Suttie’s seven days… with a Kia EV6
This week, our Al puts Kia’s flagship electric vehicle to the test.
Kia EV6 Air 77.4 RWD
List price (BiK): £43,495 (2%) CO2: 0g/km Official range: 328 miles Test efficiency: 260 miles
Monday
The Kia EV6 that arrived this morning could well be the electric car to win over fleet drivers who are not convinced by EVs. I have a foot in that sceptical camp, I’ll admit, but scanning through the EV6’s stats before the car pitched up shows it has the on-paper credentials to work for my type of driving and journeys. The next few days will show whether the theory is proven in practice.
Tuesday
Fair play to Kia, they’ve come up with a striking look for the EV6 that is both standout modern, unique, and yet also dodges looking too try-hard as some EVs seem to. Before I’ve even got it off the driveway this morning, a couple of locals have remarked on the styling in a very positive way. That’s half the battle, while the other half is this morning’s trip to Edinburgh and back that was completed easily in the EV6.
Wednesday
More good news this morning as I jump into the Kia for a couple of short hops near to home. In most other EVs, a return trip to Edinburgh would see the battery charge dropping perilously close to the threshold for a recharge. However, the EV6 still has more than 150 miles of charge showing, so no need to factor a charging stop in for another day or two.
Thursday
A big advantage of an EV is the wide, flat floor they offer, which Kia has handily fitted with a big storage tray. As someone who cannot stand having phones, keys and sunglasses’ case sticking into me from pockets, this cubby is a godsend. I can stash everything in here and they don’t spill all over the carpet thanks to its deep sides. There are also a couple of charging points to make it even more useful.
Friday
Time to recharge the EV6’s battery and I’ve seen 260 miles from a near-full charge when the car arrived. There’s still about 20% of battery life left, so Kia’s claim of 328 miles on a full charge looks realistic if you drive with a modicum of care and use the i-pedal function to maximise regenerative braking and stop losing momentum unnecessarily.
Saturday
One of those days when nothing goes right, though not all to do with the Kia. I come out to find the right rear tyre has a puncture. Easily solved in the short term with tyre sealant from the EV6’s boot, but it means having the tyre properly checked. Then it rains and I notice the EV6, like its Hyundai Ioniq 5 cousin, doesn’t have a rear screen wiper. Good for aerodynamics, but rubbish for rearward vision.
Sunday
I love the Kia’s big, clear main screen and infotainment monitor. Both are easy to use and simple to read, but I’m not so keen on the heating and ventilation controls beneath. The buttons just don’t react quickly enough to a brush or press of the finger, though thankfully there are normal rotary dials for temperature. A bit more of the buttons here would make the EV6 all but perfect.
Alisdair Suttie
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