Kia EV6 GT review

Driving position 

The EV6 GT’s cabin is one of the best in the electric performance segment.  

GT-specific bucket seats look the part and offer plenty of lateral support, plus heating and ventilation.  

They’re electronically adjustable too, though taller drivers may wish they dropped a touch lower, because the under-floor batteries get in the way a bit.  

The thick A-pillars slightly hinder visibility, but the driving position is still fundamentally sound. 

Tech and features 

Tech-wise, the Kia EV6 GT is loaded and is virtually identical to the standard Kia EV6 we’ve driven before.  

Dual 12.3-inch screens span the dashboard (one for the infotainment, one in front of the driver), delivering crisp graphics and intuitive menus.  

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard too, and the touch-sensitive climate control bar – cleverly doubling as media controls at the touch of a button – is a welcome touch.  

Kia has also retained tactile buttons on the wheel (no haptic nonsense here), making it easier to interact with key systems while on the move. 

Other features that you’d normally pay extra for but come as standard on the top-spec GT include a powerful 14-speaker Meridian sound system, a head-up display and swanky alloy pedals. 

Electric motors and power 

This is the fastest and most powerful Kia ever made, and it feels it.  

The new facelift model is now packing 650hp (up 11%) and 770Nm (up 4%) from its dual-motor, all-wheel-drive system. These are some big upgrades, and you really notice it on the road. 

Kia’s EV6 GT rockets from 0–62mph in just 3.5 seconds, and onto a top speed of 161mph – enough to make you think twice before dismissing Kia as a performance brand. 

The improvements don’t stop at straight-line speed, though. Kia’s engineers have worked hard to make the new GT feel more composed and engaging to drive, with revised spring rates, retuned dampers and an updated traction control system that now operates directly within the motors. 

There’s also a bit of theatre: hit the neon green ‘GT’ button on the wheel and the car sharpens everything – steering, throttle, suspension and even the driver’s display, which adopts a special neon theme. 

And yes, there’s Virtual Gear Shift tech, just like in the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N. It mimics a paddle-operated six-speed gearbox using sound from the speakers and synthesised vibrations.  

It’s clever in that it jolts the car if you don’t change gear and has a rev limiter, but doesn’t quite feel necessary, and might be too gimmicky for some. 

Handling and ride comfort 

Compared to the standard car, handling is sharper, with better steering feedback and new variable gear ratios that improve response at all speeds.  

The new electronic limited-slip differential (dubbed e-LSD) and updated traction control system help deliver impressive grip even on poorer surfaces, which is something we Brits know all too well. 

However, we did notice the turning circle being a little worse than the standard car’s, which we assume is down to a wider track. 

Despite sitting on low-profile tyres and a stiffer chassis setup, the GT remains reasonably comfortable. It’s firmer than a standard EV6, but more compliant than some similarly powerful rivals.  

Kia has taken serious measures to reduce road noise, too, adding acoustic glass, new sound insulation materials, and even active noise cancellation to hush electric motor whine, and we think it works well in practice. 

The brake pedal is progressive and easy to modulate, to,o but it’s nothing on the car’s best and most useful feature...  

Kia’s famous i-Pedal mode allows for true one-pedal driving, and the regen paddles can be used independently when the virtual gearbox is turned off.  

This means you can come to a complete stop without touching the pedals while getting a little more juice in the battery through regenerative braking. 

Boot space 

Boot space is decent for a performance EV at 480 litres, matching the IONIQ 5 N’s. But note that cars without the multi-speaker stereo get an extra 10 litres of space because there’s no massive speaker stealing all the space under the boot floor. 

Regardless, it’s a wide and deep space, which allows for plenty of boot floor adjustment if you want to prop things up.  

If you fold down the rear seats entirely, this space grows to a massive 1,270 litres. But if you have longer items but still need to carry passengers, the rear seats fold in a 60:40 split, and there’s a central ski hatch too. 

There’s also a further 20 litres of storage space in the front boot (or froot), which is handy for storing smaller items. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) versions of the standard EV6 get a bit more at 52 litres, but the GT is all-wheel drive-only (AWD). 

Rear seats 

Usually, rear-seat space is compromised in electric cars because the floors are higher due to the batteries, but Kia’s been smart and given you plenty of space back there. 

There’s even enough room to get your feet under the seat in front – unless the person in front of you is tall and has the bucket seat tilted back.  

If you own the old EV6 and are debating going for the new one, you’ll be pleased to know that the dimensions are exactly the same, so rear-seat space remains the same.  

The seats themselves are really comfortable, offering plenty of support and a nifty reclining feature on all three seats.  

Passengers also benefit from a USB-C charger in each of the front seatbacks as well as a three-pin plug by your feet for laptops, etc.  

The air vents are placed high up, too, instead of down by your feet, so no need to worry about your ankles getting cold (or hot).  

Being a coupé style does mean the rear of the car starts to taper down as it gets to the rear seats, so if you are on the taller side, you may want to shotgun the front seat on longer drives. 

Storage solutions 

There are lots of clever storage spaces in the EV6 GT that are worth pointing out. 

For starters, the front door bins and pretty large and enough for a standard-sized water bottle. Then, there’s a very deep storage area under the central armrest.  

Along with that are two reasonably sized cupholders and a little area to store coins or the car's key fob.   

Underneath this is an added stowage area for bags, shoes, scarves, jumpers, etc and two little hooks to hang a handbag on.  

The glovebox is large and has a couple of different areas to separate whatever you’re storing in there.  

Rear storage is decent too, with smaller door bins and a fold-down armrest with two cupholders which slide away to reveal a small area for snacks or a phone. 

Safety 

The Kia EV6 scored a full five stars when it was last independently tested by Euro NCAP in 2022 – even with the stricter testing rules. 

Onboard safety features include Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), a blind spot warning system, parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, lane-keep assist, lane follow assist and more. 

Range and charging times 

The EV6 GT uses Kia’s new 84kWh battery pack (up from 77.4kWh in the previous car), offering up to 279 miles of range (WLTP).  

That’s respectable, but not outstanding given its size and performance. Real-world efficiency of 3.0mi/kWh is decent considering the power on offer, but not class-leading, and in fact, we saw a touch below this during our test. 

Rapid charging is where the GT shines, though. 

It supports up to 258kW and can recharge from 10–80% in under 20 minutes if you find a fast enough charger. 

Reliability 

Kia is basically the boss when it comes to reliability and warranties. 

With a seven-year/100,000-mile general warranty and an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery, there’s very little to worry about and strong peace of mind for EV newcomers.