This week I bring you one of the most awarded SUVs of the year, the 2023 Kia EV6 GT. It has won many awards, but most impressive to me is World Performance Car of the Year award.
Exterior
I truly love the looks of the EV6 with distinct lines, a deeply sloping hood integrates into a thin grill and large front spoiler, a swooping roofline, beautiful 21” wheels, the lime green brake calipers, LED taillights that run all the way across the rear, and they are stunning.
Performance
Let’s talk performance. The GT has dual motors making it all-wheel drive. It is powered by a 77.4-kilowatt hour battery that is rated at, get this: 576-horses and 554-pound feet of torque. 0-to-60 time 3.2-seconds, and top speed is 161 miles per hour.
Interior
As you enter the cabin, the performance seats are beautiful and are heated, but not ventilated, and do not have power operation. There is a flat-bottomed steering wheel with controls and the shift paddles control the regenerative braking. You can use the paddles to engage one-pedal driving, something I really enjoy.
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. Maybe my favorite feature of the car, you can see on the display if there is a car in your blind spot, so no need to ever look into the side mirrors.
Sitting next to that is a second 12.3” screen that operates the Meridian sound system, navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, voice command, Bluetooth system, and Wi-Fi. Everything is lightning fast to operate and very easy to understand.
The center console floats with storage underneath and USB & power ports. It wide and there is a round gear selector, the start button, two cupholders, the Auto Hold button, and a cell phone charger. 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. Headroom was surprisingly good considering the sloping roofline.
Utility
Cargo area is good with the second-row seats up or down, and there is a frunk in the front with an enclosed cargo box if you need even more room.
Features
Everything you see on this video is standard equipment. You get adaptive cruise control, a power sunroof, keyless entry, remote start, a power tailgate, a fantastic rear camera system, and dual-zone climate-controlled air-conditioning.
Safety
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.
Ride and Drive
The EV6 GT drives great, acceleration is amazing, and handling was surprisingly good. If you want to unleash the full 576-horses, you have to hit the GT button on the steering wheel. This also puts all the power to the rear wheels for those who want to go drifting.
Charging & Range
Let’s talk charging and range. The added horsepower takes the range down to 206-miles, less than that if you drive it to its full capabilities. However, using my new Level 2 charger I had installed, twice range showed to be over 230 miles, a pleasant surprise.
Charging with a Level 3 charger can be done in just 18 minutes. Chargers’ plug-in from the right rear taillight.
What You'll Pay
The EPA rates this EV6 GT at 85 MPGe in town, 74 on the highway, and 79 combined. MSRP is $62,895 before the $7500 Federal tax credit if you lease it.
Verdict
If you are going to get an electric performance SUV, the EV6 is the pinnacle.
- What I liked most: Acceleration and the great looks of this SUV.
- What I would change: Power and air conditioned front seats really are needed.
- MSRP: $61,400 base price/as equipped $62,865 with transportation.
- Fuel Economy: Rated at 85 MPGe in town/74 highway/79 combined MPGe.
- Odometer reading when tested: 3,800 miles.
- Weight: 4,722 pounds.
- Spare Tire: Inflator Kit.
- Length-Width-Height: 184.8” long/74.4” wide/60.8” high.
- Fuel Tank Capacity: N/A.
- Official Color: Runway Red.
- Towing Capacity: N/A.
- 2023 EV6 GT in a few words: A very engaging car with amazing performance and a truly great driving SUV that is well priced in today’s market.
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Warranty: 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper, 10-year/100,000 mile power train and battery warranty.
- Final Assembly Location: Hwasung, Korea.
- Manufacturer's website: Kia
