Often enough, I properly praise manufacturers who enhance their vehicles to usher in new technology during those times that a model year is simply refreshed instead of being fully redesigned. Kia has recently done so with their mid-range EV (Electric Vehicle), the EV6, which now features a Tesla NACS (North American Charging Standard) charging port, making virtually any Tesla Supercharger station an option for charging the rather unique SUV. Moreover, the EV6 gets a larger battery this year, adding some range to the equation, where my top-trim EV6 GT-Line all-wheel-drive (dual motor) has an estimated range of 270 miles.
Other changes for the new model year include slightly reworked styling, mostly in the front, and a few touches for the interior. Otherwise, the Kia EV6 GT-Line returns as the well-to-do electric vehicle with a welcomed sporty edge.
Touting the same 320 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque out of its dual motor setup for the EV6 GT-line, Kia keeps things lively and in a sweet spot where most will appreciate its eager drivetrain that’s also versatile through different drive modes and multiple levels of braking regen. Zero to 60 mph takes place in 4.6 seconds, making it a rather quick vehicle for its class. Not to get confused with the EV6 GT, but the full-on GT model gets the serious power goods with up to 641 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of about 3.1 seconds – mostly matching that of its Hyundai Ioniq 5 N platform mate. Speaking of platform sharing, the EV6 brings a similar driving experience from its Hyundai Ioniq 5 cousin with the same power outputs through the various trim levels, making both vehicles a versatile and compelling choice for many people.
Performance is enduring, and the driving character is excellent as there’s not much to complain about where the EV6 GT-Line rides among the best in its EV class and has respectable interior room. Though when you’re not up front enjoying the somewhat supportive heated and ventilated leather seats, the back seats prove to be a bit difficult to get into if you’re over 6 feet tall, as you must contend with the sloping roof line. Otherwise, the rather flat rear seats with heated outboard seating areas prove to be comfy as well, with decent space, much more than many think just by the exterior looks of the EV6. The cargo area, where the EV6 mostly fits the look of a hatchback even though it is technically classified as an SUV, offers easy access through a smart power liftgate to just over 24 cubic feet of space with the rear seatbacks in place. Fold them down and you get about 46.7 cubic feet of space.
When it comes to EV range and charging up the EV6 GT-Line with its dual motors, there’s much of what you expect out of a new-generation EV, as you may often get much more range out of the larger 84-kWh battery, often beating the 270-mile range estimate as I was destined to on a drive that would equate to a 291 mile range in total. Such an experience was more reserved on some flat Florida back roads at 55 mph and a short stint on the Interstate, obeying the 70-mph speed limit. Most of the range expectations were excellent. However, on the side of charging things took a different turn in using a local Tesla Supercharger station twice. Both times, the 250-kW Tesla Supercharger capped the charging rate to around 126 kW, which was a disappointing surprise considering Kia and Hyundai (and Genesis) have some of the quickest charging EVs on the market right now if you utilize a 350-kW DC fast charger. Still, having a 250-kW Tesla Supercharger, I would have expected a much faster charging rate, and that was with only two other Teslas charging at the 16-stall station at one time.
The Kia EV6 GT-Line has the EPA estimates of 106 MPGe city, 86 MPGe highway, and 97 MPGe combined, which I witnessed to be on the conservative side as I was able to best them on occasion, but then would fall far below those figures when I crept just past the posted speed limit on the Interstate or utilized the Sport drive mode around town.
Kia provides a Tesla NACS adaptor for those times when you want to utilize a CCS DC fast charger, which will greatly improve the charging speeds over what I received at a Tesla Supercharger station. Either way, it is good that Kia is innovating and keeping things fresh with the move to a Tesla NACS charging setup, giving drivers the added convenience of more charging options.
Other notable changes include an update to the infotainment system, now including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, where it used to be only integrated through a wired USB connection. The one continued drawback, in my view, is the cumbersome use of the control panel below the front center vents to control either the audio system and infotainment unit or toggle through the dual zone automatic climate controls. You only get to display one set of functions at a time, either for the audio and infotainment, or the climate controls. Such a setup seems like it didn’t have to be such a way, as you’ll often find yourself adjusting the climate temp, thinking that you are adjusting the volume. While it appears clever at first, when you’re driving and focused on the road, you just don’t need that extra step of complexity, in my opinion. Although, there is the option to have the system automatically default back to one of the displays, which you can set to go back to the climate controls or audio controls after a few seconds of not using the panel. Or, you can simply allow it to remain on the last used set of functions.
In the area of safety, Kia brings their trick blind spot monitor setup to display a live camera feed of your blind spot in the digital gauge cluster when you signal. Additionally, the EV6 GT-Line has the 360-degree camera system and all of the expected active safety features, which include blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, forward collision warning/emergency braking, rear cross-path detection/emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control with an advanced highway driving assist function that will require just a touch from your hand on the steering wheel to remain activated.
As far as pricing, the Kia EV6 in its base rear-wheel-drive and smaller battery setup starts at $42,900. From there, moving up to the EV6 GT-Line AWD trim, the top trim before you get to the performance-oriented EV6 GT, pricing increased quite a bit to reside at $60,740 for my test vehicle, which includes an inland freight and handling charge of $1,475.
2025 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD
Price: Base EV6 GT-Line $58,900 / As-Tested $60,740
Vehicle Type: Fully electric, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sport utilityPowertrain
Drivetrain: All wheel drive
Motor: Electric motors
Horsepower: 320 hp
Torque: 446 lb-ft
Transmission: AutomaticFuel Economy & Range
Estimated Range: 270 miles
MPGe city, highway, combined: 106/89/97Exterior Dimensions
Wheelbase: 114.2 in
Length: 184.8 in
Width: 74.4 in
Height: 60.8 in
Seating Capacity: 5 passengersCargo & Weight
Cargo Volume to Front Seats: 46.7 cubic feet
Cargo Volume to Rear Seats: 24.4 cubic feet
Curb Weight: 4,751 lbs
Maximum Trailering Capacity: 2,700 lbs
Malcolm Hogan is the founder and editor of Automotive Addicts, a trusted voice in the automotive media world for over two decades. With 20+ years of hands-on experience covering the industry, Malcolm has built a reputation for delivering honest reviews, sharp insights, and in-depth coverage of everything from new car debuts to high-performance test drives. Passionate about the evolving car culture and staying ahead of the curve, Malcolm continues to lead Automotive Addicts as a go-to destination for enthusiasts and industry insiders alike.
