4 reasons I loved the $53,000 Kia EV6, and 2 ways the new electric SUV falls short
- We drove the 2022 EV6, Kia's all-new electric SUV.
- The EV drives great and charges quickly, but lacks the cargo space of some rivals.
Not too long ago, the greenest cars were unsexy, uncool, and unfun. But those days are behind us.
Case in point: The 2022 Kia EV6, a small, fully electric SUV that turns the old paradigm on its head with eye-catching looks and an engaging driving experience.
I tested the model for a few days in April and came away with four key reasons to buy the car — and two ways it falls short.
The EV6 starts at $40,900. The GT-Line model Kia loaned us had a bigger battery, extra tech features, and a snazzier interior, bringing its price to around $53,000.
Pro: Super-fast charging
Range and charging speed are on every electric-car shopper's mind these days — and for good reason. Thousands of charging stations dot the country, but they're not quite common enough to assuage everyone's fear of running low on battery without a plug nearby.
Fortunately, the EV6 uses an 800-volt architecture and can use 350-kilowatt charging stations, the most powerful type available. In plain English, that means an EV6 showing a 10% charge takes just 18 minutes to hit 80%, Kia claims. In the longest-range EV6, which is rated for 310 miles, that translates to 217 miles of extra driving range.
Very few electric cars at this price point can accept this kind of super-fast charging.
Pro: A hoot to drive
Unlike typical crossover SUVs, the EV6 sits low to the ground and has sporty, precise steering that makes it a joy to chuck around corners. Likewise, its battery pack sits down low beneath the floor, dropping the car's center of gravity and aiding handling.
The rear-wheel-drive model we tested doesn't deliver the jolt of acceleration that some all-wheel-drive EVs provide, but it has enough power and torque to hustle away from a stoplight quickly. Bear in mind: the GT-Line RWD has 225 horsepower, a good bit more than the base model's 167.
Pro: Tech and safety features galore
The EV6 is a tech powerhouse, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a WiFi hotspot, a smattering of USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen as standard equipment. More expensive models get the vehicle-to-load feature, which lets you use an adapter to power devices that require a 110-volt household outlet.
The EV6 also comes standard with advanced safety features that don't even make it into every luxury car, such as lane keeping, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. Some models get a snazzy head-up display projected onto the windshield, blind-spot cameras, and a birds-eye view to help with parking.
Pro: Striking looks
In my few days with the EV6, the little SUV-hatchback thing attracted stares everywhere it went. If you want something that people will gawk at, ask you about — or something that just makes you feel cool when you're driving it — the EV6 is a splendid choice.
Con: Less cargo space than rivals
The EV6's interior has plenty of room for passengers, but comes up short in cargo space, which totals to 50.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. That's quite a bit less than the Tesla Model Y (76.2 cubic feet), Hyundai Ioniq 5 (59.3 cubic feet), Volkswagen ID.4 (64.2 cubic feet), and Ford Mustang Mach-E (59.7 cubic feet).
Unlike many electric models, the EV6 doesn't benefit from much of a front trunk. It has a little cubby under the hood, but it can't fit much more than your charging cables.
Con: Suboptimal visibility
The EV6's high beltline, sloped roof, slim windows, and thick pillars mean that there's a lot obstructing rearward visibility. Fortunately, the hatchback's standard blind-spot monitoring and optional camera views can help out with tight lane changes.