Arguably one of the best, if not the best, electric vehicles on the road right now has just got a whole lot better. And no, it is not the Tesla Model 3, nor is it the Polestar 2. It is the Kia EV6. We were blown away by how effortlessly brilliant this SUV was when we first got in behind the wheel three years ago – and this new face-lifted model continues that trend.
The headline news is that this family-friendly crossover – a former winner of the European Car of the Year gong, no less – now has better range courtesy of a larger battery (77kWh in the old compared to 84kWh in the new), ensuring rear-wheel-drive examples can go 361-miles, and less efficient all-wheel-drive versions somewhere in the region of 300-miles on a single charge.
Speaking of which, Kia has played around with the maximum DC charging speed and hiked it from 239kW to 258kW; that translates into a 10-80% charge time of less than 20 minutes – 10 minutes fewer than Skoda’s Enyaq. The reason for such impressive stats is the EV6’s smooth – and largely crease-free – body conceals super fast 800-volt-graded electrical hardware while rivals currently must make do with slower 400-volt architecture
That is pretty impressive when you consider Kia has only been a serious player in the EV market since the turn of the century. The sheer pace of its transformation is reflected in the brilliance of what it now builds, and what it once manufactured – think the cheap and cheerful Pride, and so-so first generation Sportage and you should roughly get the idea.
This brilliance is summed by the EV6 as it runs sharp ‘Star Map signature’ automatic LED headlamps (that is fancy marketing speak for zig-zag-shaped to you and me) to hand it both a claimed “futuristic and dynamic” presence on the road, while the front and rear bumpers on higher grade ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ are heavily sculpted to align with each car’s sporting pretences. The EV6’s looks have polarised opinion in the past – and are sure to do so again – but, on the round, it is a truly likeable package. Different isn’t always bad.
Our test car was in entry-level ‘Air’ guise meaning it runs on 19-inch rims as opposed to 20s and in this guise, you also have a single e-motor set-up that drives the rear-wheels. Performance on paper may seem underwhelming, but the 225bhp and 258lb ft of torque can keep you pinned in your seat as the sprint from zero to 62mph takes just seven-and-a-half seconds. With 320bhp to play with – and four driven tyres – AWD EV6s dispatch this in 5.3 seconds.
For a battery-propelled car, the EV6 is a hoot on a wide road, helped in part by suspension adjustments engineers have made in response to customer feedback. It continues to ride stiffly – even though the dampers have been softened by a few clicks – but not to the point of being irritating or uncomfortable, unless, of course, you’re on rougher sections of road. The steering is reasonably accurate if a tad over-assisted and the option of drive modes, while non-transformative, do noticeably alter the throttle response and delivery of power.
One-pedal driving is possible thanks to Kia’s regenerative braking system; it can be raised – or lowered – via paddles behind the steering wheel, allowing you to attack A-Roads with confidence, while recouping some energy for later as you roll back on the accelerator. Being long and wide, extra care is demanded on narrow country lanes as you get a lick on.
You can easily find the perfect driving position in the EV6 as the seats provide plenty of adjustment, and the way the centre console has been shaped creates a cockpit-like sensation due to the touchscreen’s gentle arc, and the way the climate control switches and stop/start button are gently angled towards you. Small but noticeable details – and very welcome, too. The same applies to the solid and premium ambience from inside the EV6 that has swapped its previous one-spoke steering wheel for one nicked from the larger EV9.
You can see where the money has been spent and certainly feel you are getting the best value possible in terms of materials and equipment, which even on ‘Air’ comprises cloth and artificial leather seats, a heated steering wheel, a parking camera and sensors, dual12.3-inch screens that merge to give the impression of one, large unit and wireless functionality for both Apple and Android smartphones.
It is worth saying that the infotainment system which sits to the left of the crystal clear and easy-to-digest driver display, has been given the once over and so now boats new menus and graphics. Perhaps our biggest gripe with the volume of sub-menus is the time it takes to find what you are actually looking for; it can seem like working your way around a maze on first attempt at turning the speed warning limiter or the lane keep assist off, although you can create a shortcut to these to the touch underneath – a definite must-have as both reset every time you turn off the car.
Being aimed at families and well-to-do high mileage drivers, they should not have trouble fitting in their belongings to a boot that totals 480-litres when the back seats are up, and nearly tripling (1,300-litres) should you need to drop these. A 20-litre frunk under the long bonnet is pretty handy, too, and should be just big enough to swallow a charging cable.
