Kia EV6 Review

Practicality and Boot Space

It’s a stocky car, the EV6. Perhaps its swoopy lines disguise its size a little, but you’re looking at something that’s longer and wider (albeit lower) than the Audi Q4 e-tron SUV, for instance. And yet it has less boot space. A 490-litre capacity isn’t woeful, but it’s probably less than you’d hope in a car this size. And you’ll lose another 10 litres to the optional premium sound system. There’s further storage in its frunk (under the bonnet); 20 litres if you’ve gone for an AWD EV6, or 52 litres if you’re happy with the performance of the base RWD model.

If you think the outside of the EV6 looks a bit busy, just have a look at what’s going on in the cabin. There are two screens, a button for every day of the year and a space-age floating centre console. Head further back and you might be less impressed, though, its roofline cutting into rear passenger space – as well as slicing the window area – which could make some occupants feel a touch claustrophobic. It’s something to try before you buy if you’ll regularly have people sitting in the back.

Technology

20W Summary : there’s a wealth of desirable technology as standard, with sweet little touches like sockets to power big external electrical items. Loads of safety kit, too.

The EV6’s dual display set up gives you the same amount of screen space as a Tesla Model 3 but it’s arranged in a more useful way, especially if you prefer to have the speed display somewhere within your eye line. It all helps the EV6’s driver-focused feeling. The left-hand display is a touchscreen and so are the switches below. It’s all pretty intuitive to use and we like details such as its natty air vents, though they’re perhaps not as well places as they could be to actually warm the car. Thank goodness for the standard heated seats and steering wheel. They’re nestled among a vast, generous standard equipment list along with nav-augmented cruise control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a host of LED lights and more charging ports than most of us will have devices for. It’s a tech feast, but one presented in a pleasingly easy to understand way.

Safety (150w)

​Euro NCAP is yet to crash test the Kia EV6, so we don’t have a definitive rating yet. But the electrified Kia Niro has previously scored four stars, while the EV6’s Hyundai cousin – the impressive IONIQ 5 – scored the full five stars. So it seems a safe bet the EV6 will do well, too.

Not least because of how much safety equipment comes as standard. Unlike some rivals, you don’t have to peruse lots of option packs or jump several spec levels to get all the active systems. Among the standard safety kit on all models is lane-keep assist, forward-collision avoidance, hill-start assist and a driver drowsiness warning. Top spec EV6 GT-Line S models add blind-spot monitoring and a rear cross traffic alert, to help you reverse out of parking bays more safely, as well as a smart park assist function. The Korean companies know how to throw lots of kit in – this may be an expensive Kia, but it’s a thoroughly well-stocked Kia, too.