Parts of the interior are made out of recycled plastic bottles
Kia has included a range of eco-friendly materials in the EV6 in a bid to improve sustainability.
The interior is made up of 100 per cent PET recycled carpets and felt door maps pockets, recycled post consumer plastics on the dash, along with recycled fabric on the seat coverings.
Kia claims the EV6 is the first Korean car to achieve ‘product carbon footprint certified’ by The Carbon Trust, awarded by the introduction of raw materials throughout the cabin.
This includes acquiring raw materials, procurement and transportation of parts, vehicle assembly, distribution, use, and end-of-life recycling.
It’s a twin under the skin to the Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Kia EV6 is a Hyundai Ioniq 5 underneath, but with unique bodywork and interiors.
Kia and Hyundai are jointly-owned sister brands and share vehicle development.
In this case, both vehicles are based on the same Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform with an 800V battery system, offering the option of single-motor rear-wheel-drive or dual-motor all-wheel-drive layouts.
Driving range differences? The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has a maximum range of 480km, while the Kia EV6 has a maximum driving range of 484km or 528km, depending on the model.
Is it a hatch or an SUV?
Kia (and Hyundai) say these sleek-looking machines with low-profile tyres are SUVs.
But they aren’t much bigger than many popular small cars such as the Volkswagen Golf or Hyundai i30.
Compared to the Kia Cerato, the Kia EV6 measures 4860mm (length), 1880 (width), 1550 (height), with a 2900mm wheelbase of 2900mm. The Kia Cerato’s measurements are 4640mm (length), 1800 (width), 1435 (height), and with a 2700mm wheelbase.
As an SUV, the Kia EV6 is in the same category as vehicles such as the Kia Sorento, Toyota Prado and Mazda CX-9. Somehow, this seems a bit of an odd fit.
The EV6 promises three different levels of driving range
The Kia EV6 is equipped with a long-range (77.4 kWh) high-voltage battery pack promising three different levels of driving range.
In ideal conditions, the rear-wheel drive single motor EV6 entry-level Air will can travel 528km on a single charge, the rear-wheel drive single-motor has a range of 504km, while the optional all-wheel drive version promises 484km.
These claimed ranges beat the likes of the MG ZS EV (320km), the Jaguar I-Pace EV400 (446km) and the Mercedes-Benz EQA (480km).
Kia EV6 can park using the remote key fob
The Kia EV6 is equipped with Smart Park Assist, which allows the vehicle to drive forward or back in and out of tight spaces.
This is designed to avoid banging your doors into adjacent vehicles, poles, or walls.
Using the key fob, owners are able to park the vehicle while standing next to it as it moves autonomously out of a front-and-back parking space (in a straight line forwards or backwards). For now this feature is offered on the top-grade GT-Line.
Keyword: 2022 Kia EV6: Five fast facts for Australian buyers