Kia EV6 review

The first time you set eyes on the EV6 SUV you‘ll see that this is at the bigger end of the scale when it comes to electric cars - longer even than a Jaguar I-Pace.

Front on, it features the new Kia signature styling of the “digital tiger face” with a shallow grille, slit-like headlights and daytime LED running lights. At the back, there’s a space-age style curving light bar and the ultra-modern look of the EV6 is enhanced even more by a rear-spoiler that extends from the roofline.

The windscreen is steeply raked with quite assertive corner pillars that also add to the futuristic styling of a car that Kia are confident will attract plenty of attention just for the way that it looks.

Kia has opted to make the EV6 a bit less of a “floaty” kind of car to drive than some other of its closest competitors. It means the suspension is firm without being too hard. It corners nicely and with confidence while remaining comfortable.

One especially notable feature of the car is the 3 levels of battery regeneration you can choose – this alters how much the braking of the car goes to charge up the battery. This goes right up to “one pedal mode” that means there’s no need to brake at all in normal driving conditions as the car will bring itself to a stop all on its own.

Big on the outside, big on the inside is basically what you can expect from the EV6. The front seats are neatly contoured to be super comfortable and supportive with plenty of adjustment room even for drivers well over six foot.

The rear is equally specious, even for three passengers, although foot room under the front seats isn’t that great, especially when they’re at the lowest setting.

In terms of styling, there’s a neat and eye-catching texture on the dashboard that’s echoed on the twin armrests on either side of the driver. Kia has also been keen to use sustainable materials wherever possible. This does mean there are a few areas that might not be quite as plush as some of its competitors, including the glove box door that seems a little flimsy.

Unlike many cars in which the infotainment screen seems like a last-minute addition to the dash, in the EV6 it is neatly integrated into the design. It’s also quite simple and intuitive to use with a clear set of menu options - and it’s fairly responsive. One function not controlled through the screen is the heater, which has good old-fashioned knobs to turn it on and adjust it – easier than dealing with icons on a screen when you’re on the move.

The EV6 is a combination of slightly underwhelming storage space along with some very neat practical touches.

The boot isn’t nearly as large as you would expect from a car of the size, although the space is all pretty useable. There’s also a “frunk” under the bonnet – the less good news is that this hardly has room to fit a laptop in it. Similarly, the compartment under the boot floor isn’t even deep enough to hold the car’s charging cables.

On the plus, and more practical, side, there’s a hatch in the back set that means you can carry long thin items like curtain rails or even skis without putting the seats down. There’s also a 13-amp adaptor plug so you can power electric tools and even boil a kettle using electricity stored in the car’s battery.

On the reliability front, the fact that the EV6 comes with Kia’s famous seven-year warranty covering both the car and the battery is all you really need to know.

The car also does very well on range with the 77kWh motor taking you over 300 miles on a full charge - and even further if you set it to maximum regenerative braking.

It’s also capable of being charged at the super-fast 250Kw rate, the only problem with this being that there are still relatively few of these ultra-efficient charging stations in the UK at the moment. If you can find one, though, it promises to boost the power from 10% up to 80% in less than 20 minutes.

Kia has taken great strides in making the EV6 a real contender in the electric-powered SUV sector by including many touches that other manufacturers are sure to copy in future. They’ve also designed a car that looks great, drives well and offers pretty good value for the money.