The revised Kia EV6 has arrived in Ireland, offering greater range and an updated design, for a starting price of €49,510. A new, larger, fourth-generation battery heads up the list of improvements, offering improved range and faster rapid charging, while Kia has also tweaked the car’s exterior design and upgraded the technology on board.
It doesn’t look much different...
No, the basic shape is much the same as before, but Kia has incorporated new daytime running lights into the EV6’s front end, and there’s a new so-called “character line” between the bonnet and front bumper. At the back, meanwhile, Kia has enhanced the lights with its Star Map lighting technology, designed to increase the sense of width. There’s also a new Wolf Grey metallic colour option taken from elsewhere in the Kia line-up.
In the cabin, Kia has given the EV6 a new steering wheel and dash pad design, while the panoramic curved display is accentuated by new ambient lighting technology. There’s also a wireless phone charging pad that charges at 15W, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto technology has been introduced as standard. Those systems integrate your phone into a touchscreen that has been updated with Kia’s latest software and expanded over-the-air updates.
Is that it?
Not by a long shot. Those are only the tweaks you can see. The battery is the biggest and arguably most important update, with a new pack that offers greater energy density. As a result, the battery capacity has increased from 77.4kWh to 84kWh, allowing the official range to rise to up to 582km on a single charge.
What’s more, the new battery has a maximum charge speed of 260kW - up from 239kW in the old EV6 - and the ability to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes. That does assume you can find a charger powerful enough to enable that, and you get the right temperature and atmospheric conditions to achieve it, but if the stars align, Kia says the EV6 will take on up to 343km of official range in just 10 minutes.
As well as the new battery, Kia has also fettled the EV6’s suspension to “deliver improved stability on the uneven surfaces.” There should be less noise, too, thanks to enhanced sound insulation on the rear-mounted electric motor.
What else do I get for my money?
The Irish EV6 range comprises two variants - the Earth and GT-Line models - both of which get the same battery and 229hp electric motor. The Earth starts at €49,510, and comes with 19-inch alloys, synthetic leather upholstery and a reversing camera, as well as heated memory seats in the front, a heated steering wheel, and front and rear parking sensors.
The €54,300 GT-Line version adds sportier body styling, bigger wheels and a glass sunroof, as well as heated rear seats and a clever cruise control system with a lane-change assistance function.