First drive: 2022 Kia EV6 prototype review

Essentially, the EV6 is designed to build on Kia’s position as the more sporty, performance focused of the Hyundai Motor Group brands, a shift that started with the Kia Stinger GT. It’s been reinforced with Kia’s revamped design language and a new logo. Essentially, if the Ioniq 5 is a rival to the Volkswagen ID 4, the EV6 is intended as more of a challenger to the Ford Mustang Mach-E, ID 4 GTX or Polestar 2.

Certainly, you won’t mistake the Ioniq 5 and EV6 to look at - styling-wise, the only thing they really have in common is hinting that Hyundai Motor Group’s designers have a soft spot for classic Italian rally cars. While the Ioniq 5 has echoes of the Lancia Delta, Kia designer Luc Donckerwolke has suggested the EV6’s slightly wedge-shaped body is inspired by the Lancia Stratos. As with the Ioniq and Delta, it’s a comparison that only works proportionally: the EV6 is basically a mid-size crossover: it’s 4695mm long and 1550mm high, with a wheelbase of 2900mm (compared to 3000mm for the Ioniq 5). 

Still, even cloaked under a black semi-camo wrap, the presence of the EV6 is impressive. The bold front end – called a ‘digital tiger face’ – is undeniably sleek, and is also sculpted with various active aerodynamic elements. There are flush door handles, clean, aero-honed side surfaces and a spoiler built into the rear bootlip that features integrated lights.

As is the trend with EVs, the EV6 will be offered with single- and twin-motor versions offering front- and all-wheel drive of various power outputs. There will be multiple battery sizes, although all UK models will feature a 77.4kWh unit offering up to 328 miles for the entry-level 226bhp rear-drive model.

Our prototype test car came in GT-Line trim, and featured the 321bhp twin-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain that will be the range-topper until the 577bhp Porsche Taycan-baiting EV6 GT arrives in the second half of 2022 (And yes, we did just compare a Kia to a Porsche. See what Knipping meant about this car changing the Kia brand?)

Still, even with ‘just’ 321bhp, the EV6 we drove didn’t exactly feel lacking for power, with the smooth, rapid silent acceleration you’d expect from an EV offering 446lb ft of torque and a 0-62mph time of 5.2sec. It also offers an official range of 314 miles, and with the 350kW charging enabled by the 800V architecture, that battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes. As with the e-Niro, paddles control various levels of regenerative braking.

There’s a pleasing directness and feedback to the steering that belies the EV6’s size and 2015kg kerb weight. It also turns and corners with relative gusto, helped by the rear-focused set-up of the AWD system. The ride can feel a little skittish at the rear, although Kia is still performing final tuning on the adaptive suspension’s innovative frequency selective dampers. There are three drive modes on offer that firm up the suspension and increase the steering response, and in Sport the EV6 is capable of particularly brisk progress. It’s certainly not a pure sports EV, but it does feels like one that manages to mix real-world SUV practicality with a dash of emotion and enthusiasm.

The interior also feels like a major step forward for Kia, and also introduces a new design language for the brand. The dashboard is dominated by two screens that link together and slightly curve towards the driver. But there are still several buttons, along with a multi-purpose haptic panel that can quickly switch from controlling the infotainment to the ventilation system. Kia says it has tried to ensure that any key functions can be quickly accessed without recourse to the touchscreen, and it’s certainly thought through.

The whole interior is, really. There’s plenty of space in there, and lots of practical touches such as the large centre console that hosts some key functions and plenty of storage elements. The comfortable seats are clothed in fabric made from recycled water bottles and there’s an augmented reality head-up display that works reasonably well.