2024 Kia EV6 Review

When the Kia EV6 launched in 2021, it ushered in a new wave of fast-charging, long-range family SUVs that weren't made by Tesla. Along with its sister car, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, it uses a high-power 800-volt architecture that sounds like sci-fi fantasy, but, in reality, means you only have time for a swift box of nuggets while charging before trekking on to the in-laws.

Now in its fourth year, Kia's given the EV6 a new lick of paint and a whole list of incremental improvements to keep it firmly on the list of best electric cars.

Most obvious is the new EV6's redesigned face, with more complex headlights spinning their daytime running-light signatures off across the base of the bonnet, resulting in a new lightbar. Visual changes to the rear are minimal, but all EV6s now have a bigger 84kWh battery, which will get you up to 361 miles in rear-wheel-drive models or about 330 miles in all-wheel-drive versions. 

There have been a couple of changes to the way the EV6 drives. Kia's spent time tweaking the suspension settings, giving you a car that rides out bumpy British roads with impressive aplomb. Where some other heavy EVs crash over cracks, the EV6 smooths over them better than before. It's not quite as compliant as the buttered-hippo smoothness of the Skoda Enyaq, but it's not far off. New sound deadening for the EV6's rear motor also means you can accelerate hard without hearing much motor whine. It's a refined car that's relaxing for long trips.

And long trips are easier than ever. Yes, the battery is 8.5% bigger than the pre-facelift car's, but the charging curve has been tweaked too, so you can get 215 miles in just 15 minutes on a fast charger, and peak charging speed is up 8% to 258kW. Sadly, Kia's removed the cold-weather-range-boosting heat pump option from most of the range, leaving it as a £950 extra only available on expensive GT Line S range-toppers.

As before, the EV6 offers vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging. This means you can plug an adapter into the EV6's charging port, leaving you with a standard three-pin plug socket to live out your lifestyle dreams. Perhaps it'll run a microwave for your camping trip, or charge up some remote-control cars for, ahem, your kids. 

Performance from the dual-motor EV6 is incredibly strong with a 5.4-second 0-62mph time, but we'd save £3,500 and stick to a rear-drive EV6. Sure, the 0-62mph time drops to 7.7 seconds, but there's still plenty of performance for real-world driving, and you get 30 miles extra range to boot. 

If that sounds like coward's talk, then the 580hp EV6 GT will be getting all the 2024 changes soon – so you can have an updated EV6 with enough accelerative oomph to startle a cheetah. And some people wonder why we're not allowed back in the safari park…

We’ve got the EV6 to thank for the snazzy interiors on the new Kia Sportage and Kia Niro. A pair of 12.3-inch screens take up the majority of the dashboard, but thankfully don’t mess up visibility. The right-hand screen gives you all the must-know driving information, while the touchscreen on the left deals with everything else. Both are contained within one panel, giving the interior a sleek and premium sheen.

The screens are quick to respond, intuitive to get around – there’s also voice control if you’re struggling – and fantastically sharp. They’re easy to live with and to use everyday – and easy on your eyes at night, thanks to the dark background.

Kia has also managed to reinvent climate controls. Oh no, we thought. But the slim touch panel below the screen is mostly easy and fun to use, allowing you to switch between the climate and shortcut panels at the swipe of a ‘button’. You still have to look down to use it, and you might occasionally turn on the heated seats accidentally, but we found it to be a better system than VW’s solution for its climate controls.

The EV6’s interior is a riot of plush materials and beautiful, tactile touches. Just look at the shaped metal around the start button – an unnecessary but lovely flourish – and the intricate ribbing on the gear selector. GT-Line cars get suede seat upholstery for extra softness.

Meanwhile, vegan leather is available on every trim level and the GT-Line cars get premium relaxation seats.

Entry-level EV6s in Air trim are really well-equipped – they come with 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, sat nav-based radar cruise control, two-zone climate control and lane-keep assist, among other things. GT-Line adds a sharper body kit, wireless phone charging and privacy glass, while top-spec GT-Line S adds heated rear seats, 20-inch wheels, cooled front seats, a sunroof and automated parking assistance. Pre-facelift cars also had a a Horizon trim, which builds on the Air trim with a host of extra features for not much more money.

The 2024 facelift added a new, slightly square steering wheel with upgraded sensors for the driver assistance tech, plus built-in dashcams front and rear, a fingerprint authenticator on the centre console and wireless compatibility for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

As cars get bigger and longer, you might not have realised that the Kia EV6 is about the same length as many estate cars, at just under 4.7m. So, despite its sleek shape, the EV6 still manages to be very practical and very family-friendly.

There are acres of legroom, even if there’s a tall adult upfront, and there’s room for three people side-by-side – made easier with a completely flat floor across the back. USB sockets are built into the front seats for charging kids’ devices, and the headrests are an odd shape because they have built-in coathangers.

Headroom isn’t quite as impressive as legroom, and our 6'3" test subject did brush his head when sitting upright. The EV6 is almost 7cm lower than a Skoda Enyaq, highlighting Kia's prioritised style over outright boxy practicality.

The 490-litre boot is just about big enough for family life or a week away, and the tall floor and no lip makes it nice and easy to load heavy items into the loadbay. It's a slightly smaller boot than one in the Ioniq 5, however, and quite a way behind the Skoda Enyaq's 585-litre hangar.  Fold the seats down and the available space nearly triples, provided you’re happy to load to the boot. There’s also a ‘frunk’ under the bonnet that’s useful for storing the charging cable – 52 litres on rear-drive models, and 20 litres on all-wheel-drive versions.

Every EV6 can tow a 1,600kg braked trailer and has a 100kg nose weight, making it possible to tow a medium-sized caravan. Read our guide to the best electric towcars here.

Two powertrains are available in the main EV6 lineup – a rear-wheel-drive version with 226hp and a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version with 321hp. There’s a marked difference in performance, which we’ll come onto, but both use the same 84kWh battery, up from a maximum of 77.4kWh on the pre-facelift model, which was also offered with a cheaper 58kWh option.

Driving range is advertised at up to 361 miles if you pick a rear-wheel-drive entry-level Air model with its smaller 19" wheels. A dual-motor GT Line S with bigger 20" wheels will get you a claimed 324 miles. In our testing, we saw a real-world estimated range of 290 miles for the dual motor, and 320 miles for the single motor car.

Charging to 80% takes just 18 minutes if you find a whopping 350kW charger, while a 50kW charger will take an hour and 13 minutes. You’ll most likely charge at home if you’ve got a driveway, where a 10-80% charge takes 7 hours 20 minutes on a 7kW wallbox – super convenient if you charge while you’re asleep.

Even the base rear-wheel-drive version is quick, with 0-62mph taking 7.7 seconds. It’s not exactly scintillatingly fast, but Kia has you covered if you want to be pushed back in your seat away from a set of traffic lights. The all-wheel-drive version knocks the 0-62mph time down to 5.4 seconds, and can outsprint most hot hatchbacks and sports cars.

Kia hasn’t stopped there, though. Its halo performance model is now the EV6 GT, marked out by acid green brakes and a subtly different body kit. What you can’t see is that it produces 580hp and shoots to 62mph in just 3.5 seconds. Most Ferraris would be left in the Kia’s dust. It’s expensive for a Kia but cheap compared with a Porsche Taycan – and yes, we are comparing a Kia to a Porsche. 

If you want a fast EV, however, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is a far sharper car to drive than the EV6 GT and has a plethora of entertaining driving modes, including one that simulates the torque curve and gearshifts of a petrol engine.

The normal EV6 has a sportier bent than the related Ioniq 5, and that means its ride is a little bit firmer, but the 2024 update has improved the Kia's ride quality noticeably over bumps. Couple that with the EV6’s slightly lower roofline – meaning a lower centre of gravity – and the Kia is slightly better to drive than the Hyundai.

Whereas the EV6 used to fidget over small bumps, it now irons them out, giving a much more refined driving experience. It's still a hushed thing at motorway speeds – and its clever semi-autonomous driving assistance tech makes motorway driving a piece of cake. With its long range, ultra-rapid charging and motorway manners, this is one EV that you’d be happy to take on long journeys.

It’s no one-trick pony – the EV6 won’t leave you wanting on tighter B-roads either. Body roll is nicely controlled and the instant acceleration lets you make great progress. It’s one of the best-driving EVs we’ve tested so far. The EV6’s two-tonne mass is well hidden most of the time, only making itself noticeable when you brake hard.

Luckily, Kia’s i-Pedal driving mode allows you to use regenerative braking most of the time, rather than the physical discs. The level of regen braking can be adjusted using the paddles on the steering wheel and, with maximum regen strength, you’ll barely need to touch the brake pedal at all.