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More miles and faster charging: Updated Kia EV6 first drive

Kia stand-out EV gets bigger battery in package of useful updates.
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9 October 2024

BUSINESS MOTORING OVERALL SCORE

8/10

What is it?

When the Kia EV6 launched in 2021 it certainly brought a fresh look to the accelerating electric vehicle market – the first Kia model built on the brand’s fully electric-focused E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform) underpinnings, it was a stylish new entrant to the market which did not sacrifice practicality for visuals. The EV6 clearly ticked the box for many observers, becoming the first Korean-built model to win the prestigious European Car of the Year trophy.

Just three years on and the electric market is at full pace – in that short time several new contenders have emerged to challenge the EV6 in the market. So now we have a facelifted EV6, and while it might seem only yesterday that we were first driving the original, the updates extend to rather more than nips and tucks and equipment changes.

Principally, the new EV6 comes with a bigger battery than the initial version. The new 84kWh pack represents an 8.5% energy increase over its predecessor, and that is significant – already offering an impressive range between charges the EV6 now boasts a WLTP combined figure of up to 361 miles, which is directly comparable with any petrol-powered car of its size.

That figure comes with the single-motor 225hp rear-wheel-drive model. As previously there are two offerings, the other producing 320hp from its two motors, one on each axle to provide all-wheel-drive capability. Depending on which trim level you choose, you get WLTP combined ranges of 324-339 miles, which is plenty in today’s EV market.

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You do pay, however, a performance penalty for the new EV6 being heavier than its predecessor – in single-motor form the 7.7-second 0-62mph time is is almost half a second slower than before and the car will not keep up with many of its newer rivals.

The EV6 range is aided by a host of energy recuperation measures including an updated regenerative braking system with multiple settings using paddles behind the steering wheel, and the availability of a heat pump to keep the battery performing during colder parts of the year, though only as an option on the topmost of the three available trim levels.

Kia also claims that the EV6 will recharge faster than previously.  The built-in 800-volt charging technology allows speeds of up to 258kW, which is 8% improved on the earlier EV6. This promises 10 to 80% recharging in 18 minutes and taking a mere 15 minutes, hardly time for a coffee, to add 214 miles of range – however it will depend on finding a charger that can match the capability.

Other changes include several the average user won’t see but which offer distinctive benefits. The infotainment system has been improved, while the over-the-air updates that keep the car’s electronics fresh are now more efficient. The steering wheel design has been refined while on top-level models the centre console will recognise fingerprints, allowing one to start the car without a key. The ambient lighting design is new too, and even the wireless smartphone charging pad on upper models has been improved.

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There are extra driver assistance technologies now available such as remote parking, all the more impressive as the EV6 already boasts a comprehensive range of safety features and of course a top five-star Euro NCAP rating. The upper models do get extra useful extra safety electronics, especially the GT-Line S, but all the essential ones and more come as standard.

Overall there are three trims on offer. The single motor model is available in all three – an entry-level form dubbed ‘Air’, mid-range ‘GT-Line’ and top-level ‘GR-Line S’. The dual-motor version can be had in either of the upper two trims.

The differences between each trim involve bespoke upholstery, from cloth in the Air to artificial leather in the upper two, while there are exterior styling tweaks and the new 19-inch alloy wheel designs grow to 20 inches on the GT-Line-S. The GT-Line adds such niceties as wireless phone charging and extra electric adjustment on the front seats, while the new 19-inch alloy wheel designs grow to 20 inches on the GT-Line S which also comes with a panoramic sunroof.

One major plus of the EV6 is the small size of the options list – most of the extensive equipment listings come as standard for the overall purchase price. It is though a disappointment that the heat pump is a pay-for extra and only available on the range-topper – many manufacturers now consider these a standard element of electric drivetrains.

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What do we think of it?

Visually the changes to the Kia EV6 are fairly minor and evolutionary, as one expects from a mid-life update. And in this case no radical work is needed, because while the updates extend to new daytime running lights with what is dubbed ‘Star Map signature lighting’ (first seen on younger, but larger, sister the EV9) and nips and tucks to such things as bumpers, the car remains one that on first viewing immediately impresses with its purposeful visuals – it looks like one imagines a bang up-to-date EV should look, not like some of the visually pained designs on the market.

We’ve long been used to quality interiors with Kia and the EV6 maintains the line. It feels bright and spacious, if only just so above one’s head, with materials of obvious quality no matter which trim one chooses.

The basic design of the driver’s environment has been left alone, principally because the combination of the two digital screens in their gentle curve atop the dash works so well – though the Touch Bar of physical buttons that runs along the base of the infotainment screen would be missed if it wasn’t there…  The new, trimmer steering wheel is also a positive update.

On the launch event Business Motoring got to try out both the single and dual-motor versions in ‘GT-Line’ form. We mentioned that the weight addition means that the EV6 is now outgunned by several rivals. That may be, but the car possibly feels slightly slower than it actually is, due to the acceleration being so efficient and undramatic – overtaking of slower traffic in particular is still a matter of moments.

We’re told that the update brush applied to the EV6 has also involved upgrading the dampers and improving the rear motor’s sound insulation. Well the car certainly feels planted on the road, and it is quiet, maintaining the refined environment that one expects from today’s EV set but doesn’t always get.

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The EV6 looks like it should handle well – its body shape presents the image even before even considers such factors as the weighty battery being mounted very low in the car. And the actual experience doesn’t disappoint – comfortable on a motorway trawl, through twisty B roads the car answers steering wheel commands in a keen and balanced manner.

Regeneration is so much a part of efficient living with an EV and the Kia makes it simple. The steering wheel paddles offer instant application and one-pedal driving is easy, returning useful energy to the battery particularly on trips around town.

In summary? The new Kia EV6 might not quite be the completely stand-out model that it was when it first arrived in 2021, but that’s mainly because rivals have caught up. The prices might initially appear expensive but when one considers what one gets for the money, features that are often options on rivals, and then the standard seven-year warranty, the EV6 becomes rather good value.

Even the odd rankle, such as the heat pump being a cost-option, can’t greatly detract from a car that is still as fun to drive, practical to live with and good value to buy as it is distinctive to look at.

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The Kia EV6 GT-Line S 84.0kWh RWD / AWD

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Andrew Charman

Andrew Charman has been a motoring journalist for more than 30 years, writing about vehicles, technology and the industry. He is a Guild of Motoring Writers committee member and has won several awards including for his business coverage.

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