Tuesday, February 4, 2025

2024 Kia EV6 GT AWD: The Brand's 576-Horsepower Electric Vehicle


Highlight: The hatchback-like compact EV6 GT rivals many gasoline sports cars, spewing out 576-horsepower.

Test Vehicle's MSRP: $64,090 (with options)

Seating Capacity: 5

Standard Safety Features: airbags; a tire mobility kit; a tire pressure monitoring system; ABS; an electronic stability control system; a hill-start assist control system; an electronic parking brake; a parking distance warning system; low anchors and tethers for children; a blind spot collision avoidance system; rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist; a lane keeping assist system; a lane following assist system; a driver attention warning system; a smart cruise control system; a rear view camera; a highway driving assist system; a forward collision assist system; and a rear occupant alert system


Standard Equipment (GT): 21-inch alloy wheels; AWD; a 430kW electric motor; a heat pump HVAC system; a front and rear electronically controlled suspension; a body color GT design lower fascia bumper; auto pop-out aero flush exterior door handles; a power tilt/slide moonroof; an augmented reality head-up display; an electric chromic inside rear-view mirror; suede seat trimming; a manual driver and passenger seat; and a d-cut heated steering wheel

Options: special exterior paint color; cargo matt with luggage board; carpeted floor mats; and cargo cover

Other Trim Levels:

GT-Line (non performance)

Wind (non performance)

Standard Audio On Test Vehicle: a 10-speaker Meridian premium audio system with AM/FM/HD/SiriusXM radio

Bluetooth Connectivity: Standard

USB Connectivity: Standard

Apple/Android Connectivity: Standard

Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles

Battery Warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles

Horsepower: 576 (GT)

Towing: 2300 lbs

Standard Fuel Mileage:

88e-city/77e-hwy (GT)

What’s New: After the high-performance GT trim joined the EV6 line up in 2023,  this year's GT range increases by 12 miles. 



Why:

GT offers a smoking 576-horsepower

0 to 60 in 3.4 seconds

The GT driving range expands by 12 miles

An engaging driving experience

Offers a drift mode

Styling

An oversized compact which feels more like a midsize vehicle

All-wheel drive

An automatic dual temperature control system with a mode for the driver only – reducing energy usage

A power operated electronic charging door

21-inch alloy wheels with Neon brake calipers

Nearly flat floor adds to the spaciousness of the cabin

A heated steering wheel

Heated front/rear seats

Power sunroof

Power liftgate

Latest safety driving aids

Sports bucket seats

One of the best warranties in the segment

An ability to charge electric bike and other small gadgets for camping or a day trip

A premium audio system

Heads up display system

Firm ride due a tuned sports suspension

Co-pilot assist driving system

A high level of safety of driving aids

A 12-inch digital instrument cluster

Automatic open/flush door handles

But:

Hatchback design could impede rear vison






Verdict: Whomever said that electric vehicles had to be dull and boring obviously haven’t been introduced to Kia's all-new EV6 GT. The fully electric compact rivals many of today’s gasoline induced muscle cars in terms of power (and style too). 

In fact, the performance oriented EV6 GT is the Korean brand’s fastest production car to date. According to Kia engineers, the futuristic looking vehicle zooms from 0 to 60-mph in under 3.4 seconds.

The sporty vehicle, which is based on a rear-wheel-drive platform, rides on 21-inch wheels and has 15-inch and 14-inch front and rear brake calipers, respectively to keep this zero-emission free pocket rocket under control.

The nearest 2024 EV competitor to the Kia EV6 GT is Ford’s Mach-E GT. The Mach ET GT spews out 480-horsepower and has a starting price in the $54,000 range.

And for the 2025 model year, we must note that for the 2025 model year Hyundai, which is a sibling to Kia, introduced the Ioniq 5 N AWD. At a starting price of $67,575, the sporty high-performance compact electric vehicle produces a whopping 601-horsepower. 

Outside of the horsepower and the athletic design, which breathes excitement, the EV6 GT we reviewed was outfitted with a host of standard driving aids, a co-pilot assist highway driving system and a premium audio system. 

Furthermore, the Kia EV6 GT we tested had a driving range between 230 to 238, depending upon above normal temperatures. As we noted earlier, Kia's engineering team increased the driving range of the GT AWD by 12 miles for the 2024 model year. Thus, this extra driving range minimized anxiety allowing us to complete a 170-mile trip on a Saturday on three opposite ends of metro Atlanta without having to stop and charge.  Thankfully by the time we rolled back in late Saturday, we still had 68 miles of driving range remaining. 

Overall, we’re smitten with the hot looking Kia EV6 GT AWD. It's definitely at the top of our list in terms of style, power, price, perceived workmanship, driving range and handling characteristics.

EV Direct Competition: 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance and 2025 Hyundai Ioniq5 N AWD

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2024 Kia EV6 GT AWD: The Brand's 576-Horsepower Electric Vehicle

Highlight:  The hatchback-like compact   EV6 GT rivals many gasoline sports cars, spewing out 576-horsepower. Test Vehicle's MSRP:  $64,...