2022 Kia EV6 Review: Futuristic Family Machine

Kia might as well be called Parker Lewis, because it just can’t lose.

The Korean brand has had a string of hits in the last couple years. The Carnival has done the unthinkable, making minivans cool again—and winning coveted awards, no less. The Sorento might just be the best three-row crossover you can buy for around $50,000, especially in plug-in hybrid form. And the Telluride is so popular people are paying over list for it.

So it isn’t surprising that the new 2022 Kia EV6 is similarly excellent. This all-electric model breaks new ground for the brand, ushering in a bold new styling direction, impressive charging speeds, and engaging driving dynamics.

The whole dang thing. Kia has dabbled with electric vehicles before, specifically the Niro EV we recently drove. The EV6 is the first to reside on the Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated EV platform, however, dubbed Electric Global Modular Platform, or E-GMP. Buyers have a choice of two battery pack sizes, both of which are sandwiched low in the floor in typical EV fashion. Base models use a 58-kilowatt-hour pack, while higher trims like this loaded GT-Line tester use a 77.4-kWh unit.

Like the Stinger sport sedan, the EV6 comes standard with rear-wheel drive; AWD is optional. The base model makes 167 horsepower, which I’ll reserve judgment about until I can drive it. Spec the larger battery pack and that shifts up to 225 hp, with the same 258 pound-feet of torque. Go for four-corner power and a second, front motor brings the total figures to 320 hp and 446 lb-ft.

Kia doesn’t subscribe to the idea that an EV interior needs to be little more than tablet and nothing else. A large “floating” center console and wraparound dashboard design gives the cabin a real sense of occasion—though it is a little snug compared to other EVs. Some of the blame goes to the traditional sunroof; it slices away more headroom than the equivalent glass roof in the Ioniq 5. Plus, the bump in the roofline happens right around where the driver’s head is. It meant my hair was brushing up against the headliner, not something you’d often say of a modern crossover.

Headroom aside, the EV6’s interior is the nicest of all the EVs in this class. The pattern on the scalloped dash adds character, and it’s mirrored on the center console storage lid. The bits of white on the door panels help lighten up the interior, and mirror the strips of artificial leather on the super-comfy seats. I’m a big fan of the center console too, with the start/stop button angled right towards the driver, instead of tucked away behind the wheel. It can’t slide fore and aft like the one in the Ioniq 5, but the center console feels more substantial here, and still has a handy storage bin in the footwell.

Space in the three-wide second row is adult-friendly, and this range-topper adds heating for the outboard spots. The flat floor means middle riders won’t have their knees against their chest, either. The high window does make it feel a little claustrophobic, however. Kia has also redesigned the front headrests for better storage hangars on the backs.

Space in the trunk is a perfectly fine 24.4 cubic feet (691 liters) with all seats up. Drop ’em and that more than doubles to 50.2 cubes (1,422 L). Blame that stylish raked rear window for limiting outright cargo hauling capacity. If you want to do the other kind of hauling, the EV6 is rated up to 2,300 lb (1,043 kg).

Let’s get the most contentious part of the EV6’s interior out of the way first: the switchable touch-sensitive controls. See that thin little fingerprint magnet above? It controls either the climate or audio, but users need to tap over by the left side to swap between them. That makes the two physical dials context-dependent, too.

Given the size and positioning of the buttons, this takes some getting used to. If you live in a consistent climate, you’re probably fine keeping the audio controls in play. The seat and wheel controls temperature controls get their own row along the leading edge of the center console, anyway. But if it’s winter, and you’re swapping between the menus to defrost the windows, it just feels like an unnecessary extra step.

Every EV6 comes with a curved dashboard display housing twin 12.3-inch screens. The central one is pretty standard modern Kia fare, though given a blue-tinged makeover because someone, somewhere decided that was the color for all EVs. The screen ahead of the driver is a customizable instrument display, providing all pertinent info in high definition. Responses on both screens are snappy, and they’re easy to read even in direct sunlight. Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both feel a little out of step with this cutting-edge package. At least Kia has finally adopted USB-C ports, both in front and on the front seatbacks, for rear passenger access.

The available head-up display is a mixed bag. It’s easy to read, but the augmented features don’t quite land. The navigational arrows never aligned with the roads for me; same goes for the highlight line meant to show the car ahead when cruise control is active. Speaking of navigation, Kia’s voice controls still have trouble parsing requests.

No such complaints about charging. The EV6 is one of the few electric cars on the road with an 800-volt architecture, enabling super-fast charge speeds. When hooked up to a 350-kW station, Kia says the EV6 will replenish 200 miles (321 km) of range in 18 minutes. We didn’t see those numbers, but we were also charging in frigid Canada.

Let’s not forget the Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) function, either. The top-trim EV6 comes with an adapter to turn the exterior charge port into a 110V charge point for other appliances. There’s another plug just under the rear seats, too. Kia set up a golf simulator for journalists when we picked the car up. Being a man of taste, I used both plugs to haul an old TV around and play the just-released Gran Turismo 7. Owners can also set a V2L remaining charge limit, to avoid draining the battery.

With 320 horsepower and 446 horsepower, the Kia has slightly less horsepower and slightly more torque than the Ford Mustang Mach-E. It’s also lower to the ground, and lugging a few hundred less pounds, with a curb weight of 4,502 pounds (2,042 kg). The result is a silent streetlight assassin. The EV6 will shoot to 60 mph (96 km/h) in as little as 4.6 seconds, and it felt easily up to that task on on-ramps. What’s more, the strong performance was repeatable, with no noticeable dip in the delivery. The go-pedal is easy to get used to, the different drive modes altering its eagerness. Slip into Eco and it’s soft; Sport gets positively sharp.

With that low-slung stance and all the batteries in the floor, the EV6 is a composed and engaging steer. Sport Mode keeps the AWD active, and you can feel the electronic brain shuffling the power to each wheel during hard cornering. It’s actual fun, with a good amount of weight in the steering and a firm suspension setup that resolutely stays flat. If the GT-Line is already this good, I can’t wait for the 577-hp EV6 GT.

That genuine agility doesn’t come at the cost of everyday comfort, either. Dial things back to Normal or even Eco and the EV6 is a hushed, comfortable mile-muncher. The ride is firm on those big 255-section 20-inch tires, but it’s never jarring.

The EV6 offers multiple levels of regenerative braking. The most aggressive, called i-Pedal mode, will bring the car to a complete stop when you’re off the pedals. I like it, and it becomes easy to judge after a few days. Crucially, brake feel is natural, with easy modulation.

When in Normal or Eco modes, the EV6 can disconnect drive to the front axle to maximize range. Even so, it didn’t get close to its quoted 272-mile (438-km) range, needing a charge around 200 miles (322 km). Again, freezing Toronto. The EV6 averaged 22.6 kWh/100 km during its time with us, which translates to 2.75 kW per mile.

A basic 167-horsepower, rear-drive 2022 EV6 starts from $42,115 ($46,995 CAD), including destination. That’s admittedly a little steep for something with that amount of power, but the Kia makes its value play higher up the trim walk. The next trim up (Wind in the US, simply RWD Long Range in Canada) requires a $7,000 ($8,000) jump, but adds the larger battery, with more horsepower and a 310-mile (499-km) range. In the US, it also includes niceties like the smart powered tailgate, V2L, and 14-speaker Meridian sound system—they’re all locked to higher trim packs in Canada.

Our range-topping AWD GT-Line model (Package 2 in Canada) comes with all the above, plus the augmented reality HUD, cool seats, 20-inch wheels—you get the idea. The only option is the Snow White paint. Final tally? $57,610 ($64,245 CAD), after destination but before any rebates. That drops it right between the equivalent Ioniq 5 and Mach-E trims. Or, if you’re not ready to fully ditch the pump, the same Kia dealership could sell you the slightly larger, three-row Kia Sorento PHEV for around $10,000 less. You’ll still get some rebates on that one, too.

Kia has done it again. The Kia EV6 comes correct with impressive range, super-quick charging, a well-executed interior, and welcome touches like V2L. Minor quibbles like its touch controls and flush door handles aside, it belongs on any EV shopper’s short-list.

The 2022 Kia EV6 is a deeply attractive vehicle, an avant-garde shape that doesn’t fit too neatly into any segment. Is it a crossover or a car? Who cares! Whatever it is, it’s seriously great, and a deserving new halo model for Kia.