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A U-Turn from its cousin, the Ioniq
The EV6 is the latest of the Hyundai/Kia group’s family of electric vehicles to find itself in the spotlight. Based on the same platform as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia is offering a different approach to electromobility.
Whereas the Ioniq 5’s dimensions placed it unequivocally in the SUV category, those of the EV6 make it part-SUV and part-imposing saloon. The EV6 is indeed a little longer, but above all much lower (10cm) than its brother. Its beautifully sporty look is also much less divisive.
Inside, there is a lot of space in both the front and the back, but with a 10cm loss in height, the seat is lower and more ‘sporty’ than in the Hyundai. The materials used are of a very good quality and perfectly assembled, despite some hard plastics. As usual, the Korean manufacturer offers a modern and easy-to-understand dashboard, with a good balance between touch-screen data and traditional physical buttons. The 500L rear boot offers plenty of floor space, but its limited height could be an issue.
Easily disabled aids
Our GT line version was extremely well-equipped, with efficient and perfectly adjusted driving aids and the option of quickly deactivating some of them from the steering wheel - a much appreciated benefit. The option of controlling the regenerative braking via the steering wheel paddles is another must-have feature!
Out on the road, meanwhile, our rear-wheel drive version was a lot of fun. In contrast to the flexible controls of the Ioniq 5, our Kia has a firm suspension that requires greater speed in order to be fully appreciated. The EV6 likes to be driven dynamically and over-steers well, aided by the torque of the electric engine, which is lots of fun, but unfortunately the two-ton weight of the vehicle requires a certain degree of restraint.
It performs more than satisfactorily, though, and achieved consumption of 21kWh/100km over the course of our 200km test drive in cold weather, which was a great result as we didn’t exactly drive economically.
In short, Kia is offering one of the most successful vehicles on the market, with a range that means it can replace a conventional car in most situations.
Image source: © Kia