptive damping system either because the passive 'frequency selective' mechanical springs that feature on standard EV6s (which can't be upgraded) combine with the multi-link independent rear suspension to produce an actually very well judged quality of ride over poor surfaces. There are three drive modes ('Eco', 'Normal' and 'Sport'), none of which improve the rather gloopy feel of the steering. But the six available brake regeneration settings (most operable by the steering wheel paddle shifters) are effective and careful use will get you somewhere near the quoted combined cycle drive range figures.

Design and Build

If you happen to be familiar with the original version of this EV6, then you'll probably notice the changes made to the distinctive 'Opposites United' styling of this updated model. At the front, Kia's 'tiger face' has again been re-interpreted for the digital era; the smarter adaptive headlights are inspired from those of the larger EV9, part of a nose made more aggressive by expanded front grilles. The sportier theme is continued at the rear where the contrasting gloss black panel is now split into three distinct segments, all with sharper edges. Kia's also made the B-pillars thicker, strengthening the body for extra crash safety. As before, above this sits a prominent wing-type roof spoiler that channels air downwards towards a raised lower spoiler, which sits atop the car's unique rear light cluster. And the side profile displays a crossover-inspired silhouette and a character line runs along the bottom of the doors, curving upwards towards the rear wheel arches to visually elongate the profile of the car. Wheel sizes are either 19 or 20-inches. There aren't many cabin changes: the pair of 12.3-inch screens now sit in a new surround, the steering wheel's been redesigned, there's a new dash pad and some of the plastics on the centre console have been updated. Oh and the infotainment system now offers a wireless version of 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto'; that's about it. As before, the 'Relaxation' seats you get above base trim (which recline right back almost flat) are slim, lightweight and contemporary, and clad in modern, visually interesting and robust fabrics created using recycled plastics - equivalent to 111 plastic water bottles. Thanks to a relatively long 2,900mm wheelbase, cabin space is similar to many mid-size SUVs. There's comfortable space for two adults on the rear bench and out back, there's a decently-sized 520-litre boot, extendable to 1,300-litres with the rear backrest folded. This is added to by a front trunk beneath the bonnet which provides up to an additional 52-litres of stowage space for 2WD models and 20-litres for AWD models.

Market and Model

As before, all EV6 models feature the same battery, now 84kWh in size. And there's a choice of 'Air', 'GT-Line' or (as in this case) 'GT-Line S' trim levels. Prices start from around £45,500 for the base 'Air' model, with £3,000 more necessary to graduate to 'GT-Line' trim and around £8,000 more needed for the top 'GT-Line S'-spec - costing from around £54,000 upwards as we filmed. Avoid base trim and your dealer will offer you the opportunity of spending £3,500 to get the AWD drivetrain. As before, the wild 577bhp flagship EV6 GT continues at the very top of the range, but you'll need a £65,000 budget for one of those. As you'd expect from a Kia, all models come with quite a lot of kit - dual 12.3-inch curved screens, full-navigation with Kia Connect media services, full-LED headlights and lots of camera safety technology. 'GT-Line'-spec gets you a sportier body kit, plus suede upholstery, LED ambient lighting and power operation for the driver's seat. Mid-range 'GT-Line' trim adds special styling, Dual LED headlights, rear privacy glass, powered front seat adjustment, full faux leather upholstery and front 'Relaxation' seats which recline right back so you can take a snooze whilst charging. 'GT-Line S'-spec further adds 20-inch wheels, a sunroof, artificial suede upholstery, a 14-speaker Meridian Premium Sound System, a Digital Key, a Head-up display, all-round parking sensors, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a 360-degree surround view monitor, a powered tailgate, extra drive assist tech and the option of a heat pump. All EV6 models come with plenty of safety kit; including lane Keep Assist, Lane Follow Assist, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist and Smart Cruise Control.

Cost of Ownership

You'll want to know about range capability and the answer is that this car's new long-range 84kWh battery can take the rear-driven version of this car up to 361 miles between charges. It's a best of 339 miles for the AWD version - or 324 miles with 'GT-Line S' spec. What about charging? Well as before, the EV6's E-GMP platform allows for 800-volt capability, so (unlike most of its rivals) this car can power up using the new breed of super-powerful ultra rapid DC chargers that are springing up around Europe (but remain rare in the UK). In this updated form, the EV6 now accepts a higher DC rapid charging level of up to 258kW (up from 239kW before). If you're able to public charge in this fashion, your EV6 will be able to accept a 10-80% charge in just 18 minutes (to give you some perspective, most rivals need about half an hour to do the same thing); 62 miles of extra range can be added in only four and a half minutes. With a lesser 50kW DC charger, a 10-80% charge would need 1 hour 16 minutes. AC charging from home using a typical 7.4kW garage wallbox needs 12 and a half hours; it'd be 7 hours 35 minutes if you could use a three-phase 11kW AC charger. The EV6 is fitted with energy-recuperation technologies to maximise driving range. At the top of the range, this includes the option of Kia's latest-generation energy-efficient heat pump (standard on the GT), which scavenges waste heat from the car's coolant system. This ensures that at minus 7 degrees Celsius, the car can achieve 80% of the range that would be possible at 25 degrees Celsius. Also featured is the latest generation of Kia's smart regenerative braking system, which is operated by paddle shifters behind the steering wheel so drivers can quickly and easily slow the car and recuperate kinetic energy to maximise driving range and efficiency.

Summary

In its original form, this EV6 took the technology that had impressed us with smaller Kias and evolved it to a level appropriate for a customer looking for a faster, bigger, better quality kind of mid-sized EV. The result was the Korean brand's most accomplished car to date and a model which today looks almost as appealing as it did at launch, thanks to this well-judged package of mid-term updates. True, it's not quite the stand-out contender it was back in 2021; this segment's evolved considerably since then and you'll now find slightly faster, more efficient and more comfortable rivals that can match this Kia's quite accomplished handling repertoire. As an all-round package though, the EV6 still remains very difficult to ignore, aided by the bigger battery, shaper looks and slightly better quality cabin provided by this facelift. Even if you're about the sign for something in this class with a premium badge, we reckon this Kia's well worth a look. In terms of quality, style and technology, we think you'll be surprised at what you find.