INDIANAPOLIS — On the way to the grocery store the other night, I was sitting at a red light in the 2024 Kia EV6 GT AWD.  Opposite me was a ’69 Camaro revving its engine, looking for a fight.  As I sat in near silence listening to Aretha on the Meridian audio system, it occurred to me how utterly the Kia would dispense with that iconic Chevy.  But this EV has talents your gas-burning ancestors never imagined.

Kia would have you think of the EV6 as a crossover, but it’s more of an extended hatchback — what the Brits would call a “shooting brake,” a sporty car with space for sporting endeavors.  But, check its wide stance, angry headlamps and slashed lower facia.  Bulging fenders surround fat 21-inch wheels fronting lime green brake calipers.  

Our car wore Steel Matte paint, which lends a sinister look – like Clark Kent’s Batmobile.  I especially like the barely sloping roof, gently kissed by the upturned rear pillar, and a wide curvy rump with just a strip of LEDs arching over.

It looks like it rolled off an auto show turntable.

The artwork continues inside where twin 12.3-inch screens top the dash for gauges and infotainment and sueded sport seats with lime piping that are heated and ventilated.  The flybridge console houses cupholders, rotating gear selector and wireless phone charger.  It’s like commanding a spacious starship with a heated steering wheel.  Safety is highlighted by front/rear automatic braking, augmented reality head-up display, and safe exit assist that prevents passengers from stepping into traffic.  

You can even back it into your garage from the key fob, but driving is still your responsibility.

Giving me confidence against that rambunctious Camaro is an electric powertrain that conjures 576 horsepower and 545 lb.-ft. of torque – delivered instantly to pavement through dual-motor all-wheel-drive.  It’ll demolish 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds...if you’re into that sort of shenanigans.  But, the EV6 also flaunts 88/77-MPGe city/highway and fast charges 10-80% in just 18 minutes.  Range is terrible at 218 miles, but choosing the rear-drive economy package raises that to 310 miles.  I’d argue any modern EV in the EV6’ price range should be comfortably over 300 miles.

You’ll definitely want to drive it beyond its range!

Energize the big pedal and it whooshes silently away.  In Eco mode, it’s very happy slipping through city traffic, but click into Normal for making haste on the Interstate with regenerative braking feeding batteries on off-ramps.  Put it into Sport mode to waste classic muscle cars.  Adaptive cruise and lane centering steering calms long highway drives. The car weighs over two tons, but that road-absorbing weight is low down in the chassis and the adaptive suspension tames rough pavement and grips corners with equal aplomb.

Don’t get indignant.  I love classic muscle cars, especially Camaros.  I own an old Corvette and there’s little I enjoy more than revving its big V8 engine and shifting the manual transmission while eviscerating country two-lanes on the weekends.  But, the EV6 GT is an entirely different cocktail.  It can tenderly take kids to school or unleash Ares on wannabe muscle cars.  It also rides comfortably and swallows bicycles whole.  It does everything well…except travel long distances without a charging station.

It’s not cheap, either.  While the EV6 starts at a reasonable $42,600, our GT AWD eviscerated $64,090.  Compare that to the Tesla Model Y, Chevy Blazer EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and similar Hyundai IONIQ 5.

Likes
    •    Exotic styling
    •    Rapid acceleration
    •    Jetsons interior

Dislikes
    •    Short range
    •    Aspirational price
    •    No hands-off cruising

2024 Kia EV6 GT AWD

Five-passenger, AWD Crossover

Output: 576hp/545 lb.-ft.
Suspension f/r: Adap. Ind/Ind

Wheels f/r: 21”/21” alloy

Brakes f/r: regen disc/disc 

Driving range: 218 miles
0-60 mph: 3.4s
Recharge (10-80%): 18m
Economy city/hwy: 88/77 mpg-e
Assembly: Hwasung, Korea
Base/as-tested price: $42,600/$64,090

— Casey Williams - MyCarData