Kia EV6 review – Range, charging & running costs

When the EV6 first launched its range was competitive with the rest of the electric car market, but things have moved on quickly since, with manufacturers frequently one-upping each other with models that can go further and further on a charge. Now the EV6 gets a larger 84kWh battery compared to the 77.4kWh one from before to keep it competitive, although the GT model is yet to receive this upgrade. That means the rear-wheel drive model, which has the longest range of the lineup, can now do up to 361 miles compared to the 328-mile figure from before. Its 240kW charging figure was already super fast, but now it can charge at 350kW.

While the EV6 may be expensive to buy outright, a favourable BiK (Benefit-in-Kind) tax bracket means it’s cheaper to own for company-car drivers, while the brand occasionally offers its cars on good leasing deals which can make it easier to get an EV6 on your driveway.

Kia EV6 range and charging 

Now the UK lineup gets a larger 84kWh battery for all versions of the EV6 (bar the GT model which is still awaiting a facelift for 2025). That means entry-level cars with rear-wheel drive can now travel up to 361 miles on a charge, up from 328, and the all-wheel drive GT-Line models now get a maximum 339-mile range figure that’s up from just 314 miles. Because of its larger wheels, the GT-Line S has a slightly shorter on-paper range of 324 miles.

There’s also a 577bhp Kia EV6 GT, which despite its ‘Grand Tourer’ name, has the shortest range of any EV6 on sale. At just 263 miles, you’ll be stopping to charge more frequently than either of the standard models. This model is set to get the facelifted treatment early in 2025, however, and we expect there to be range improvements with the update.

An optional heat pump is available for the top-spec GT-Line S models and we would strongly advise buyers to add this to their shopping cart when buying an EV6. Heat pumps help to condition the battery and keep it up to optimal operating temperatures which can preserve range in the colder months. We think it’s a shame this is only offered on the top model as many rivals offer this as an option throughout their EVs’ lineups and in many cases provide it as standard.

While the EV6 was previously a class-leader in terms of range, things have quickly moved on and the Skoda Enyaq is now on-par with the EV6 in 85 guise, while the Long Range Single Motor Polestar 2 can do over 400 miles to a charge.

One area where rivals can’t quite keep up, however, is charging speeds. The EV6 can charge at up to 350kW which means a top-up from 10 to 80% will take just 18 minutes at a compatible public charger. A 7.4kW home wallbox charger will charge it up in just under 13 hours.

Insurance groups

Insurance groups for the facelifted Kia EV6 are yet to be revealed, and could potentially be higher than those of the pre-facelift cars. For context, the pre-facelift entry-level EV6 Air sits in group 33 out of 50, which is slightly lower than the Hyundai Ioniq 5. With four-wheel drive and some extra power, the outgoing GT-Line sits in group 39, while the range-topping 577bhp EV6 GT falls into group 45 – not bad considering the performance on offer. For context, the Volkswagen ID.4 sits in groups 20-30, while the Ford Mustang Mach-E Extended Range is in group 37; the flagship Mach-E GT is in group 47.

Warranty

Kia is well-known for its seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, which is still one of the best in the industry and can even be transferred between owners. If there are any issues with the EV6, owners are unlikely to have to spend money getting them fixed.

Servicing

Servicing should be much simpler for EV models because electric motors and batteries only require attention if anything goes wrong. Items like cabin air filters and brake fluid will still need attention, along with brakes, tyres and windscreen wipers.