Kia EV6 review: Can Kia repeat its success in premium electric car segment?

The first good thing about the latest Kia EV6 is that I don’t have to push random adjectives or words to rhyme with the name and make a catchy headline. This is an EV and the name is EV. Which saved me some time. I am sure, team Kia must have saved some time itself. Thankfully, they have utilized that to work on a few distinctive, clever and functional features for the EV6.

Fitted with a 77.4 KW battery, the WLTP range of the Kia EV6 is 528km. And, to charge this you don’t have to wait for hours. With the help of a 350 KW DC fast charger, 10 to 80% charging will be done in 17 minutes or 73 minutes via a 50 KW DC fast charger. And, that charge can actually help the Kia EV6 become a charger itself. The big LCD screen at the BIC, showcasing the technical specifications of EV6, was powered by an EV6 parked next to it. This is called the V2L feature, vehicle to load, that can run electrical appliances or you can lend some extra charge to another EV as well via V2V, vehicle to vehicle feature. Then you have zero gravity seats in the front row that can recline like a business class seat.

The front of the Kia EV6 is a bit misleading, not because of the digital interpretation of the tiger-nose grille or the dual LED headlamps, but a close shot of the front gives an impression of a regular hatchback. It looks like a compact car. But, as you walk towards the rear end the car reveals its persona. The rear quarter of the EV6 defines its personality. A distinct, sharp and futuristic looking crossover. The Sportback look, strong shoulder line and all LED strip lit hip. The 19-inch alloys look smart and the flush handles a premium touch. EV6 is almost 4700 mm long with a wheelbase of 2900mm. Which helps the car make more space in the second row especially. My height wasn’t an issue in the EV6. The second row is big on space, whether it is knee room or legroom.

The AC vents, the V2V/V2L charging point, type C cable slots and the cushioning, make this row feature-rich and comfortable. There is an option of folding this row via two convenient levers at the back, on the sides of 520 L luggage space.

The front row, however, looks more cool and futuristic. A big chunky centre panel on the steering wheel with a few infotainment and ADAS controls also features a shuffle button for eco and sport mode. The panel behind the wheel is a curved panel that includes two 12.3 inch screens for infotainment and the MID. The gear selector sits cool on a futuristic-looking floating panel at the centre. This has a few buttons for ventilated seats at the top and a wireless charger at the bottom. The dash has a premium dark theme and seats made up of recycled pet bottles add that exclusivity.

Unlike other Kia products, we are going to see only the GT line with EV6. Kia’s first electric in India is fitted with a 77.4 kWh battery and permanent magnet synchronous motor. The RWD option delivers 226 bhp and a peak torque of 350 Nm. However, the all-wheel-drive option has a power output of 321 bhp and a peak torque of 605 Nm. The difference in the figures you see is due to the number of motors. The RWD option has one and the more powerful AWD option has two motors. We drove the AWD option and the performance was exciting. The power was not restricted to the initial part of the acceleration only. The EV6 delivers power in a linear manner which the car peaks at an electronically limited speed of 192kmph. EV6 reaches the top speed very confidently and swiftly.

And, when you shift to sport mode even more quickly. The AWD version touches 100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds. The AWD is the version which also gives you the exhilarating launch EVs are known for. The performance impressed me on the BIC, and the corners as well, where we drove the EV6 during the first national media drive. The EV6 handled well and felt confident. The enthusiasts of this segment won’t be disappointed.

Internationally Kia EV6 is available with different battery packs and options. For example in the US, EV6 is priced between USD 40 and 57 thousand. Those prices are before the subsidies. The Indian market is getting the GT Line version only and will come as a CBU. This means that the duties are going to put this in a category, Kia has never been in this country and the Indian customers in that segment want to make a statement. So, EV6 could fight with XC Recharge or an i4 and C Class-3-Series kind of cars as well. Now the question is, is it capable? Can EV6 compete here in a price range of around 50 Lakh? The answer is yes, if the price is competitive, the performance, green factor, recycled material and that distinct personality can penetrate the segment and the mindset.