South Korea quickly became one of my favourite countries in the world in the last few years. This is mainly for five reasons. Number 1) The Kia Niro, 2) The Kia Soul, 3) the Hyundai Ioniq 5, 4) the Kia EV6 and, 5) Squid Game. OK, I won’t be talking about number 5, but I thought I’d put it out there.
Here at EVision We have all Kia and Hyundai EVs mentioned for hire. The Kia Niro, the Kia Soul, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the EV6 and they are all unbelievable machines. Both Hyundai and Kia, who are sister companies, have followed up these fantastic electric cars with their next generation. If the new models are anything like their predecessors, then they will be a huge smash hit.
Here I will be looking specifically at the Kia EV6 and EV9 vehicles. Why do we love the Kia EV6 and what is the new EV from Kia like? Read on for more.
A Seoul Warming Wonder Car
Every now and then something comes along that makes you take notice. A real eye opener that makes you think “wow, this is going to change things”. The Kia EV6 was just one such moment.
First rolled out towards the end of 2021, the Kia EV6 won the WhatCar? Car of the Year 2022 and for good reason. The Kia EV6 redefined what an electric car could and should be.
There are many reasons for this. The car was built on EV architecture meaning that there was more room in the cabin to play with, the shape is unconventional and makes the most of aerodynamics, the performance is quite incredible and the tech is beyond what had been seen before. Above all this, the car was much more affordable.
Some Kia EV6 Facts and Figures
If I were to go through every little detail of the Kia EV6 which makes it truly remarkable, we would be here for a very long time indeed. I will go through some of my personal favourite bits and pieces here.
Starting with some of the tech, the parking assist applications are simply superb. There are sensors all around the car, there is a rear parking camera that is incredibly clear, there are blind spot cameras that activate when you signal (on the GT Line S and above), and there is an amazing 360 degree imaging function to help you park in awkward spots. If this isn’t enough for you, then you can even get the car to park itself, even with you not in it.
Outside the car, as well as looking quite stunning, there are even more sublime features. A very useful one is the vehicle to load charging capabilities. Perfect for anyone who goes camping and needs to plug in any electronic equipment.
When you look at the performance of the EV6 you can see why eyebrows were raised even further. The battery gives a range of over 320 miles, with 300 miles demonstrably reached in real world conditions by many different reviewers. This is one of the market leaders in this respect. There is a top speed of 116mph and you can achieve 0-60 in just 5.2 seconds. This is mind-blowing for what is essentially a family SUV.
The Next Generation of Korean Brilliance
In the next few months we are expecting the big follow-up to the Kia EV6. This will come in the form of the Kia EV9. So, what can we expect from the next generation?
Well, not to put too fine a point on it, quite a bit. There are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to this car. We are currently waiting for the grand unveiling of the production version of the Kia EV9 which we expect to happen in the next couple of months.
What we can tell you is that this is another SUV. However, this is an SUV with a difference. The production version has been spied out and about, and we can confirm that it will be quite a big boxy style vehicle. I think of it as being like a new and improved version of a Range Rover.
Over to the Stat Man
This section may be very short and sweet. Why? Because a lot of it is still speculation. The official statistics on spec and tech are yet to be announced. However, here is what we think we know at this time.
If the production version is anything like the concept version, you can expect to see an expanded infotainment display compared to the EV6. This would be quite a cool addition which should have some amazing applications included.
It has been predicted that the EV9 will come with the same size battery as the EV6. They are, after all, being built on the same EV exclusive architecture. The e-GMP platform underpinnings to be precise. As with the EV6 it is expected to be able to achieve around 300 miles of range as well. The motors on the EV9 could borrow technology from the EV6 GT and will power the car to the same standards as the mid-level Kia EV6.
We can’t wait to see the final product. It is certain to be something pretty special. From Kia, I expect nothing less than brilliant.
