The Kia EV6 beat out six other all-electric vehicles to take home the title of Car of the Year for Europe. It’s also the first time that Kia has received this honour.
The EV6 is built on the E-GMP battery-electric platform developed by Kia parent company Hyundai Group, which also underpins its sibling, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which finished third in the voting, just four points behind the second-place finisher, the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric, which finished third in the voting.
The Peugeot 308, which came in fourth place, was the only vehicle on the shortlist of finalists that would not be solely powered by a lithium-ion battery. Peugeot now offers a plug-in hybrid version of the 308 and hopes to introduce a fully electric version of the small in the future.
First time in award’s history that so many electric vehicles made it to the last round of voting. Among the 39 vehicles nominated for this year’s award, 18 were electric vehicles. Considering strong government incentives in countries like Germany and France, the European Union has moved quickly to promote the use of electric vehicles.
New Kid on The Block ‘EV6’
The Kia EV6 is a vehicle that is meant to be spotted. Interestingly, it was designed to be appreciated while driving as well.
What the South Korean automaker has learned from its electric and gas-powered vehicles over the last few years is combined in this crossover (which is more of a waggon). Smart, exhilarating, and plain exceptional are just a few of the adjectives used to describe the Volkswagen ID 4, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model Y, and Chevy Bolt and EUV.
It is the danger that comes alongside driving an EV6 that is a matter of concern. Let us be clear: the vehicle itself is really safe. There are drivers in nearby vehicles on the highway and around town who are attempting to take photos and films of the vehicle as you pass by them. Nothing else on the road has a similar appearance. An aggressive frontal head gives way to a longer-than-expected shape, which is topped off with a rear-end that is equal parts modernistic and eye-catching in appearance and design. A lightbar that is equal parts signal and spoiler is included, and the journey begins at the wheel arches where it will end up at the front bumper.
The EV6 includes an onboard 11 kW charger for at-home recharging. Almost a lot of those same vehicles will be charged overnight at level 2, therefore this charger is fast enough. The V2L (vehicle-to-load) capability is one of its kind. There are no limits to what you can do with a Kia Spark, according to the automaker. The lower and middle back seat 120-volt outlets are standard on higher trim levels. In the event that you’re parked outside and don’t want wires trailing from your vehicle, an adaptor with an outlet can be plugged directly into the charging port. In the event of a power outage during a heatwave, you can utilise it to keep your house’s air conditioning running.
EV6 Power
It was the GT (rear-wheel drive) RWD variant of the EV6 that Kia had available for testing, the second-fastest trim level. The eAWD (electric all-wheel-drive) version is the fastest.
With a 0-60 mph time of 7.2 seconds, accelerations off the line at a standstill are fine. As soon as you’re up and running, every time you step on that pedal, it’s like a rocket launch. 225 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque are provided by the vehicle’s single rear-mounted motor. With the EV6, one could never have any difficulty getting up and going while joining a highway or passing a huge truck that seemed to have trouble maintaining in its lane.
The eAWD GT variant, which had a 0–60 speed of 5.2 seconds, 320 horsepower, and 446 pound-feet of torque. However, the RWD GT is more than competent for regular daily driving duties.
Driving Modes
Kia has four different driving modes to choose from: Eco, Normal, Sport, and Snow. Normal and even Eco never felt like they were lacking in power when they were in town. Sport revealed as much of a power increase that, when activated, you could tell the difference without sneaking glances at the display unit. When travelling on back roads, the power was always present, especially when turning corners. Already interested in one? Best Licensed Money Lender Jurong could probably save you if you’re out of budget.
Futuristic Interior
The inside of the EV6, like its outside, is a masterpiece of modern design. Even more essential, it is pleasant for both the driver and all of the people in the vehicle. Even for people who are over six feet tall, there is more than enough leg and headroom.
This is due to the fact that the EV6 is the same length as a BMW 3 Series, and hence has the same length as the BMW. However, because the wheels are pushed towards the outside of the vehicle, it may not appear to be as large as it actually is in photographs. When you step inside, you’ll find it to be big and airy, with enough space for five people if the people in the back are on the slim side. Four adults will be able to fit comfortably and without difficulty.
The usual Kia infotainment system is housed within the 12.3-inch TFT touchscreen. Aside from the visually appealing home page, which displays range data, media information, and the current weather, the remainder of the configuration is essentially a tablet layout with functionality lined along a strict grid of buttons. In our opinion, this is not necessarily a bad thing, as I was able to rapidly access functions without having to learn a new UI as a result of my experience.
