2022 Kia EV6 pricing and features for Australia

The much anticipated 2022 Kia EV6 electric halo model will enter the market with a two-trim line up, a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive and 800v ultra-fast charging capacity.

Categorised as a large SUV by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), the EV6 is also set to undercut its Hyundai Ioniq 5 cousin, while at the same time offering; a bigger battery, vehicle-to-load interior tech and dedicated Australian tune for the suspension.

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Pricing

Rather than benchmarking the Ioniq 5 when it came to settling on the EV6's price, Kia has instead looked at the Tesla Model Y, set to be the biggest-selling SUV in the sector.

The entry-level rear-wheel-drive EV6 Air therefore opens at $67,990, featuring as standard the long range 77.4kWh battery.

Step up to the rear-wheel drive GT-Line, and driving range drops slightly from 528 kilometres to 508km, while the price tag swells to $74,990.

At the top of the range is the all-wheel-drive, dual-motor GT-Line, which is capable of getting to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds, offers 484km and is pitched at $82,990. It's anticipated that the performance variant, the EV6 eGT will follow in late 2022 or early 2023.

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Features

Even the entry-level Air, part of a new trim structure which will see Kia use earthly elements as model names, is generously equipped. Standard equipment includes:

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Opt instead for the GT-Line and key features include:

*This function is not currently certified for use in Western Australia

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The Air model also incorporates a high percentage of recycled PET materials on the dash, door pockets, carpets, seat fabric inserts and inner bolsters.

No solid paint finishes will be offered, with the Air getting a choice of Snow White pearl, Aurora black pearl, runway red, yacht blue, steel grey and a new to Kia glacier paint finish.

The GT-Line also gets the first four colours, but does without steel grey and glacier, instead introducing a cost-option moonscape matte grey finish for the first time.

Engine, drivetrain and fuel economy

The rear-drive single motor installation generates a peal power figure of 168kW with torque rated at 350Nm, which is enough to get the EV6 to 100km/h in a crisp 7.3 seconds.

Opt instead for the dual-motor all-wheel-drive flagship and power is rated at 239kW with a peak torque of 605Nm.

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With all versions using the 77.4kWh battery pack, the lighter Air version nets the longest driving range at 528km, with the bigger wheels and extra weight of the rear-drive GT-Line shaving 20km from that figure.

The range-topping dual-motor GT-Line nets 484km. Given that the equivalent Tesla Model Y Long Range is reported to feature a range of 507km, Kia has landed the larger EV6 in much the same ballpark.

The 800v fast charging capacity is also standard on every EV6 model. Unbraked towing capacity is rated at 1600 kilograms.

Local suspension tuning of the Sachs dampers has been conducted in order to provide a ride quality that's somewhere between the very soft Korean domestic market setup and the far firmer European setting.

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Dimensions

One thing the EV6 does share in common with its Hyundai cousin, the Ioniq 5, is that it's a far larger vehicle in the metal than pictures originally suggested.

That said, despite running on a version of the almost infinitely tweakable E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform), the wheelbase of the EV6 is a little shorter than that of the Ioniq 5. Not that you'd guess when climbing inside. It's genuinely large, with plenty of space for a six-footer to sit in the rear behind an equally tall driver.

There's a huge amount of internal stowage space, with generous door pockets, a flat floor, and possible the deepest glove box of any current production vehicle.

The wheelbase measures 2900 millimetres for all models, which is the same as a Porsche Taycan or, if you prefer, a Honda Odyssey – so the EV6 is generously cut. Overall length is 4695mm for the GT-Line variants and 4680mm for the Air, with a width of 1890mm for GT-Line and 1880 for the Air. Single motor models are 1550mm high, with the dual-motor GT Line being 5mm lower.

Pop the hatch and you have 520L of luggage space, while dropping the rear seats nets you 1300L. There's also a frunk up front, which delivers an additional 52L of stowage in the single motor models, while opting for the dual-motor trims that to 20L.

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Safety

Kia has not yet passed the EV6 through full Euro NCAP crash testing procedures, with the program expected to conclude in the second quarter of 2022. A full five-star rating is expected, set to be reflected by ANCAP shortly thereafter.

Safety features as fitted to the entry-level Air version include:

On top of that, the GT-Line also adds:

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Warranty and servicing

The EV6 is covered by a seven-year/150,000-kilometre warranty, with seven-year cover for the battery pack.

A capped price servicing arrangement is due to be announced, and Kia is also said to be working on partnering with a major charging network in Australia.

Availability

An initial allocation of 500 EV6s are earmarked for Australia in 2022 set against extremely high demand. Kia aims to get at least one EV6 to each dealer, so tracking one down could require a bit of work.

Negotiations are in place for an additional allocation of around 100 vehicles, but demand still far outstrips supply. The EV6 is now available in local showrooms.