2022 Kia EV6

The EV6 is a new EV model that shares its underpinnings—but not its looks or driving characteristics—with Hyundai’s Ioniq 5. Both start with about 230-mile range. Kia is aiming its first dedicated EV at a younger, more affluent audience than its corporate stablemate. Kia benchmarked the Tesla Model Y and by and large succeeded in making the two-row, five-seat EV6 better in most categories (except for cargo space) than the rest of the compact electric crossover segment. 

The EV6 comes in three trim levels (Light, Wind and GT-Line) each with two powertrains: a single motor, rear drive option or a dual-motor all-wheel drive. In late 2022 a more powerful GT drive version will arrive with 520 horsepower.

Kia’s first dedicated EV is going up against the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, Volkswagen ID.4 and Tesla Model Y, and its corporate cousin, the Ioniq 5. While its passenger cabin is big, the EV6 suffers in cargo capacity. At 24.4 cubic-feet it is dead last in its segment. All EV6 trims but the base are tow-rated for 2,300 pounds. Only the Tesla Model Y and VW ID.4 have higher ratings, and the Mustang Mach-E isn’t set up to tow.  

The Light trim with a 58 kWh battery pack and single-motor, rear drive starts at $42,115. Wind inches up to $48,215 with a 77.4 kWh pack that adds more range and power. Tack on a $3,900 option for a dual-motor AWD version. The GT-Line goes all out at $52,415 with an AWD option for an additional $4,700. The dual-motor AWD versions are capable of an impressive zero-to-60 mph acceleration time of 4.6 seconds. 

The EV6’s charging capabilities stand out. It has the same super-fast charging capability as the Ioniq 5. Its 800-volt/400-volt system is the first outside of the luxury EV segment. The Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT are the only other EVs with the same high-speed charging capability. Its looks also differentiate it with curves and flowing surface lines. It looks and feels like a sporty wagon.

With a comprehensive advanced driver-assistance and safety systems suite as standard and a mostly intuitive touchscreen-physical button mix, it’s a user-friendly experience. It comes together with solid range, impressive performance and an affordable starting price as an easy choice for someone new to EVs.

Performance: 14/15

The EV6 is available in three performance levels. The base Light has a 58 kWh battery and a single-motor, rear-drive layout producing165 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The Wind, GT-Line and sold-out 1^st Edition trims use a 77.4 kWh battery and single-motor, rear-drive powertrain with 225 horsepower and torque at 258 pound-feet. Those also have dual-motor, electronic-AWD variants with 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque.

At 4.6 seconds from zero-to-60 mph, the AWD trims are quicker than the Tesla Model Y and Mustang Mach-E. The big-battery rear-drive trims are Kia-rated at 7.2 seconds from zero-to-60 mpg, while the Light is rated at 8 seconds— average for compact SUVs and crossovers. 

The chassis tuning is sporty—those seeking a cushier ride should consider the VW ID.4 or the Ioniq 5. At highway speeds and on twisty roads, the EV6 is quite responsive and in AWD feels positively glued to the asphalt. 

Drivers can choose from four modes: Sport, Normal, Eco and Snow. All adjust steering and pedal response for various combinations of performance and efficiency. There also are five paddle-controlled regenerative braking levels (including none at all). The most aggressive, i-Pedal, brings the EV6 to a full stop without touching the brake pedal. 

Range, Energy Use & Charging: 14/15

The Model Y is the efficiency champ in this segment, but the EV6 rear-drive trims are right behind it with an EPA rating of 29 kWh per 100 miles, versus Tesla’s 28 kWh per 100 miles. Average for all non-luxury compact electric crossovers is 32.6 kWh/100 miles. The Ioniq 5 lineup trails with an average rating of 31.6 kWh/100 miles.

The EV6 rear-wheel trims turn in the equivalent of 117 MPGe for combined city and highway driving. The AWD trim comes in at 105 MGEe. The Model Y edges out the EV6 at 122 MGEe and the Ioniq 5 is third overall at 114 MPGe.

With range starting at 232 miles on the base Light, the Wind pushes up to 310 miles with a bigger battery. A nearly depleted EV6 battery can be brought back to 80% of capacity in just 18 minutes on the newest and most powerful DC fast-charging equipment and under 40 minutes on most other fast chargers. 

All trims except the Light get a vehicle-to-load system that uses the battery as a power source for 120-volt appliances and power tools or even to help charge—albeit super slowly—another EV.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 14/15

All EV6 trims have a comprehensive suite of advanced driver-assistance and safety systems as standard equipment, including lane departure warnings with lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic and forward collision avoidance. Kia’s hands-on automated Highway Driving Assist feature is also standard. GT-Line trims can initiate an autonomous lane change and adapt cruise control performance to a driver’s style. 

A $1,500 Technology Package for the Wind trim adds remote smart parking, surround view and blind spot cameras and monitors and a parking collision avoidance system. 

In December, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the EV6 a Top Safety Pick+, its highest designation, which boosted its score despite lack of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data. The EV6 uses the same safety equipment and systems as the Ioniq 5, and both received five-star ratings in both the European and Australian NCAP tests. 

Comfort & Room: 15/15

The EV6 is a big compact and its interior is almost mid-size in its spaciousness, opened up by the flat floor and wheels-to-the-corners design it shares with the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The Kia’s wheelbase is the same as in the three-row Kia Telluride and overall it is longer and wider than the VW ID.4. 

The EV6 offers the most front seat legroom in the class—42.4 inches—and its 39 inches of rear legroom trails only the Model Y’s 40.5 inches and the Ioniq 5’s 39.4 inches. The ID.4 is last-in-class at 38.4 inches of rear legroom.

That roominess combines with great sound-dampening, well-padded, fully reclining front seats and adjustable rear seat backs, along with a sporty-but-not-harsh suspension, to make for a comfortable ride. 

Seats in all but the base trim are faux leather and the top two trims offer pseudo-suede inserts as an option. Power adjustable driver’s seats with memory settings (including for the mirrors) and heated front seats are standard across the line. All but the base trim also have cooling front seats and power-adjustable front passenger seats. 

Infotainment: 14/15

A pair of 12.3-inch digital screens in a gently curved housing unit dominate the EV6’s dash: one for driver information, the other a touchscreen for everything else. Voice recognition, navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, wireless device charging and a Wi-Fi hotspot are standard across the line. 

The base trim gets a six-speaker audio setup, the rest a premium 12-speaker Meridian system. Many controls are relegated to the screens, but the audio and climate systems have dash-mounted controls.

The system is quite user-friendly, and there are plenty of USB ports—two type Cs and an A in front and a pair of Cs for the rear seating area, nicely mounted on the outside edge of each front seat. Also standard is Kia’s smartwatch- and smartphone-based Kia Connect system for features such as emergency notification, remote start and climate control and over-the-air navigation map updates.

Cargo Space & Storage: 8/15

At 24.4 cubic-feet of cargo area behind the rear seats the EV 6 can easily hold up to seven carry-on suitcases or a cooler and gear for a weekend outing. If the rear seats aren’t needed, folding them flat increases total cargo space to 50.2 cubic feet. But no matter, capacity is the least in the competitive set and the EV6’s low, rearward-sloping roofline limits the height of objects it can carry. In truth, this is more of a tall hatchback than a crossover SUV, and it shows in the storage department.

Door pockets are thin but do have integral bottle holders and there are several other cubbies in the passenger cabin including a large open bin on the lower level of the two-tier center console and gear pockets on the backs of the front seats. There’s a tiny front trunk, but it’s not good for much more than a portable charging cord.

If lots of cargo capacity is the decider, though, the category leaders are the Tesla Model Y with 68 cubic feet overall, the VW ID.4 at 64.2 cubic feet, or the Mustang Mach-E with 59.7 cubes.

Style & Design: 10/10

The EV6’s modern-futurist design sets it apart from its mostly traditionally styled crossover competition. Its curves and flowing surface lines replace the sharp creases and rectangular planes defining crossovers that try to emulate SUVs. Kia positions the EV6 as an electric crossover, but with an overall height of just 60.8 inches, the EV6 is 4 inches lower than the rest of the field, doesn’t have the Model Y’s ungainly humpbacked roofline and is most evocative of a sporty wagon.

From the side, the EV6’s short hood, sharply raked windshield and steeply canted rear frame a passenger cabin of limo-like proportions. That cabin is topped by a floating roof that curves gently rearward, ending in a spoiler that directs airflow over the rear window to sweep it clean without a wiper. Flush door handles, a wide stance, narrow LED headlamps and what may be the best rear-end design of the year round out the exterior. 
Inside, the EV6 goes for a Euro-premium look—including suede seating options—that wouldn’t be out of place in a competitor like the ID.4’s luxury cousin, the Audi Q4 e-tron.

Is the 2022 Kia EV6 Worth It? Which EV6 is the Best Value?

The base EV6 Light starts at $42,115 including a $1,215 destination fee. It’s still eligible for a $7,500 federal income tax credit that makes it a great way to get into a first EV. The base Light trim fits the bill for those seeking a sporty everyday commuter. Shoppers needing more oomph and driving fun—or more range —will gravitate to the Wind and GT-Line trims. 

The big-battery rear-drive Wind starts at $48,215 before applying any incentives. Dual-motor, electronic all-wheel drive, for more power and improved traction and handling in snowy and icy conditions and on twisty roads, is a $3,900 option. It kicks the pre-incentive price to $52,115 and is the best buy for combining power, features and driving fun. The optional Technology Package gives the Wind most of the GT trim’s driver assist features.

The $52,415 rear-drive GT-Line offers all those bells and whistles plus a power sunroof and advanced driving features like highway lane-changing. Upgrading to the dual motor, all-wheel drive GT-Line trim costs an additional $4,700 for a $57,115 entry fee before incentives.

Kia sells the EV6 in all 50 states—something Hyundai chose not to do with the Ioniq 5 this year.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the 2022 Kia EV6?

The EV6 should cost a little less to insure than most of its peers. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium around $1,800, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to the similar Hyundai Ioniq 5 for $1,790, $1,890, its fellow Kia EV, the Niro EV,  for $1,870, the VW ID.4 and $2,577 for the Tesla Model Y. The EV6 is new, however. For a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.