2024 Kia EV6 Review: Sustainable And Attainable
Like almost every other automaker out there, Kia is in a sprint to introduce as many all-electric models as it can before the market becomes oversaturated. The 2024 Kia EVE6 is the latest offering in the list of EVs the brand intends to introduce by 2026, although it's been with us for some time. It is a compact crossover powered by either one or two motors, developing up to 320 horsepower in all-wheel drive guise. This puts it in direct competition with the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Worryingly for an economy brand, the EV6 is a bit pricey, but it comes with a lot of great tech as standard, including rapid-charging capabilities courtesy of its 800-volt architecture, along with 310 miles of driving range. This is enough to make it a compelling option even as new and exciting rivals enter the fray.
New for 2024
While there are no changes to the existing models, the new Kia EV6 SUV gets new trims in the form of RWD models, as well as a Long Range designation for the Light models. This is essentially the same as the regular Light, but it gets a larger 77.4-kWh found in all the rest of the models for a better 310-mile range. Also new for 2024 is charge port illumination on all models.
2024 Kia EV6 Price: Which One to Buy
With a starting price of $42,600, the Kia EV6 Light is a bit more expensive than similarly capable rivals. The new Light Long Range trim slots between this entry point and the Wind, with an MSRP of $45,950 for RWD or $49,850 for AWD. This makes the latter a little costlier than the RWD Wind, which starts at $48,700. It also offers an AWD variant at $52,600. At the top of the standard lineup is the GT-Line, which will cost you $52,900 with rear-wheel drive or $57,600 with all-wheel drive. The GT model is the most expensive, but we review that model separately. These are MSRP prices and do not include the $1,325 destination charge or any possible tax credits.
The introduction of the Light Long Range lets 2024 shoppers enjoy the maximum range of 310 miles at a much lower price than the Wind. However, it does miss out on some features like ventilated front seats or heated rear seats, as well as the 14-speaker Meridian sound system. All of these feel like luxuries, though, so unless you have cash to spare, the Light Long Range with RWD should be more than sufficient. But if you live in a cold-weather state, the AWD variant may be preferable.
Light | Light Long Range | GT-Line |
---|---|---|
Base | Recommended | Top |
$ 42600 | $ 45950 | $ 52900 |
167-horsepower motor and RWD only | Equipped with Light’s features, plus: | Equipped with Wind's features, plus: |
58 kWh battery with a 232-mile range | 225-horsepower motor (RWD) or 320-hp dual motors (AWD) | Sporty exterior design features |
19-inch wheels | 77.4 kWh battery | Automatic pop-out door handles |
Recycled fabric and vegan leather upholstery | Heated steering wheel with AWD | Sporty interior design |
Six-speaker audio system | Maximum range: 310 miles | Rear park distance warning |
Highway Drive-Assist 2 |
Interior and Features
With a pair of large screens taking up most of the dashboard under a single pane of glass and sharply angled lines, the interior of the EV6 looks as futuristic as you'd expect from an electric vehicle. That's not to say there aren't a few physical controls, but they are rather limited. Everything is well positioned for the driver to access easily. There is a floating center console with the gear selector and some storage space, adding to the ultra-modern flair with its metallic accents. The power sunroof only gets added as standard from the GT-Line, letting some extra natural light into the interior space, though it doesn't extend back to the second row. This is fine, though, as there is plenty of room to begin with.
Space
The EV6 isn't too ambitious with its layout, so it doesn't try to squeeze in more than five seats, despite having a wheelbase the length of the Telluride. Whether you're in the front or rear row, there is plenty of head- and legroom for even tall adults - it's worth noting that models with the sunroof lose some headroom. With no traditional transmission tunnel, the floor is completely flat, meaning that even the middle-seat passenger should have plenty of room. Getting inside is easy, too; the roof isn't as high as it could be, but the floor is at a comfortable height to step in. The driver gets a power-adjustable seat as standard, helping to ensure they can find a comfortable driving position to complement the broad sight lines.
Cargo
Electric vehicles sometimes sacrifice cargo space in order to make room for their batteries, but the real thing eating up the trunk space here is the sloping roof. This leaves the Kia EV6 with just 24.4 cubic feet, which is on the lower end of the spectrum. Folding down the rear seats more than doubles this to 50.2 cu-ft, which is still below par. There is a small front trunk, too, though Kia doesn't specify just how much extra space this offers.
Around the cabin, you'll find some small-item storage spaces that include a pair of cupholders in the central console, an enormous armrest cubby, a glove compartment, and pockets in each of the four doors, though these aren't particularly large. Back-seat passengers will find their cupholders in the fold-down center seat.
Kia EV6 | Tesla Model Y | Ford Mustang Mach-E | |
---|---|---|---|
Seating | 5 Seater | 5 Seater | 5 Seater |
Headroom | 36.8 - 39 in. front 38 in. rear | 41 in. front 39.4 in. rear | 38.9 in. front 38.2 in. rear |
Legroom | 42.4 in. front 39 in. rear | 41.8 in. front 40.5 in. rear | 43.3 in. front 38.1 in. rear |
Cargo | 24.4 - 50.2 ft³ | 30.2 - 72.1 ft³ | 29.7 - 59.7 ft³ |
Materials and Colors
You won't find any real leather inside, as the EV6 prides itself on being as eco-friendly as possible. To this end, it makes use of recycled fabric combined with vegan leather to coat the interior space of the Light trims but your choice of colors is limited to plain Black. From the Wind upward, pure vegan SynTex becomes the norm and interior colors are expanded to include Charcoal with Misty Gray trim. The same material is found inside the GT-Line, but it comes in Black with White trim or White with Black trim, and you can swap to a slightly more premium-looking suede/SynTex combination in Black/White. The plastics around the cabin are recycled, too, and the GT-Line trims get a unique dashboard design and black headliner that set it apart from the rest of the range.
Features and Infotainment
Most electric vehicles come with a few additional features over their gasoline-powered counterparts, partly to help make up for the fact that they are more expensive. The EV6, therefore, comes well specced. The base Light gets an eight-way power driver's seat. Dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a 12.3-inch instrument display, and another 12.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment, which comprises Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, a Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth, and a six-speaker sound system, are all standard. It also gets a wireless phone charger and five USB ports.
The Light Long Range with AWD adds a heated steering wheel, which is also something the Wind AWD boasts. Aside from this, the upper-tier trim also gets ventilated front seats, an eight-way power passenger's seat, and a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, as well as heated rear seats if you opt for AWD. GT-Line trims round out the offering with a sunroof, ambient lighting, and a head-up display, as well as heated rear seats in AWD guise.
Light | Wind | GT-Line | |
---|---|---|---|
Dual-zone climate control | S | S | S |
Heated front seats | S | S | S |
Dual 12.3-inch displays | S | S | S |
14-speaker Meridian sound system | N/A | S | S |
AR head-up display | N/A | N/A | S |
Performance
Though not designed to tackle corners at high speeds, the EV6 is a quick crossover that balances handling with comfort.
There are a few different powertrain setups available to the Kia EV6, starting off with a single motor and 58-kWh battery that makes 167 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. This configuration only works with a rear-wheel drivetrain. Every other trim gets the larger 77.4-kWh battery, which empowers a single motor with 225 hp and 258 lb-ft for RWD models, while AWD trims with two motors boast 320 hp and 446 lb-ft. No matter which battery and motor combination you opt for, a continuously variable transmission simulates gearshifts and regulates outputs. The compact crossover has a maximum towing capacity of 2,300 pounds.
In terms of performance, the KIA EV6 can go from 0-60 mph in just 5.1 seconds when it has 320 hp, and it can reach a top speed of 117 mph. However, the most entertaining driving experience is offered by the RWD trims that come equipped with a rear limited-slip differential despite their lower power levels. With a centrally located battery and a low center of gravity, the SUV handles well, and grip is good no matter which drivetrain you opt for. However, the thin tires and lackluster brakes are not conducive to getting the most fun out of the vehicle. In general, it is a comfortable family cruiser, but if true excitement is what you're after, the EV6 GT is the way to go, and we review this more powerful model separately.
Fuel Efficiency
In terms of fuel economy, every rear-wheel-drive model of the Kia EV6 gets similar MPGe. The standard range RWD models manage 136/100/117 MPGe, while the Long Range RWD variants get 134/101/117 MPGe. Where they differ is the charge of their battery, allowing the former to travel for only 232 miles, while the latter boasts 310 miles of range.
For the AWD models, there is a significant difference between those equipped with 19-inch wheels and those with 20-inch wheels. These models achieve 120/98/109 MPGe and 106/86/96 MPGe, respectively, and they can travel between 282 and 252 miles on a full charge. Speaking of charging, the smaller battery takes just short of six hours to charge on a Level 2 outlet or just over one hour at Level 3. Similarly, the larger 77.4-kWh battery charges in a little over seven hours or one and a quarter hours, respectively. DC fast charging will get either battery from 10% to 80% in around 18 minutes.
Electric - Standard Range Battery Single Speed Automatic RWD | Electric - Long Range Battery Single Speed Automatic RWD | Electric - Long Range Battery Single Speed Automatic AWD | |
---|---|---|---|
Power | 167 hp | 225 hp | 320 hp |
Top speed | 115 mpg | 115 mph | 117 mpg |
MPG | 136/00/117 MPGe | 134/101/117 MPGe | 120/98/109 MPGe - 19-inch wheels 106/86/96 MPGe - 20-inch wheels |
0-60 | 7.5 sec | 7.2 sec | 5.1 sec |
Range | 232 miles | 310 miles | 282 miles - 19-inch wheels 252 miles - 20-inch wheels |
Charge Time | 51 Hrs Charge Time @ 110/120V, 5 Hrs 50 min Charge Time @ 220/240V, 18 Min Charge Time @ 350kW Fast Charge | 68 Hrs Charge Time @ 110/120V, 7.1 Hrs Charge Time @ 220/240V, 18 Min Charge Time @ 350kW Fast Charge | 68 Hrs Charge Time @ 110/120V, 7.1 Hrs Charge Time @ 220/240V, 18 Min Charge Time @ 350kW Fast Charge |
Safety
Kia cars often earn top marks in crash tests, and the EV6 even managed to achieve a Top Safety Pick+ award before the updated tests were implemented.
To date, the NHTSA has only performed a partial safety review of the Kia EV6, but it gave the crossover five stars in every category it tested. The IIHS hasn't reviewed the 2024 model yet, but it was equally impressed with the car, awarding it a score of Good in each test in 2023 and giving it a Top Safety Pick+ title in 2022.
Standard safety equipment includes seven airbags, ABS, stability and traction control, and EBD. Loads of driver-assistance tech is included, like forward collision avoidance, pedestrian and cyclist detection, junction turning detection, blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, lane-keep assist, lane following assist, Highway Driving Assist, and safe exit warning. The Wind gets front parking sensors but gives you the option of adding the more advanced features found on the GT-Line, including a blind-spot view monitor, remote smart parking assist, parking collision avoidance assist, and a surround-view monitor. A few features are exclusive to the top-tier trim, such as Highway Driving Assist 2, driver steering and auto evasive steering assist, and both junction crossing detection and side/oncoming lane change assist for the forward collision system.
Light | Wind | GT-Line | |
---|---|---|---|
Forward collision avoidance | S | S | S |
Blind-spot assist | S | S | S |
Rear parking sensors | S | S | S |
Remote smart parking assist | N/A | O | S |
Highway driving assist 2 | N/A | N/A | S |
Reliability
The Korean automaker is known for its reliability, so the score of 76 out of 100 is a little low, but that can be attributed to the teething problems that come with branching out into a new type of vehicle. With that being said, the EV6 has only been subject to a single recall so far, which was for a software error that could disengage the parking mechanism in 2022. It seems Kia has sorted that issue over the last two years.
In terms of warranty, the Kia EV6 enjoys a ten-year/100,000-mile plan that covers the powertrain and battery, while the limited plan is valid for five years/60,000 miles. Roadside assistance is offered for the same period. Kia is known for some of the best warranty coverage in the market.
Warranty
Basic | Drivetrain | Corrosion | Roadside Assistance |
---|---|---|---|
5 Years / 60,000 Miles | 10 Years / 100,000 Miles | 5 Years / 100,000 Miles | 5 Years / 100,000 Miles |
Design
Electric cars are traditionally overly futuristic-looking, but Kia decided to take a more reserved approach with the EV6. It still sports some sharp angles and extremely avant-garde headlights with surrounding LED daytime running lights. As with most EVs, the grille is non-existent, and this minimalist approach is mirrored by the lower bumper. The taillights also have a very unusual design, forming an arch that runs from the outer edges all the way across the liftgate, which gains power operation from the Wind trim upwards. The standard wheels are 19-inch alloys as standard, growing to 20-inch variants on the GT-Line with AWD. A power sunroof is also installed at this point.
Verdict: Is The 2024 Kia EV6 A Good SUV?
The electric compact crossover is a quickly burgeoning market, but it's still early days, and the 2024 EV6 is perfectly positioned to ride the upswell. With a selection of trims and powertrains, it has something to offer almost any type of buyer, and it is both well-equipped and practical. The fact that it hails from one of the most innovative and dependable brands in the world certainly doesn't hurt, and it perfectly combines futuristic styling with established SUV conventions. It may not be the most exciting car to drive, but it has a good amount of power, especially in AWD guise, and the overall range is at least moderately competitive. However, there are rivals that can travel further and cost you less, which is enough to give any consumer pause. Still, we'd happily park one in the garage.