4 Kia EV6 features that set the sporty elecric SUV apart
1. Onboard power
One of the underrated benefits of having a massive high-output battery inside your vehicle is the capability to export that power to devices you need to use when you're on the go. Kia calls this Onboard Power Generator, and according to Zecar, it can handle loads of up to 3.6 kW — enough to power several high-powered gaming computers, or something more practical, like camping equipment or power tools.
Vehicle-to-load functionality isn't a rarity on electric vehicles, but it's certainly a worthy addition to a vehicle like the EV6 that's large enough to take a whole family on road trips.
2. Blazing-fast performance, even from RWD trims
Even the lowest trim of the EV6 — the Wind RWD — comes with a substantial 225 hp output motor, but the EV6 quickly steps things up with the 320-hp AWD Wind trim, topping out with the somewhat unreasonable 576-hp AWD GT. In the GT, putting your foot down gets you from 0-60 mph in as little as 3.2 seconds — a number reserved only for supercars just a few short years ago. The base model Wind, though, takes a little longer to get up to speed, reaching 60 mph in around 6.5 seconds, according to tests by MotorTrend.
Range on the EV6 varies, with the fastest of the lot — the GT e-AWD trim — featuring only 206 miles of EPA range. The GT-Line is next, at 252 miles, while the Wind (e-AWD) scores 282 miles. The rear-wheel-drive models, on the other hand, both deliver a more substantial 310 miles on a full charge.
3. The infotainment system just barely misses the mark on greatness
Stripped-back infotainment and control systems are one of the most pervasive — and potentially dangerous — trends in the EV market, and the EV6 only somewhat avoids this pitfall. There is an array of buttons under the large, central infotainment screen, but they're capacitive touch buttons with tactile response, instead of physical push buttons.
To Kia's credit, there is a benefit to touch buttons over having to interact with a screen, in that you know where each function is located without having to look, but the Kia EV6 kind of bungles this because Kia decided to use one set of buttons for both the stereo and AC controls. So, while it looks quite clean, and there are buttons, you still need to take your eyes off the road to make sure you're turning up the beat instead of the heat — it still beats having everything on-screen, though.
4. Striking looks
As we all know, looks are subjective, but it's tough to deny that the EV6 is striking, especially considering it technically falls into the compact SUV category. Compared to its slower, not to mention cheaper, stablemates, like the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Kia Niro EV, the EV6 looks like it was designed in a different decade. The EV6's muscular looks also do a good job of communicating its impressive performance — a welcome change from the geeky looks of the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
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