Kias EV6 looks amazing, however its even much better from behind the wheel.
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The all-electric 2022 Kia EV6 is finally here and the very first examples will be striking car dealerships about the same time as the Korean car manufacturers huge Super Bowl LVI ad airs. The battery-electric crossover SUV is based on the same Electric Global Modular Platform as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60 but presents with a slightly different approach to performance and its own unique visual. All told, this model is a huge advance for Kia– the businesss engineers and designers have actually put their best foot all the method forward with this one.Power, range and chargingThe EV6 is offered with three powertrain configurations. Theres a 167-horsepower base design with a 58-kilowatt-hour battery pack and 232-mile Environmental Protection Agency-estimated variety. Updating to a bigger 77.4-kWh battery pack enhances the single-motor output to 225 hp and estimated variety to 310 miles. Peak torque for both battery setups is mentioned at 258 pound-feet. My tester includes the more potent dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup, which keeps the 77.4-kWh battery however adds a second motor to the front axle, increasing total output to 320 hp and 446 lb-ft. Predictably, more power comes a small compromise to maximum variety, falling to an EPA-estimated 272 miles per full charge.
Kia paid specific attention to the charging experience; the EV6s 800-volt system boasts some of the fastest theoretical charging speeds on the roadway today. Every EV6 includes 1,000 kWh of complimentary charging at Electrify America stations, and some quick back-of-the-napkin mathematics figures that to be around 3,500 miles of complimentary best-case-scenario range.I just wish the EV6s charging port was situated near the front, rather than its present spot above the rear bumper. Traffic light shenanigans are enjoyable, but the EV6s flat torque curve means that its simply as responsive throughout a short combine at the base of an on-ramp or a fast pass at highway speeds.The EV6 has one of the fastest charging speeds of any new automobile today.
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The EV6 includes paddles that adjust the level of regenerative braking used when raising the accelerator. There is a 5th i-Pedal mode that enables real, full-stop, one-pedal braking, however its just selectable under specific conditions and the EV6 will always go back to Level 3 when restarting.Four drive modes are also selectable. Dual-motor models likewise include a fourth Snow mode for increased traction in slippery conditions.The EV6s static suspension is well tuned with a company ride that emphasizes the sportier side of the E-GMP architecture.
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Surprisingly, throughout full-throttle launches, the EV6 crouches back onto its haunches enough that I was able to feel the guiding lighten up a touch– not so much that it detracts from the general surefooted position and flat, regulated handling, however enough of an effect to add to the “holy crap, Im hauling” feeling.I was shocked to discover a menu in the infotainment system that enabled me to choose from 3 settings for the EV6s faux engine noise. Kias console doesnt move like Hyundais, so guests wont be able to take as much benefit of the flat floor, but I like the EV6s center system makes room for dedicated and quickly reached controls for the heated seats and steering wheel just ahead of the electronic rotary shifter. The EV6s bigger center console makes the crossover feel more cramped than the Ioniq 5, however significantly enhances ergonomics.
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Dual 12.3-inch screens stretch throughout the dashboard behind a single curved panel. The left screen works as the fully digital instrument cluster, while the right is the touch-sensitive main infotainment screen. The menu system resembles the icon-based setup utilized in lots of modern-day Hyundai, Kia and Genesis cars and is rationally arranged, satisfyingly responsive and packed with a complement of useful and strange features like a voice memo recorder or ambient soundscapes. Personally, I prefer Kias dark user interface to the retina searing white menus of the Ioniq 5, particularly when driving at night.Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are basic, but wireless connection for the innovations is not supported. That makes the basic wireless charging pad, which just barely fits my Google Pixel 6 Pro, a bit less beneficial, in my opinion– an inconvenience thats compounded by the truth that the only USBs usable for information connection are beneath the dashboard near the flooring. Overall, the EV6 features 4 USB ports, including a set of Type-C ports on the front seat backs for easy rear seat charging.Just beneath the primary touchscreen is a capacitive bank that serves double duty as climate controls and menu shortcuts. By default, there are knobs for volume and tuning and shortcuts to various infotainment functions like the map or phone menus, but with the tap of a button it switches to knobs for dual-zone temperature level control and buttons for numerous environment modes. Now, on the one hand, needing to toggle in between the two modes is a little bothersome in the beginning. If youre the kind of person who likes to set their automatic temperature level settings and forget them, its not so bad, especially thinking about the climate functions Im most likely to fiddle with– the heated and aerated seats– are always available on the console. After a couple of days behind the wheel, the uncommon toggle ended up being 2nd nature.This bank of capacitive buttons and knobs can be toggled in between climate and infotainment controls with a tap.
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Drivewise safety suiteThe 2022 Kia EV6 comes requirement with Kias exceptional Drivewise driver-assistance suite. This consists of lane-centering steering help in addition to blind-spot, back and front crash avoidance tech and machine-learning adaptive cruise control that operates in stop-and-go traffic and adapts over time to match the motorists practices. The EV6 likewise boasts a surround-view cam system that assists in accurate parking and the car manufacturers blind area camera system that displays a video feed of the surrounding lane when indicating for a lane modification. Rounding out the packed list of functions is Kias Remote Smart Parking Assist, which allows the EV6 to pull simple or back in or out of a narrow parking area while the driver manages from curbside with the essential fob.For one of the most part, Im pleased with the EV6s tech suite. The extra-large HUD requires work: It guarantees to reproduce a 44-inch display screen forecasted over the hood of the vehicle however, from my regular seating position, clips the bottom edge at all however the greatest vertical modification level. Enhanced truth data is also supposed to highlight the automobile ahead when cruise control is active, however the system doesnt immediately track my head/eye position like Mercedes-Benzs AR system, so the radiant highlight sits too far to the left. There are manual modifications I can fine-tune to better line up the overlay, however the highlighted zone does not appear when parked, indicating I d have to tweak it while driving, which is sidetracking. Im generally a fan of head-up tech, however this is the rare example where I just discover myself not troubling and turning off the majority of the HUDs features.The HUD is a dud, but thats hardly a dealbreaker on an otherwise excellent device.
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Prices and competitionThe 2022 Kia EV6 starts at $42,115 including a $1,215 location charge for the base EV6 Light with the smaller sized, basic range battery. My top-spec EV6 GT-Line AWD sticker labels for $57,115, coming to an as-tested $58,105 thanks to $695 Steel Matte Gray Paint and $295 GT-Line suede seats. Ignoring these aesthetic choices, the EV6 is between $370 and $1,190 more costly than a comparably geared up Ioniq 5 however boasts in between 7 and 18 miles of additional range depending on the selected trim level. I likewise prefer the look of the EV6 and is smarter cabin controls, however your preferences might vary.Outside of Hyundai Motor Group, Fords Mustang Mach-E plays in the same rate and performance range, as does the Polestar 2. Of course, theres likewise the Tesla Model Y Long Range, which edges Kia out on approximated variety at the expense of a larger price, interior quality and other compromises. Its outstanding range and excellent worth would be adequate to merit your attention, however the 2022 Kia EV6 stands even further apart from the crowd with head-turning design, genuinely pleasing efficiency and special functions like V2L power and unbelievably fast charging. Its not simply a strong competitor for one of the very best lorries in this growing class of electrical crossovers, its also one of the very best, most thoughtful vehicles Kia has ever made.
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Every EV6 consists of 1,000 kWh of complimentary charging at Electrify America stations, and some quick back-of-the-napkin math figures that to be around 3,500 miles of complimentary best-case-scenario range.I only want the EV6s charging port was situated near the front, rather than its present area above the rear bumper. Stoplight shenanigans are fun, but the EV6s flat torque curve means that its simply as responsive throughout a brief merge at the base of an on-ramp or a quick pass at highway speeds.The EV6 has one of the fastest charging speeds of any new car today.
Surprisingly, throughout full-throttle launches, the EV6 crouches back onto its haunches enough that I was able to feel the guiding lighten up a touch– not so much that it detracts from the overall surefooted stance and flat, controlled handling, but enough of an effect to add to the “holy crap, Im hauling” feeling.I was shocked to find a menu in the infotainment system that permitted me to pick from 3 settings for the EV6s synthetic engine noise. Rounding out the jam-packed list of functions is Kias Remote Smart Parking Assist, which permits the EV6 to pull straight forward or back in or out of a narrow parking area while the motorist controls from curbside with the essential fob.For the a lot of part, Im delighted with the EV6s tech suite. Prices and competitionThe 2022 Kia EV6 starts at $42,115 including a $1,215 location charge for the base EV6 Light with the smaller, basic variety battery.
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