Kia announced its first electric vehicle in Australia, the EV6, in 2021 – and has now delivered a long-awaited refresh that includes a bigger battery, more range, and fresher styling.
I had the chance to spend some time behind the wheel of one to see what it’s like on our roads, and after a week with the GT-line RWD variant of the EV6, I can see that Kia has taken one of its most iconic EVs and delivered a well-sorted package for those wanting brand familiarity.
The car I was driving is the first of the two GT-Line variants, coming in at $79,660 before on-road costs. That makes it more expensive than much of the growing competition, but for that you get a car that offers Kia’s newest design language, with angles and lighting at the front give it a nicer look that stands out from the crowd of electric SUVs.
The new Kia EV6 has an improved design, lots of practical pros with good rear seat space, top-notch driving dynamics in this segment, and well over 450 km of real-world range with physical buttons for those wanting to ease into an EV for the first time.
The most notable change in the GT-Line RWD is that, like the Earth variant, it comes with the larger 84 kWh battery, delivering a WLTP range of 560 km.
In real-world driving, the EV6 was efficient too, with my travels seeing around 18.5 kWh/100 km on wintery Melbourne roads. That’s not too far from the official 17.7 kWh/100 km official consumption figures provided by Kia.
Given how fast this car can charge at an 800 V charger, it’s great for first-time EV buyers looking for a long-range variant, as it means less charging on longer road trips.
All EV6 variants also come standard with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability on both the inside and outside, which is quite useful for powering appliances or charging equipment when needed.
Inside, Kia having maximised interior space with the wheelbase and clever packaging that includes lots of storage spaces.
In the back seats, as an example, there is plenty of rear legroom, even for taller passengers. It’s not too different from the first-generation car when it comes to space, but material quality does see an improvement.
In terms of tech, at the front, there are dual 12.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel and infotainment, which is pretty typical in the Hyundai/Kia family of EVs.
For those who want a more traditional interior, Kia hasn’t got rid of physical buttons entirely, keeping essential climate and audio controls.
This would be welcomed by many, especially those transitioning from an ICE vehicle today, which is one area I really feel Kia has done so well in, especially when you look at the EV5 and the success that’s seen in terms of local sales.
Given we were testing the mid-spec GT-Line RWD variant, it does include quite a few premium features such as an updated two-tone steering wheel, cloth and synthetic leather-like material on the seats, and heated and ventilated front seats.
These also included power adjustments for both the driver and the passenger.
On top of that, there is a heated steering wheel and a 14-speaker Meridian sound system. These features add to the premium car experience for drivers of this variant, and given it’s winter in Melbourne, the heated steering wheel helped on cooler mornings.
But it’s in the driving that Kia truly stands apart. Thanks to local chassis tuning by Kia Australia, the EV6 drives and handles much better than I remember the last EV6 I drove a few years ago.
Taking it up to the mountain passes on the Mornington Peninsula, the body control and handling made sure the car stayed planted, even on high-speed sections of the winding roads.
The ride quality is well-balanced and does a good job of packing comfort and handling on those roads, with minimal body roll that some SUVs have.
Even on the 20-inch wheels of the GT-Line RWD, the bumps on the road felt well-damped, helping it around corners without any major dramas.
Powering the EV6 is a 168 kW single motor, which drives the rear wheels.It felt a lot closer to sportier EVs, including what I remember of the previous generation EV6 GT, so credit to Kia for adding that oomph, especially in Sports mode.
I also found the new i-Pedal system, which allows for one-pedal driving, was ideal for day-to-day driving around the suburbs and on city roads.
It did need to be re-engaged every time I got in, but it’s really easy with pedals on the steering wheel – more physical buttons, which is much appreciated.
It is definitely on the pricey end in this GT-line RWD variant compared to the number of Chinese offerings, including the Zeekr 7X, BYD Sealion 7, and Tesla Model Y.
Unlike those competitors, though, the EV6 is backed by Kia’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and a trusted brand with a great 140+ nationwide dealer network.
Kia has really stepped things up with this model, and if you are looking for something that to this day still looks quite good and offers reasonable 800 V EV tech, the EV6 should make it to your test-drive list of electric SUVs.
At the same time, if you are on a budget, also test out the EV5, as you may be surprised by what you get in a more affordable, slightly more boxy SUV.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.