With the spacey looking EV6, Kia wants to give electric mobility a boost. We were already inside.
Word of the fact that Kia has long since ceased to build average cars at discount rates should have got around to most people interested in new cars. But with the EV6 (base prices between 44.990 and 65.990 euros), the Koreans dare to take another leap. The mid-range crossover, based on a newly developed group platform for electric cars, makes the 800-volt technology suitable for a wide range of applications, which until now has only been granted to expensive upper-class models such as the Audi E-Tron GT or the Porsche Taycan. The manufacturer promises to be able to bring the battery from ten to 18 percent within 80 minutes with high charging power.
A large number of battery, drive and power variants should give customers a generous selection: The debut is the version with 58 kWh, rear-wheel drive and 125 kW / 169 PS. There's a little more punch with the 77 kWh battery, which with rear-wheel drive offers 168 kW / 229 PS and a WLTP range of 510 kilometers. Those who prefer all-wheel drive get 58 kW / 173 PS in connection with the 235 kWh battery and 77 kW / 239 PS together with the 325 kWh battery. The latter edition looks quite sporty with a standard sprint of 5,2 seconds to 100 km / h. But the crowning glory is the 430 kW / 585 PS strong GT, which reaches 3,5 km / h within 100 seconds and speeds up to 260 km / h.
Externally, the recently introduced Kia is recognizable as a member of the brand family, but has some innovations. Because less cooling power is required in battery-electric vehicles, the front can be made flatter and no longer needs such large openings for the inflowing air. The so-called "tiger nose" is becoming digital and therefore part of the dynamic daytime running lights. Speaking of light: A small spot in the area of the C-pillar provides brightening in the dark - possibly a nice design gimmick that the EV6 is bursting with. The lines of the graceful LED rear light strip correspond to those of the sills. A sloping roof line characterizes the side line of the 4,70 meter long middle class. This impression may be due not least to the lush wheelbase of 2,90 meters. And that in turn is the result of good packaging in battery-electric vehicles.
A first seat test in the second row of the EV6 shows that there will be no shortage of space in the back - even tall people will know how to sort their knees without bumping into the backrests of the front seat. But we are drawn to the front because you can better experience the new infotainment and the interestingly designed architecture of the Kia there.
The Korean communicates a wealth of information on two large screens, and round instruments of whatever type are a thing of the past. A practical goody is the multi-assigned button bar below the central ventilation nozzles - technically a small touchscreen, so to speak, for the purpose of direct control of everyday things such as adjusting the air conditioning, without having to go into the depths of various menus. A chic “floating” center console not only houses storage space, but also numerous USB ports.
Other high-tech features such as a head-up display with augmented reality elements, an exit assistant that warns of approaching cyclists and remote-controlled parking complete the offer. The fact that the new Kia EV6 also has bi-directional charging - so it can also output power via the charging connection - fits into the picture. Here the e-bike can be charged just like a toaster can be operated at a picnic. A heat pump is also on board, thanks to which - the manufacturer promises - 80 percent of the battery capacity is still available for the drive even at outside temperatures of minus seven degrees. Delivery of the EV6 will begin this autumn. For the top model GT, the interested party has to be patient for a few more months.
