We tested the Kia EV6 GT Line, an electric crossover as spectacular as recommended

Something is happening at  Kia . The South Korean brand, integrated into the Hyundai group, is far from being this low-cost Asian brand which landed in Spain in 1992. Little by little, it improved its proposals. The  Kia EV6  is a good example.

Its avant-garde design and an  E-GMP platform  expressly developed for electric cars with an 800 V architecture (à la Porsche Taycan) and its battery, which gives it good autonomy, up to 528 km in the most efficient configuration, allowed him to win the title of  Car of the Year 2022  in Europe.

Beyond that title, the Kia EV6 is the first in a whole new range of electric cars from Kia, which will see the  new electric Kia Niro hit  the market in a few months. All the more reason to fully test the Kia EV6. And we did it with the  Kia EV6 GT Line RWD , the version with the longest range in the range.

The Kia EV6 lineup consists of five members, three rear-wheel-drive and two all-wheel-drive. The access model, with a 58 kWh battery and a 170 hp motor (from 44,825 euros), is followed by two versions of  229 hp  and  a 77.4 kWh battery , one of which with a GT Line finish. The top of the range is made up of the four-wheel drive twin-engine versions, one with 325 hp and the other with 585 hp, both associated with the 77.4 kWh battery.

This time we tested the one that should be the best-selling of the range and which is in theory the one that offers the greatest autonomy, the EV6 with a 229 hp engine, rear-wheel drive and a 77.4 kWh battery. . A model which, with the GT Line finish of the test unit,  starts at 55,047 euros .

Rare Reviews

The Kia EV6 and the  Hyundai Ioniq 5  share the same platform, so you would think they are largely identical. But, despite some similarities in terms of battery and engine, the two cars have nothing to do with each other. They are like day and night.

The EV6 is a  rare bird , not only totally different from the Ioniq 5, but from the rest of the world production. It is different for the style, of course, but also for its character behind the wheel.

The design of the EV6 is a curious mix of SUV and fastback sedan , with a nod to the world of sports cars. Its pointed facade goes against the current trend of imposing ever larger ironers. And it's not just a BMW thing. Peugeot, DS, Mercedes or even Ford, for example, opt for facades with marked or imposing grilles.

The rear, with the particular design of the rear lights integrated into the spoiler and ending in the wheel arches, is undoubtedly one of the most original today. A spoiler, by the way, reminiscent of that of the  Lancia Stratos . And it's not by chance.

Hyundai Group  Head of Design  Luc Donkerwolke reportedly assembled a group of designers from Kia's German studio and left them a model of the Lancia Stratos to draw inspiration from. Come on, draw.

The design of the central part also recalls the mythical sports car designed by Gandini for Bertone. The black A and B pillars and the fairly thick C-pillar in body color visually form a passenger compartment, like the visor of a helmet. In other words, as the Lancia Stratos had done.

Either way, the design is striking and overall pleasing. In any case, in the flow of traffic, it attracts attention and arouses interest in the car. Additionally, the EV6 can add another title to its track record, having received two prestigious  Red Dot Design Awards  , Most Innovative Design and "Best of Best".

Interior: design and space

The originality of the exterior design is also appreciated inside . In fact, with the quality of the finishes and materials, this is what strikes the most. The plastics and fabrics used give off an excellent perceived quality, while the  floating center console  is most surprising, as well as the steering wheel, which has a retro air, almost Citroën in its most original era.

On the console are the car start button, the drive mode selection dial, the activation of cameras and parking sensors, as well as the induction charger for the mobile phone and two cup holders. There is also the activation of the heated steering wheel and the heated and cooled seats.

The upper part of the center console is, with the exception of the hazard warning lights and two controls, entirely touch-sensitive. The controls are arranged on either side of a strip that allows you to adjust the air conditioning or manage the multimedia part. A tactile logo allows you to switch from one to the other.

Despite a  haptic response , it is a system that still does not convince me because although we know that we have pressed a "button" (because of its haptic response), we will not know which one without leaving the road eyes.

Dominating the dashboard is a curved block that unites the car's two 12.3-inch screens: the dashboard and the  touchscreen , from which you can control absolutely everything, from energy management to air conditioning, navigation,  Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility  as well as other vehicle functions.

Seat upholstery with Alcantara-like fabric and white leather trim, matching the exterior of the car, gives it a premium air.

On board and in general, the feeling is of quality. Except for the lucky center console plastics in  Piano Black finish . It looks very nice and luxurious when clean and new, but on the second day they get dirty and scratched easily, reducing the premium image a bit.

The seats are very comfortable, although rather firm. On the other hand, they do not hold very well if you accelerate the pace in the portions of curves. In any case, the interior of the Kia EV6 is a very cozy and very spacious place. On the practical side, it has  USB and USB-C sockets  as well as, in the rear seats, a household socket. We never know.

The space, in front as well as behind, is simply enormous. And despite the roof which may seem low for the rear seats, anyone measuring around 1.85m or 1.90m will be able to travel very comfortably.

Such a spacious passenger compartment is due both to its electric car architecture, which frees up the space reserved for mechanics in internal combustion cars, and to its external dimensions. The Kia EV6 is not a small car.

It is 4.70 m long,  1.89 m wide and 1.55 m high with a wheelbase of 2.90 m. If with these dimensions in an electric you don't get enough interior space, I don't know what else they might need.

And not only is the interior generous, but also the trunk. It can accommodate up to  490 liters of volume  (1,330 liters by folding the rear seats). In addition, Kia had the good idea to use the space in front to place a small trunk.

This allows you to store, for example, charging cables without disturbing and without taking up space in the trunk. It's not that it has a remarkable capacity, but at least it's practical and that's it. Especially when not all electric cars of this size have it, like the  Audi Q4 e-tron .

Driving the Kia EV6

Our test unit isn't the most powerful in the range. With 229 HP, it has about the same power as a   much smaller  CUPRA Born . And yet, it's not a particularly slow car either. It accelerates from  0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds . Clearly, the 350Nm of torque available at all times helps the car not feel sluggish despite weighing 1,980kg. Overtaking then becomes a mere formality, as evidenced by its  time of 80 to 120 km/h in 4.7 seconds.

It is overall faster than  an equivalent Volkswagen ID.4  (204 hp Pro Performance and 77 kWh battery) or one of its derivatives from the VAG group. As for the  Tesla Model Y Great Autonomy , the only access model currently available in Europe, it is much faster, with its all-wheel drive and its 351 hp.

The EV6 is fast, quiet (very well attenuated aerodynamic noise) and very comfortable on the road, whether on secondary roads or highways. Even in the city at low speeds, the car filters out potholes, expansion joints and other projections that can be found very well. But he also exhibits certain sporting quirks.

Contrary to its design inspiration, the car is obviously not a sports car, but it  is nevertheless very noble and even unfun on winding roads . Yes, there are inertias to take into account in tighter passages which will make the trajectory a little longer than necessary, but at the same time it is possible to enter curves on the brakes, turning the rear as well .

And more importantly, regressive braking can be performed. The level of adjustability required to make this possible without giving up powerful regenerative braking is quite an achievement.

And even more when the regenerative braking can be modulated at will via paddles behind the steering wheel, as if it were a gear change. Which, by the way, is powerful enough at its maximum level so that you can (almost) do without the brake in town.

Of course, in sporty driving this requires a little practice, because if you press the brake, the cams have no effect. You must first brake with the paddles then with the brake pedal. Or, select the most powerful regenerative braking and brake with the pedal, like in a gasoline car.

On the other hand, the  suspension of the EV6 does not manage to completely limit the movements of the body in  the curves in S.  It is there all the difficulty of bringing a touch a little sporting to a crossover of almost two tons. In this case, comfort has gained, fundamentally, more in line with the family philosophy of the car. Despite everything, in curves, it leans less than other electric SUVs and suggests a good base for the 585 hp EV6 GT.

As for the steering, although it is precise and relatively quick, it does not transmit anything at all, as expected. On the other hand, it lacks a bit of solidity. He considers it too soft for sporty driving. Of course, for quiet use on the road, this is ideal.

In this sense, the adaptive cruise control and lane keeping, which is part of the standard equipment, is not very intrusive in its actions. This ADAS driving assistant   offers fluid reactions, without braking (hello Mercedes) and with a progressive and sufficiently fast recovery of the trajectory.

Consumption and autonomy

Kia announces a range of up to 504 km in the WLTP cycle  for the GT Line finish. This is a theoretical figure that places it among the most autonomous cars on the market. For comparison, a Tesla Model Y Grande Autonomie, also with a 77 kWh battery, approves 533 km, and an Audi Q4 40 e-tron with 204 CV, 515 km. The WLTP cycle is designed for the customer to compare different models in the market on the same basis, it is usually not a realistic figure.

In practice, any electric car consumes less in the city than on the highway. Thus, our  average consumption in the city  and the urban highways (more precisely, the roundabouts of Barcelona) has been  17.5 kWh/100 km  , which would give a  range of 442 km  . On the highway, however, at 120 km/h, we achieved an average of 20.6 kWh/100 km, with a range of 375 km. That's quite a feat for an electric car, because on fast roads they consume a lot of energy to maintain speed, but they recover very little, as they barely brake.

In the end, including the sporty driving sections, we reached an average consumption in the test of 21.4 kWh/100 km, which would give a range of 360 km. Yes, it is more than the 17.2 kWh/100 km that it homologates in the WLTP cycle, but in the homologation consumption tests the old sections of the Rally of Catalunya through Penedés are not covered at a good pace ...

With more reasonable use, but not without wanting to be the most efficient driver, it is possible to reach a  combined average distance of 19 kWh/100 km  , which would give a  range of 407 km . Which isn't bad at all.

In any case, this leaves room when traveling to find the charging station that interests us the most or even change the itinerary unexpectedly without fear of being left behind. Another very different thing will be load times.

The car accepts up to  240 kW, which would allow it to recharge the battery from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes , but these types of charging stations are unfortunately not the most common in Spain. The most common are those that allow charging at 50 kW and, increasingly, at 100 kW. In the case of a load at 50 kW, to go from 10% to 80% of the battery, it will take about 70 minutes.

Kia EV6 GT Line: our review

For

• Consumption and autonomy
• space on board
• Interior finishes

Versus

• Trunk a little small compared to the size of the car
• still high price

 

The Kia EV6 is a simply brilliant electric car . It is original, well equipped, offers space on board, has a great autonomy and offers the possibility of recharging quickly during journeys. And in addition, it shows a very correct dynamic behavior.

It is rightly said that  electric cars are expensive . The  Kia EV6 GT Line costs from 55,047 euros , but in this case at least the difference between price and what you get in return isn't as drastic as in most electric cars. You have the feeling of getting a car in exchange if not for 55,000 euros, then for 50,000 euros. Whether for the quality of the finishes, the habitability or simply the technology. And above all, rare are the electric ones which currently offer more than 400 real km of autonomy. In other words, it is one of the most recommended electrical devices on the market.

ENGINE	Electric, on the rear axle.
DRUMS	lithium polymer. Usable capacity: 77.4 kWh
MAXIMUM POWER	168 kW (229 ch)
COUPLE MAXIMAL	350Nm
TRANSMISSION	Rear-wheel drive
DIMENSIONS (LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT)	4 695 x 1 890 x 1 550 mm
BATTLE	2 900 mm
TRUNK	420 liters
LESTER	1 985 kg
80 TO 120KM/H	4.7s
0 TO 100KM/H	7.3s
MAXIMUM SPEED	185km/h
AVERAGE APPROVED CONSUMPTION (WLTP)	17.2 kWh/100 km
AVERAGE CONSUMPTION IN TEST	21.4 kWh/100 km
MAXIMUM HOMOLOGATED ELECTRICAL RANGE (WLTP)	504km
ELECTRICAL AUTONOMY IN TEST	360km