[ad_1]
Table of Contents
A fraternal twin to the Hyundai Ioniq 5—our 2022 EV of the Year—the 2023 Kia EV6 charts its path by means of the EV market with athletic highway manners and a daring look all its personal. Rear-wheel drive is normal however all-wheel drive fashions are punchier and could be had with a bigger battery pack with a most of 310 miles of driving vary. Dealing with is raring, particularly for an SUV, which makes it enjoyable on again roads. For warm-shoe drivers, this 12 months’s new GT mannequin is the one to get as its 577 horsepower is sufficient to make Stinger house owners envious because it blows by them. All of the whereas the EV6’s cabin stays quiet and is spacious sufficient to justify its place amongst SUV rivals such because the Ford Mustang Mach E, the Ioniq 5, and the Volkswagen ID.4. It’s one in every of our favourite SUVs as a result of its traits add as much as a well-rounded electrical automobile that’s straightforward to stay with, fun-to-drive, and an excellent worth.
The ballistically fast GT mannequin takes its place atop of the EV6 lineup this 12 months, full with 577 horsepower and an adaptive suspension. A inexperienced button on the steering wheel unlocks the propulsion system’s most efficiency, which we estimate can be sufficient to blast the EV6 to 60 mph in as little as 3.2 seconds in our testing. To associate with its enhanced efficiency, Kia has additionally added racier inside parts to the GT’s cabin, together with sport seats and neon inexperienced trim. Sadly, the extra juice wanted to pump out the additional horsepower cuts the GT’s driving vary estimate to only 206 miles per cost, a major drop from the utmost 310-mile vary of essentially the most environment friendly mannequin.
We suggest the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive Wind trim degree, not solely as a result of it is essentially the most inexpensive solution to get all-weather traction but additionally as a result of the twin motors generate a mixed 320 horsepower versus the only motor’s decrease energy output.
The EV6 is accessible with a single electrical motor mounted on the rear axle that offers it rear-wheel drive or with electrical motors on each entrance and rear that allow all-wheel drive. Whereas all-wheel-drive fashions have the bigger battery pack and both 320 or 577 whole horsepower, the bottom rear-drive instance has a smaller battery and simply 167 horses. Choosing the larger battery boosts the rear-drive EV6’s whole system output to 225 horses. We drove a GT-Line AWD in Europe and loved its satisfying acceleration, agile dealing with, and adjustable regenerative brake settings. At our check monitor, that 320-hp GT-Line mannequin managed a brisk 4.5-second zero-to-60-mph time. In the event you prioritize most straight-line efficiency, the 577-hp GT has you lined; we estimate it will hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. The efficiency mannequin sits on the high of the lineup and comes with enhancements resembling an digital restricted slip differential, firmer chassis tuning, an adaptive suspension, and stouter brakes.
The Kia EV6 affords two battery sizes: a 58.0-kWh and a 77.4-kWh pack. Clearly, the bigger of these will present an extended driving vary. The smaller, normal battery has an EPA-rated vary of 232 miles; the bigger, long-range battery is EPA-rated at as much as 310 miles. Go for the performance-oriented GT mannequin and the vary drops to a measly 206 miles per cost though it comes with the bigger of the 2 batteries. We took an all-wheel drive Wind mannequin, which has the bigger battery pack normal, on our 75-mph freeway gas financial system route and measured 230 miles of real-world freeway driving vary earlier than the battery wanted to be recharged. Together with an working voltage of 800 volts, Kia says its battery could be charged from 10 to 80 % in below 18 minutes when plugged right into a 350-kW quick charger. We tested this claim and had been happy with the consequence. This similar setup can also be stated so as to add 70 miles in lower than 5 minutes. The 11-kW onboard charger is predicted to refill the battery from 10 to one hundred pc in 7 hours when hooked as much as a Stage 2 outlet.
Each single-motor EV6 has a mixed EPA ranking of as much as 117 MPGe; the dual-motor variant is rated at 105 MPGe. For extra info on the EV6’s gas financial system, go to the EPA website.
Inside, the EV6’s design and format are usually not as daring as the skin, however the configuration and options look extra engaging and futuristic than another present Kia mannequin. Though the middle console does not slide backwards and forwards and there aren’t any front-seat footrests like there are on the Ioniq 5, the EV6 mixes high-tech content material resembling a digitized dashboard with sensible parts resembling a floating middle console with copious storage options and a big bin beneath it. Different touches that stand out are the two-tone, two-spoke steering wheel, the outstanding begin button on the middle console, and the gold accents which can be tastefully positioned all through the cockpit. The EV6 has a flat flooring and a wheelbase so long as the three-row, mid-size Kia Telluride, so passenger area is beneficiant. There are additionally 28 cubic ft of cargo area behind the again seat and 54 cubes whole with the rear seatbacks folded flat. There’s extra space for storing below the entrance trunk, too, nevertheless it’s not as massive as anticipated.
The infotainment system runs by means of a 12.0-inch touchscreen that is an extension of the EV6’s 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster. Nonetheless, the design and efficiency of the menu construction and navigation are unimpressive. Together with the flexibility to simply accept over-the-air updates and reply to myriad voice instructions, the system contains widespread options resembling Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wi-fi smartphone charging, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Moreover, the stereo could be upgraded to the accessible Meridian unit with 14 audio system.
Kia packs the EV6 with quite a lot of normal driver-assistance technology that features automated emergency braking and automated excessive beams. A number of different non-compulsory assists could be added for a fair safer expertise. For extra details about the EV6’s crash-test outcomes, go to the Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security (IIHS) web sites. Key security options embrace:
Kia offers probably the greatest guarantee plans within the trade. Sadly, not like Hyundai, it does not include any complimentary scheduled upkeep.
Specs
2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line
Car Kind: rear- or front- and rear-motor, rear- or all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Examined: $52,415/$58,105
Choices: Twin-motor all-wheel-drive, $4700; Metal Matte Grey Paint, $695; GT-Line Suede Seat Package deal, $295
POWERTRAIN
Entrance Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 99 hp
Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 221 hp
Mixed Energy: 320 hp
Mixed Torque: 446 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 77.4 kWh
Onboard Charger: 10.9 kW
Transmissions: direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 12.8-in vented disc/12.8-in strong disc
Tires: Continental CrossContact RX ContiSilent
F: 255/45R-20 105H M+S Additional Load
R: 255/45R-20 105H M+S Additional Load
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 114.2 in
Size: 184.8 in
Width: 74.4 in
Top: 60.8 in
Passenger Quantity: 103 ft3
Cargo Quantity: 24 ft3
Curb Weight: 4647 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.5 sec
100 mph: 12.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 13.3 sec @ 102 mph
Outcomes above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Begin, 5–60 mph: 4.7 sec
Prime Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.9 sec
Prime Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.8 sec
Prime Pace (gov ltd): 118 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 169 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.86 g
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Mixed/Metropolis/Freeway: 105/116/94 MPGe
Vary: 274 mi