Kia EV6 review - Electric motor, drive & performance

The Kia EV6 shares an all-new electric car platform with the Hyundai Ioniq 5, a model that scooped our Best Family Electric Car for 2022. Like the Hyundai and rivals such as the Cupra Born, it comes with a few power options to suit different customers – including a bonkers 577bhp EV6 GT.

But the good news is you don’t need to spend upwards of £60,000 to get one of the sharpest handling EVs on the market. Even the entry-level EV6 drives well, feeling slightly more engaging than the Hyundai. The EV6 can cover ground quickly, with firm suspension keeping everything under control. The Kia's lower roofline also gives it a sportier feel than the slightly taller Ioniq 5.

We weren’t overly enamoured with Sport mode for most situations, though, with its increased throttle and steering response making the car feel a little unruly.

Kia EV6 electric motor 

There's currently a choice of three power options on the EV6. The range kicks off with a single-motor version with 226bhp and rear-wheel-drive, while spending a bit more gets you a second motor on the front axle for all-wheel-drive – boosting power to 321bhp. Finally, at the top of the range, sits the 577bhp EV6 GT – the flagship EV6 but also the most powerful production Kia ever.

We tried the entry-level version first, which is hardly slow, getting from 0-62mph in a respectable 7.3 seconds. The dual-motor car cuts this to 5.2 seconds. Neither offers the crazy hit of power you'll experience in a Tesla Model 3 Performance or Porsche Taycan, but both feel urgent enough, with instant punch providing plenty of confidence for overtaking slower traffic, even in Eco mode. 

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The EV6 isn’t only good in a straight line, though. Body control is decent and the steering provides good feedback for the driver. The Kia is tuned for a sportier drive and as a result has a harder edge than the Hyundai Ioniq 5, but neither can be considered uncomfortable; the EV6 finds its flow at higher speeds, which matched to strong refinement makes it a strong cruiser.

If performance is your number one priority, then take a look at the Kia EV6 GT. Using the same hardware as the forthcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 N hot hatchback, the flagship Kia boasts a frankly astonishing amount of power and torque, plus plenty of performance add-ons – including bigger brakes, retuned suspension and a unique GT drive mode. It’s lightning fast and really good to drive, too, though its shorter range (263 miles vs up to 328 miles) means it doesn’t quite live up to its ‘Grand Tourer’ billing. The big wheels and tyres affect refinement, too.