Kia is on a roll this season with a zing in every step. The EV9 was declared the World Car of The Year earlier this year. The brand has started to exude the aura of premiumness finally as it always wanted. Kia EV6 is a study in how their electric vehicles are a game changer for the both the brand and those who wish to pick a (relatively) early subscription to the EV domain.
The Design
Kia EV6 is a compact electric vehicle, a wee bit longer than the popular Sportage and flaunting a sportier low-flung profile. The EV6 is a compact crossover in the parking lot but more of a midsize vehicle inside, thanks to a wheelbase of 2900 mm. With its impressive 19” wheels the car is solid-looking.
Moving away from a typical EV appearance with not many quirky details, the ‘EVness’ is retained just enough to separate it from the regular Kia line up. The electric door handle like an Aston Martin or a Tesla looked cool but was oversensitive – once I even got to play a cat and mouse game with the handle. The distinctive signature of the car is in the rear – the edge to edge LED lamps lighting up in red, along with the sharp rear angle.
The dimensions: 4695 mm x 1890 x 1550
Wheelbase: 2900 mm
19” alloy wheels
Kia Sportage: 4661 mm long and 1661 mm tall
Cabin comforts
Inside the Kia EV6 cabin, synthetic leather creates an environment in white, symbolic of pure energy. The front seats are heated and ventilated while the driver’s seat comes with position memory and lumbar support.
The comfortable environment is enhanced with dual zone air-conditioning and a smart key with remote start for pre-cooling the cabin. For once, the EV6 checks itself into the compact category by not having a rear AC vent but honestly, it was fine on a summer day, too.
The Meridien music system has 14 speakers – certainly nice to listen to – but not comparable with the kind of output you find in a Range Rover’s Meridien system (I agree I may be asking for too much!)
The dashboard design is contemporary and materials like synthetic leather seats are sustainable
Storage
The Kia EV6 cabin has spacious and well tucked away storage pockets but they are few, other than a huge floor bin for storage and the door-side pockets. The boot compensates with 490 L of space, which almost triples to 1422 L with the seats folded. The power tailgate makes for convenient boot closure.
Tech and features
Kia EV6 is equipped with a long wide screen for driver info and a 12.3” multimedia touch screen, whose design and functions make its proximity to a regular Kia very evident. The central console screen is quite the Kia family screen type with a neatly arranged array of buttons, including an icon for Qibla direction and Quiet mode. The latter is a thoughtful value-add that sets the environment for the sleeping young with speakers silenced and AC blowers turned down.
The usual suspects like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a Wireless Charger bring up the tech while the Augmented Reality kind of Head Up Display is stylish, futuristic and convenient.
The Drive
In the top trim that I test drove, Kia EV6 comes with dual electric motors which in drivetrain terms translate to an All Wheel Drive format, as there is a dedicated motor for either axle.
Those who love EVs for power and speed will be pleased. The dual motor powered EV6 delivers 320 hp and 605 Nm, good for a 0 -100 kmph sprint in a truly electric 5.2 seconds, still promising 506 km range. All trim levels are powered by a 77.4 kWh Li ion battery, which is impressive when you look at the power generated.
The EV6 has a heavy drive feel complemented by confident control of the chassis and a measured power delivery. The high performance dampers in the front and rear is one of the secrets of its comfortable ride and smooth handling. The EV6 offers normal, eco and sport modes. The company claims 17kwh of energy spend for every 100 km, but I was close enough at 19 something.
Dual Motor model: 320 hp and 350 Nm
0 – 100 in 5.2 sec | Range estimate: 506 km
Single motor model: 225 hp and 350 Nm
0 – 100 in 7.3 sec | Range estimate: 528 km
Safety standards
The presence of active safety features and advanced driver assistance in the Kia EV6 is remarkable, mainly because most of them are standard across the range – for instance the 9 airbags.
Besides the thoughtful multi-collision braking function, rear view camera as well as front and rear parking sensors are standard safety fittings. Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go,
Forward Collision avoidance assist and rear, Lane Following Assist are the privilege of every buyer in this Kia. Surround View Monitor and Blind Spot collision-avoidance assist (rear) are available in the top trim only.
From the start of 97% 143 km of driving saw 35% of charge diminish – an equivalent to 408 km of full range.
The electric side of things
Other than the dreaded regular, slow charging, Kia EV6 also offers a quick solution for times of urgency – a standard 800V charging system, which gets the car from 10% to 80% in just 18 min, adding 345 km to the range. The EV offers the convenient and protective function of setting the charging limit to 100% or less, so as to not overtax the batteries if you prefer. You can also choose between soft, medium and strong deceleration for the purpose of brake energy recuperation. In other words, you can choose your level of discomfort in driving an EV! There is a Utility Mode, in which you can use the high voltage battery to power electronic devices connected to the car. This happens when the car is parked, like when you’ve stopped for camping!
In reality the driving range of EV6 on one charge is close to 400 km
Projected Range and Reality coincide
Starting my test drive with a projected 397 km, when the charge was finally at 19%, the car had done 298 km in total, delivered at 19.7 kwh/100 km. As we started at 97%, the charge utilised was 77% which meant 3.87 km for every 1% drop. The remaining charge according to this math was 19% which would translate to 73.5 km of expected travel, and 73 was exactly what was shown as the remaining range. So the data is rather reliable.
As displayed on the screen, switching off the AC improves range by over 16%. In other words, when my remaining car charge was at 32%, the projected range was 127 km (works out to a total of 397 km which is consistent with what was at the start) which would be 148 km if the AC were to be switched off (this would take the total range equivalent to 463 km). So that is one way to get closer to the company estimated 506 km range and helps when you are running out of charge on a long drive – you’ll be sweating less about the range with the AC off!
The essential Kia EV6
Winning over with its contemporary design lines, the Kia EV6 consolidates reassurance with a 10 year or 160,000 km limited powertrain warranty and a 5 year or 100,000 km limited basic warranty. The price in the UAE begins at AED 219,000 + VAT. At this price range, the downside is that buyers tend to compare what’s on the menu offered by luxury carmakers (EV or not) and could entertain their insatiable longing for a ‘little longer range’. But with the enjoyable drive, standard advanced safety and the zing in the drive, Kia EV6 should be able to maintain its magnetism.
