Kia EV6: Five reasons why we love it...and five why we loathe it

Arriving as the Korean firm's first bespoke electric car, the Kia EV6 became an unexpected leader in the electric SUV class. 

We’re big fans of the EV6 – but it isn’t totally perfect. Here, we take a look at some of its best features, while also highlighting some of its unappealing characteristics. 

1. We LOVE the Kia EV6 because…

It’s has an excellent range that makes it just as usable as a petrol or diesel car. Kia claims the EV6 can travel up to 328 miles on single charge, which in the real-world is more like 300 miles.

That’s more than enough for the school run, commute to work and an evening trip to the supermarket without having to worry about plugging in before you repeat that the following day. And the day after.

2. We LOATHE the Kia EV6 because…

Although it’s an SUV, the ride quality is on the firmer side when compared to its rivals. The Korean brand intentionally sacrificed ride comfort to make it more engaging to drive.

While that has its benefits, it also has drawbacks in terms of comfort when you're not trying to drive an SUV like a hooligan (which is most of the time). It’s not bone-shakingly uncomfortable, but its ability to soak up the bumps is less compelling than the closely related Hyundai Ioniq 5.

3. We LOVE the Kia EV6 because…

While the ride isn’t as good as other electric SUVs, the EV6 is excellent through the bends. Granted, its steering isn’t particularly engaging, but there’s minimal body lean and plenty of grip to get you out of corners. AWD models are even more stable too, with an extra edge of stability to give you a more planted feel.

4. We LOATHE the Kia EV6 because…

It’s an expensive electric car, and to get your hands on the 328-mile version you have to spend £45,245 ($48,700). For £5000 more you could have a Tesla Model 3 (in fact, you might get one cheaper given some of the deals going around), but that gives you 390 miles of range and unrivalled levels of efficiency. 

5. We LOVE the Kia EV6 because…

Even though it doesn't look that big, it’s actually a large electric car with loads of room for people both front and rear. There is plenty of room for six-footers in the front and you get a real sense of spaciousness due to the wide nature of the interior. In the back the leg room is exceptional; we’d go far as to say it’s similar to a luxury saloon in terms of space. 

6. We LOATHE the Kia EV6 because…

For all the room that you get in the cabin, the boot space isn’t quite up to the mark. You can still fit seven carry-on suitcases in the back, but for its size it should do better. 

7. We LOVE the Kia EV6 because…

You can get all the goodness of the EV6 in hot GT trim. With the power boosted to 430kW, the performance variant of the EV6 makes it good for a 0-62mph time of just 3.5sec; that makes it faster than the sporty Porsche Taycan 4S – a car that costs an extra £25,000. Kia’s engineers also added a clever torque-biasing differential which makes the car turn more aggressive and feel more engaging to drive.

Oh, and for an added sporty bonus, we have two words for you... Drift. Mode.

8. We LOATHE the Kia EV6 because…

While the view out the front is excellent, rear vision is poor by comparison. This is made more frustrating by the lack of a rear-windscreen wiper, so the back window is constantly covered in dirt during the winter months of the year. 

9. We LOVE the Kia EV6 because…

It has lots of intelligent features that make it very easy to live with. The adjustable regenerative braking system allows you to be more involved in the driving experience, or you can strengthen the regen and let the car do all the braking for you; and that energy boosts the range of your car, too.

The Vehicle-to-Load function is a nice addition, too, allowing you to use the car’s battery to charge small appliances like a kettle. That will save you buying over-priced coffee when you stop at a service station.

10. We LOATHE the Kia EV6 because… 

While this isn’t the most severe criticism of the EV6, its door handles can be a bit fiddly. The flush door handles were most likely added to aid aerodynamic efficiency, and they do suit the EV6 sleek aesthetic.

With the doors unlocked, you have to press the front part of the handle to get it to pivot outwards so you can pull it open. It’s not a natural operation, and while the top-spec car does this automatically, it should be standard on all versions.