Kia EV6 2023 review: GT-Line AWD

Like many EV’s the design has been toyed with and stands out from its fuel-based siblings. It’s got big delicious curves all over but the sharply sloping nose makes it pop out.

It looks so different it’s almost unmistakable as an EV. The big 20-inch wheels and sloped body panelling reinforces that image and the interior ambient lighting creates an ‘interstellar’ experience at night.

Honestly, this is one of the few cars where the outside and inside vie for your attention in equal measure, and I’ve noticed quite a few looks as I’ve driven it. I was even stopped and asked about it in my local supermarket.

So, it will turn heads and definitely stoke interest. It will be interesting to see how it ages, but you can’t deny its kerbside presence!

The GT-Line AWD has dual electric motors, one at the front and rear. The driving experience is fantastic overall but most of my points go towards the sheer fun factor.

It’s got plenty of power when you put your foot down. It’s like driving a Ferrari golf cart but it’s very solidly placed on the road and feels stable in corners.

The regenerative braking (which is when the motor becomes a generator of power to the battery when you pull off the accelerator or apply the brakes) can be adjusted and when it’s on ‘Level 3’, you almost don’t touch your brake – which makes tackling winding roads very fun.

The suspension is forgiving and the ride smooth. The motor is so quiet that you sometimes have to look at the screens, to make sure it’s turned on. Because you lose the engine noise, you do notice the road and wind more than you would on a fuel-based car but the cabin is still relatively peaceful.

The EV6 is very simple to park, the steering is direct and the camera system is great. The 360-degree view, plus front and rear cameras make it easy to navigate into a spot and the clarity of the camera images is a highlight.

Plus, this also has a very cool park assist function, where you can remotely shift the car forwards or backwards via the key fob. Handy in a car park when someone has parked too close to you!

The GT-Line AWD has a range of 484km. Like a conventional car, this will deplete quicker the harder you drive, and if you’re tackling a mountain, expect to see it dwindle faster.

However, the clever regen braking means this will prowl happily in city traffic and you’ll likely gain battery percentage when going down a mountain.

It’s very simple to charge the car. The EV6 comes with a variety of plug options, meaning you should be able to make use of most charging outlets.

It comes with an AC option, so you can plug it into one of your power outlets at home if you’re ever in a pinch. The downside is you’ll be without your car for a fair amount of time if you go for a full charge, like around 40 hours.

There is the option of installing a ‘Wallbox-type’ charger at home which costs extra but you’ll get more charging power and quicker turnaround times (around eight hours on an 11kW unit).

When you park at a charging outlet, open the charging panel at the rear of the car, follow the instructions on the charging site and plug it in. Simple! The real task is often just downloading the correct charging app and filling in your billing details.

It’s important to touch on charging etiquette. It seems like common sense but once your car is charged, move it to a proper parking spot so others can use the charger. Take a note of the estimated charging time before stretching the legs or getting coffee, so you can return to the car in time.

The interior is spacious, legroom and headroom feel generous in both rows, but because of the shallow floor, backseat passengers can feel like their knees are tucked up closer to their chests than normal.

I noticed this and I’m 168cm (5’6″), so keep that in mind if you’re regularly transporting adults or gangly teens.

The storage is very good throughout. The glove box and centre console are both large and deep. There’s a shelf underneath the console that’s perfectly sized to accommodate a handbag and/or devices while on charge (there are four charging ports).

Each door has a drink holder and a little pocket in the door handle for small items. There are two cupholders in each row but those in the back are located in the armrest and are retractable – creating a larger snack/storage tray if needed.

The boot feels cavernous because the lid opens way up. Sort of like a liftback/hatchback because you can fit larger gear a lot easier than a standard boot.

When all five seats are in action there’s 480L (VDA) of cargo capacity available but that jumps up to 1260L (VDA) when the rear seats are folded flat.

The EV6 has 480 litres of boot space. (image credit: Glen Sullivan)

Folding the seats flat increases cargo capacity to 1260L. (image credit: Glen Sullivan)

It’s an easy car to handle and drive. Once you get used to the regen braking (and how firm it can feel if you’re a little bit too quick to hop off the accelerator), you’ll be cruising around with confidence.

The technology is simple to navigate and everything is where you expect it to be, so while it looks futuristic and different, you’ll still be able to use it with relative ease.

There’s a little more forethought with charging, but even then, you don’t seem to get the dreaded ‘range anxiety’ usually associated with an EV.

The seats feel comfortable and the front sport eight-way power adjustments with lumbar support. Both front seats have heated and ventilated functions (yay) and there’s also a ‘relaxation’ mode that tilts them back when you want to have a rest while stopped.

Each row has at least one USB port, so all passengers can stay charged up and there’s enough amenities that back seat passengers won’t feel left out.

The dark rear privacy glass cut out the glare for my five-year old but the taller window sills meant he didn’t have as much of a view as he was hoping for. It was great that the backs of the front seats had hard kickplates, always practical for little feet.

The boot has a handy retractable cargo blind, plus a luggage net to secure your gear. If you like the peace of mind of having a spare tyre, you’re out of luck because no EV6 model carries one, instead, you get a puncture repair kit.

I love the practical powered tailgate but it would have been made even better if it had of had a kick-function, too.

The EV6 comes with great safety features, like forward and rear collision warning, rear-cross traffic alert, lane keeping aids, lane departure warning, safe exit warning, driver attention alert and AEB with car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning warnings.

It also has a cool blind-spot monitoring system that includes a camera view that pops up on the instrument panel when you indicate. Which, would be great in the city with all of the bike lanes!

It has all the usual airbags plus a centre bag up front, but it doesn’t get side airbags in the rear, as you might expect at this price-point. It still scored a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2022 – so it’s nice and fresh.

There are ISOFIX mounts on the outboard seats plus three top tether child seat mounts but you’ll realistically fit two car seats.

It was fairly easy to fit my harnessed booster seat and there’s a good amount of room for front occupants when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed, too!

There are ISOFIX mounts on the outboard seats. (image credit: Glen Sullivan)

With a booster seat fitted, there’s still decent room for front passengers. (image credit: Glen Sullivan)

Kia has hit the right notes because the technology is very good but easily accessible, making it feel intuitive to use and easy to understand.

The dashboard is headlined by a huge floating digital panel that incorporates the 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system and 12.3-inch instrument cluster.

The multimedia system is easy to use and has built-in sat nav but there’s quite a bit you can customise, so it’s easy to make this feel like your own.

It has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and while easy to connect my iPhone, it’s a tad disappointing they aren’t wireless at this money.

The head-up display is great and pulls through traffic sign recognition and sat nav guidance but the graphic can feel a little skewed at times, as if it’s out of focus.

There are multiple 12-volt, USB-C and USB-A ports throughout, as well as, an AV 250-volt port too, when you need to charge a bigger appliance while out.

The ambient lighting is adjustable and has up to 64 colours to choose from. At night, they make the interior feel special and it’s an easy way to incorporate a lot of personality in the cabin.

The GT-Line AWD will cost $87,590, before on-road costs. Which is pretty expensive compared to a conventional car, but decent value for an EV.

There are some things that could have been done differently, like some upgrades to the internal materials, but as it stands, you still get a lot of features for your money.

Features like LED headlights and daytime running lights, a sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, eight-way power adjustments on the front seats, satellite navigation, a wireless charging pad, and a 360-degree camera… to name a few.

The EV6 comes with seven-year/unlimited km warranty, whichever occurs first, which is pretty good. The battery is covered, too, but only up to 150,000km.

Kia also only guarantees that it will provide an EV battery with at least 70 per cent of the original battery capacity, if any repairs/replacements are needed. It would be prudent to follow the charging recommendations to ensure the longest battery life possible.

There are three capped-priced servicing plans available (three, five or seven years) and on the seven-year plan, services average $226, which is very affordable. Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km.