Kia and its corporate counterparts, Hyundai and Genesis, have several new all-electric models planned for the next few years. The first of its new range of electric vehicles (EVs) is the EV6, a crossover SUV with striking futuristic styling and a range of punchy electric drive options. Though it shares a platform and much of its underlying engineering with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60, the Kia has a unique style and personality, making it an appealing standout.
The EV6 was a new model in 2022, so changes for 2023 focus on refining the trim level offerings rather than substantive updates to the vehicle itself. The EV6 GT is new for 2023, bringing 576 horsepower and mind-bending acceleration that rivals some supercars. The automaker also discontinued the entry-level Light trim midway through the 2023 model year, but as of publication time, it remains available for configuration on Kia’s consumer website.
Kia offers several EV6 configurations for the 2023 model year, starting with the $50,025 Wind trim, including the $1,325 destination charge. From there, buyers can add all-wheel drive (AWD), bringing the MSRP to $53,925. The rear-wheel-drive (RWD) GT-Line begins at $54,225, and the AWD variant at $58,925. The range-topping EV6 GT starts at $62,925. Those prices outpace the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which begins in the low-$40,000 range.
Few other EVs match the EV6’s mix of value, tech, and performance. Though the GT trim suffers from a severely reduced range and high price, there’s nothing else like it outside of the Tesla range. The Model 3 Performance is cheaper than the EV6 GT, delivers far better range, and is quicker to 60 mph. But it’s a sedan, not a crossover. The Model Y Performance is similarly sized and cheaper but slightly slower to 60 mph. It does, however, offer a far better range of 303 miles.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
The Kia EV6 competes in the Compact SUV market segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the JD Power 2023 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, 75 percent of new Kia EV6 buyers are male (vs. 52 percent for the segment), and the median age of a new EV6 buyer is 60 years (vs. 58).
As part of the APEAL Study, owners rated the EV6 in 10 primary categories. Listed below in descending order, you’ll find their preferences, from their most favorite thing about the vehicle to their least favorite:
In the 2023 APEAL Study, the EV6 ranks highest out of 23 Compact SUV models.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
In the sections that follow, our independent expert analyzes a 2023 Kia EV6 GT equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle’s price was $63,425, including the $1,325 destination charge.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
The EV6 offers a spacious, comfortable interior with good back-seat room and supportive seats. The GT trim’s synthetic suede upholstery gives the cabin an upscale look and feel and helps grip passengers’ bodies during spirited driving. That grip can make it difficult to slide in and out of the vehicle, and its low ride height can make entry and exit tough for people with mobility challenges. Even so, the front buckets are surprisingly deep and well-padded. Though manually adjustable, they offer a reasonable degree of movement to find the perfect driving position.
The back seat in the EV6 is surprisingly roomy, and the space benefits from the SUV’s flat floor, which makes riding in the middle seat much more comfortable. The GT trim adds heated outboard rear seats, which were unnecessary during my summer test week but are undoubtedly helpful in winter. Headroom is generous across both rows, and legroom is manageable, even for taller adults. That said, the EV6’s rear door shape can make it difficult to load kids into car seats, though there’s decent room for them once inside, even for larger, rear-facing seats.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
Kia’s infotainment system is one of the easiest to use and least distracting in the business. Menus are clearly labeled, and the main menu icons make it easy to identify features and options in the interface. It’s not as flashy as most others in the industry, but the simplicity makes it easier to live with while driving. The system runs flawlessly on the 12.3-inch touchscreen, with good visibility from both front seats.
The GT trim gets a Meridian audio system with a range of speakers in the doors and throughout the cabin. There’s also a subwoofer, and the sound quality remains clear at higher volumes, even with plenty of bass. Switching between audio sources is quick and easy, though Kia’s interface could use a physical knob for tuning radio stations. Swapping between smartphone mirroring, such as Apple CarPlay, and the standard interface is also easy, and the included Bluetooth interface is easy to use.
Standard tech features in the GT trim include:
Kia also includes a vehicle-to-load connector that lets the EV6 charge other vehicles and power electric equipment.
The digital gauge cluster is colorful and sharp, making it easy to understand what the vehicle is doing at any moment. It’s configurable and can display a wide range of information. Still, it is less flexible and visually appealing than Volkswagen’s digital cockpit systems. That said, it is an excellent system that offers detailed views on EV performance, range, and charging stats.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
The standard Kia EV6 gets 225 hp in RWD format and 320 hp with dual-motor AWD. The dual-motor version also receives a healthy 446 pound-feet of torque. Stepping up to the GT trim drives horsepower output to 576 and torque to 545 pound-feet. Those numbers look impressive on paper, and they feel breathtaking in person. The instant torque from the electric motors propels the GT forward with a ferocity not felt in gas vehicles, and the experience is made even more thrilling without the usual sounds of a wailing engine. A press of the lime green “GT” button on the steering wheel is all it takes to unleash all the EV6’s fury, and the equally green brake calipers have no trouble bringing the heavy SUV to a stop.
The GT’s 21-inch wheels look nice and aid handling, but they do not benefit the ride quality. They pair with the EV6’s taut suspension to create a jittery, noisy ride in some situations, but the tradeoff is surprisingly sharp handling. The SUV chews through corners easily and remains remarkably stable during hard driving. The steering, while precise and confident, lacks feel.
Sporty handling and a low-3-second zero-to-60-mph time are both impressive, but Kia had to make some concessions to achieve those numbers. The 77.4-kWh battery that provides more than 300 miles of range in some trims only manages 206 miles in the GT. Its 800-volt architecture speeds charging, though, so the EV6 can DC fast charge from 10 to 80 percent in under 20 minutes. The charging port, hidden behind a panel near the taillights, is easy to access, though opening it can be confusing if the vehicle is locked.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
The EV6 comes standard with Kia Drive Wise, the automaker’s suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The features group includes:
The GT trim also gets a blind-spot camera system that projects a side camera view into the gauge cluster. Kia’s safety alerts are intuitive and do not become annoying as in other models. The rear seat alerts work well and make it nearly impossible to forget something (or someone) in the back seat. Also, the EV6’s camera views are surprisingly crisp.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
The EV6 has 24.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 50.2 cubic feet folded flat. Those are below-average numbers for the class, and the SUV’s dramatically sloped rear glass limits the area further, making it hard to carry larger items.
The standard EV6 can reach 310 miles on a charge, but adding AWD drops that number to 282 or 252, depending on the configuration. The EV6 GT sacrifices range to reach its speed goals and returns just 206 miles on a charge.
Though it hasn’t provided an overall safety rating for the 2023 Kia EV6, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the SUV the highest-possible 5 stars in frontal and side crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also gave the 2023 EV6 its highest rating—Top Safety Pick+—for the 2022 calendar year. However, the Institute hasn’t reported results based on the tougher new side-impact test for 2023. The new format uses more impact force to simulate today’s heavier vehicles, and the tests knocked several previous award winners off the list.
If you can find one, the entry-level EV6 Light starts at $43,925, including the $1,325 destination charge. The electric SUV tops out at $62,925 for the GT.
The Chevrolet Equinox ranks highest in the Compact SUV segment in the JD Power 2023 Initial Quality Study (IQS). The GMC Terrain ranks second, and the Jeep Wrangler and Subaru Forester rank third (in a tie).
In the 2023 APEAL Study, the Kia EV6 and Nissan Ariya rank highest (in a tie) in the Compact SUV segment. The Ford Mustang Mach-E is the next highest-ranked model.
The Tesla Model Y is one of the EV6’s biggest threats, offering comparable performance, a lower price, and a far better range. Other competitors to the 2023 Kia EV6 include the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra. Both offer futuristic styling, and the Subaru has rugged capabilities. They also share slow charging times and an underwhelming driving experience. The Toyota RAV4 is a great alternative that is available with a hybrid or plug-in hybrid drivetrain. It’s nowhere near as thrilling to drive as the EV6 but offers the security of a gas engine to ease range anxiety.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
The Kia EV6 is a compelling, impressive EV in all its forms, but the GT is mind-blowing. The 3.4-second zero-to-60-mph time is fun, but the tradeoff for range and the high price are enough to warrant a look at the more efficient and much cheaper mid-range trim. The SUV’s cabin is comfortable and has great tech, but the small-ish cargo area is disappointing in an otherwise solid vehicle.
Even with its slightly elevated price tag and small cargo space, the EV6 is, in my opinion, easily the most attractive vehicle in its class. While strong, the competition isn’t on the Kia’s level from a tech and driving experience standpoint. Kia equips plenty of safety gear in all trims, so it’s best to opt for the lower prices when possible.
That said, the mix of speed and tech brought by the EV6 makes it feel worth the money in most configurations. Though I drove the GT for this review, the mid-range AWD GT-Line offers much of the sporty look at a lower price and with better efficiency.
Chris Teague is an experienced writer in the automotive and technology fields. In addition to JDPower.com, his work appears at Forbes, The Drive, Your Test Driver, and others.
The Ford Transit is the automaker’s full-size cargo and passenger van offering, designed to serve a wide range of commercial and lifestyle applications. With 37 available configurations, the platform ...See More
Read the Full Article
The Chevrolet Tahoe is a full-size, three-row SUV with a standard V8 engine and available diesel power. Built on the same platform as the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup, the Tahoe benefits from its ...See More
Read the Full Article
It is the end of the line for the Ford Escape. After 25 years as a fixture of Ford’s lineup, 2026 will be the compact SUV’s last model year.
Read the Full Article
The Colorado is Chevrolet’s midsize pickup. It ranks among the segment’s most capable trucks for payload and towing, and can be configured for both work and off-road adventures. For 2026, the ...See More
Read the Full Article