Sometimes when you drive a review vehicle for the first time, it hits you as a game changer. Such is the case when I took off in the 2022 Kia EV6, an all-electric sporty crossover SUV.
Like most EVs, it has futuristic looks with distinct lines, a deeply sloping down hood integrates into a thin grill and large front spoiler, a swooping roofline, beautiful 20” wheels, LED taillights that run all the way across the rear, and they are stunning. I appreciate the fact that they did not do the blunt nose like most electrics.
I am testing the GT trim level, which falls in the middle of the three packages. It is also all-wheel drive. It is powered by a 77.4 kWh battery that is rated at 320-horses and 446-pound feet of torque. 0-to-60 time when I tested it was 4.5-seconds, so as you can tell, the acceleration is incredible.
As you enter the cabin, it is very clean and organized. My tester has black Vegan leather and suede heated and air-conditioned power seats, with white trim around the edges. There is a heated, flat-bottomed two-spoke steering wheel with controls. The gauge cluster is a 12.3” colorful and configurable display that gives you a ton of information. There is an augmented reality head-up display that is really cool.
The center console is wide and there is a round gear selector, the start button, two cupholders, a cell phone charger, and an electronic emergency brake. Your elbow sits atop a very soft glove box that has a lot of room inside it.
Rear seat room is surprisingly good, there are air vents, USB ports, and power ports. One caution: watch the headroom in back, the roofline will limit the comfort for tall passengers. Cargo area is good with the second-row seats up or down, and there is a frunk in the front, although a little smaller than other EVs I have reviewed.
Only a charge for the paint and the leather and suede seats are extra cost, everything else is standard, and you get adaptive cruise control, a power sunroof, heated rear seats, remote start with keyless entry, a power tailgate, and dual-zone climate-controlled air-conditioning. One cool feature of the keyless entry system is that the hidden door handles pop out when you approach the car.
On the safety side, you get forward collision avoidance, blind-spot warning and avoidance, rear camera with cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assist, parking sensors, remote parking assist (it will park itself with nobody in the car) and more.
The EV6 GT drives great, acceleration is strong, handling was surprisingly good, steering feedback was also good, and it has a space age artificial sound to warn pedestrians you are approaching, but it is not obnoxious from inside the car. In fact, like all EVs it is quiet inside, but there was no detectable road noise at all.
Let’s talk charging, because this is why I say the EV6 is a game changer. With a 350-kW Level 3 charger, you can get 70-miles of range in just five minutes, and an 80% charge in an incredible 18 minutes. Beware, Level 3 chargers are pretty rare at this time, and are expensive to have installed at home, but to get a charge that fast, it is probably worth it.
As has been the case with every single electric I have ever reviewed, the range of 274-miles was not achieved with the air-conditioning and radio running, and normal driving, it was more like 255-miles, so keep that in mind.
The EPA rates this EV6 GT at 116 MPGe in town, 94 on the highway, and 105 combined. MSRP loaded is $58,105 before the $7500 Federal tax credit, and any state or local incentives.
If you are going to get an electric SUV, the EV6 has got to be on your shopping list.