Kia EV6 Review

As before, the EV6 is a curious mix of coupe, hatchback and SUV. Defiantly different to its Korean stablemate the Hyundai IONIQ 5, the EV6 is a car that you choose because you simply like it. And now, as part of Kia’s facelift package, it has a face that is a little easier to like. Gone are the slightly oversized headlights that made the front end look unbalanced and in their place are elegant strips of LEDs above a more EV9-like light cluster. Unlike Hyundai, which is determined to make all its IONIQ models look completely different, Kia is happy to embrace the ‘Russian Doll’ approach and is more than happy to give all its cars the same basic design features. 

Other design changes introduced as part of the 2024 facelift include revised side mouldings (although you’ll need to a parts supplier to Kia to spot any real differences) and a tweak to the rear bumper that sees the fog lights rearranged into a vertical stack of red LED strips. Otherwise, the new EV6 is very much the same as the old EV6. Which is no bad thing. 

Inside there’s reasonable space for people and luggage, though the EV6’s swoopy styling compromises things a little. The boot holds 490 litres with an additional small frunk under the sloping bonnet to store cables or muddy walking boots. Its size varies depending on whether you have rear- or all-wheel drive. 

The cabin mirrors the exterior’s sporting dynamic with a snug driving position and a raised centre console that features the starter button and, new for the facelifted model, a fingerprint sensor that allows owners to set up different profiles for multiple users. Twin infotainment screens are linked together to form a single display. The system is intuitive and easy to use and comes with the option of a head-up display for an additional level of driver information. For the facelifted model, Kia has improved processing speeds which means that the small lag that could affect the previous system has all but disappeared. 

As the swoopy looks suggest, the EV6 delivers a driving experience with a sporting edge. Although power outputs for the rear-drive models are modest at 225bhp, all-wheel drive versions pack 320bhp of punch, along with 605Nm of torque. The handling is also biased towards performance, with short-geared steering and firm springs. Thankfully, a tweak to the damping, introduced as part of the update package, has notably improved the ride quality at low speeds. 

All models come with a new 84kWh battery that replaces the previous 77kWh pack. And, as before, the innovative 800 volt electrical system opens to the door to some seriously fast rapid charging speeds. Where the original model already boasted a peak of 240kW, the new 2024 model peaks at 260kW. This means that the car can repeat its party trick of charging from 10-80% in under 20 minutes when connected to a suitably powerful rapid charger. 

With the bigger battery comes longer ranges for all models. The longest belongs to the rear-wheel drive Air model which offers 361 miles, a 33 mile improvement over the previous model. The least efficient is the new GT-Line S AWD version which still manages an impressive 324 miles on a full charge. 

As before, you can use paddles on the steering wheel and three driving profiles if you want to change the amount of energy the car uses and retrieves as you slow down, but it’s easier and more efficient to let the EV6 work it out for you. In auto regen mode, the car will take into account the distance to other vehicles, your speed, hills and curves before making a decision about the best way to use energy. It is so sensitive that it will make drivers who have never driven an electric car feel instantly comfortable. 

If you’re feeling generous with the power you’ve saved, you can even donate it to another electric car. Put the supplied adaptor in the charging socket and you can run any electrical device (up to a max load of 3.6kW) from the car's main traction battery. 

Verdict

There wasn’t a whole lot wrong with the original Kia EV6, so it’s no surprise that Kia has taken a gentle approach to the facelift. That said, the few changes that have been introduced have improved the package as a whole. The design fits in better with the rest of Kia’s electric offerings and the detail changes to the interior, suspension and infotainment system have rounded off the few rough edges that existed on the original model.