Hawaii chapter member reviews his new Kia EV6

By Lorn Douglas, Member of Big Island Electric Vehicle Association

I am not a newbie; this is my fifth electric vehicle (EV), including a Nissan LEAF, Tesla Model S, Kia Soul, and Kia Niro. The cars have come a long way since we purchased the original LEAF, which was a simple commuter's car; now the whole industry is moving into futuristic transportation. My 2013 Tesla Model S, a marvel for its time, has neither the intelligence nor features one now expects. I give Tesla credit for shifting the industry and for continuing to produce some of the best products. 

As my Tesla aged past its extended warranty, I put both a new Model S and Kia EV6 on order. Delivery dates were unknown, giving me time to ponder my decision. Ironically, I received notice for both in a two-week period. I knew what to expect from a new Tesla but was intrigued to get into the EV6 and give it a run.

This is the first Kia that was designed as electric only. It is clearly poised to compete side by side with Tesla with little or no compromise.

When I walk up to the car, it welcomes me by moving the retracted mirrors to the driving position and popping out the door handles. If I approach from the rear, the back hatch opens. Spacious inside, the very comfortable memory seats automatically slide back to ease entry/exit. When powering up, the driver's seat moves into my saved driving position and the three displays come to life.

I appreciate the dashboard screen placement directly in front of the steering wheel. My model also has an 'augmented reality' heads-up display that reflects data on the inside of the windshield. It indicates speed, speed limit, navigation information, and several different warnings.  

Striking style—and incredible features— inside and out 

Seeing my new First Edition EV6 in person was shocking. The finish, paint, and panel alignment as delivered were right on. The car’s sensual curves are breathtaking. Several small accents add to the intrigue. 

Among the extraordinary number of notable features not mentioned above, there are several in the assisted driving category that I find particularly enjoyable. First and foremost is how the car uses its cameras to keep me safe with effective forward, rear, and side collision indicators. Many vehicles warn of blind spots, but this car will keep you from turning into a probable collision and even brakes automatically when necessary.  Backing up, I not only get a rear view, but also an overhead 360 view as if a drone above the car is watching out for me. 

The lane assistance  feature smoothly centers the Kia on the highway. The adaptive cruise control maintains a preselected distance from the car ahead and will bring the EV to a complete stop. I have been using the one pedal driving option, accelerating and stopping with only the accelerator. Recently, I drove approximately 50 miles using this feature, intervening just  a few times to make turns and to flow through a few roundabouts. The car also tests for driver alertness and emits a warning when it senses that I am distracted.

When not actually in the car, one can move the EV6 straight forward and backward from the smart key. I find this useful when approaching with a cart full of groceries in tight parking lots. The car will also determine if the space between two parked cars is adequate for parallel or perpendicular parking, and will park itself with the driver in or out. Extremely cautious in movement, it is not particularly graceful, but is very useful for  drivers who are parallel parking-challenged. 

Overall, there are numerous controls and perhaps too many options. Some are intuitive and some are not. I knew about the one pedal mode, and how to engage it, but I did not know that the car had to be stopped to select this option. That information is not included in the manual and it was only by determination that I figured it out.

Really a dream car 

My Kia has 20" wheels that provide an exceptionally quiet ride. The handling is stable, solid, reactive and fun. My AWD model has three driving modes: Eco, Normal. and Sport. In the Sport mode, it specs at 0-60 in 5 seconds, plenty fast for me and at the same time giving my passengers a thrill. 

Last but not least, two deciding factors that drove me to make this choice included the best-in-the-business Kia warranty, to which I added the reasonably priced bumper to bumper inclusive, no deductible, 10 year warranty, as well as the $7,500 federal tax credit that is just like money in my pocket.  

Many folks have heard me say that driving my Tesla is like moving through a science fiction film. The EV6 is in this category, too. Who knows, perhaps I have chosen Road and Track’s “Car of the Year” again. We’ll see.