Without question, the Kia EV6 is one of the nicest electric vehicles you can buy today. With a spacious and well-built interior, sleek styling and one of the quickest DC fast charging rates in the industry, it’s a tremendous offering from this South Korean brand. Pricing for the 2023 model was announced on Wednesday, and the new base trim has only crept up a modest amount.
Including $1,295 in pesky destination fees, the 2023 Kia EV6 hatchback starts at $49,795, an increase of $1,000 compared to the preceding model year. That not-insignificant outlay gets you a rear-wheel-drive Wind grade with 225 horsepower and an EPA-estimated 310 miles of range. This is now the base trim since the Light RWD model has been discontinued for 2023. As such, the new entry-level EV6 delivers good, if not stellar, performance and comes with plenty of attractive amenities including internal and external power outlets, a premium sound system, an electrically operated liftgate and even ventilated front seats, among many other features.
Thanks to this trim-level change, the most-affordable EV6 is now a whopping $7,100 more expensive than last year’s entry-level Light RWD model. Electric vehicles are getting more and more expensive, and this could be a serious issue in the coming years.
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Bookending the model range is Kia’s hotly anticipated EV6 GT, the high-performance model. This trim starts at $62,695 including delivery, which doesn’t seem that unreasonable when you consider the performance this all-electric hatchback offers. With a dual-motor powertrain, the GT model cranks out a potent 576 hp and 545 pound-feet of torque. All that sugar and spice is good for an oh-so-nice 0-to-60 romp of just 3.4 seconds. As for range, this model should be able to go just 206 miles between charges, a rather unimpressive figure.
Of course, the GT trim is the speed-focused model, and it also comes with features like upgraded brakes, 21-inch wheels with grippy Goodyear Eagle F1 tires and an electronically controlled suspension system. You also get a limited-slip rear differential for improved handling as well as lightweight sport seats and unique trim inside.
One change drivers are sure to appreciate is that the optional tech package, which was offered on the all-wheel-drive Wind trim, is now available in rear-drive Wind models as well. This includes goodies like a 360-degree camera system, blind spot monitoring, collision-avoidance assistance while reversing and more.
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Offsetting the EV6’s modest price increase, all buyers will receive 1,000 kilowatt-hours of complementary public charging from Electrify America. In EV Pulse testing, this Kia can DC fast charge at a maximum rate of around 235 kilowatts, which is stellar. When hooked to a 350-kW Electrify America charger, this crossover can go from a 10% state of charge to 80% in a mere 18 minutes, and that’s phenomenal.
The 2023 Kia EV6 is offered with just one battery pack, a 77.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion unit. Rear-drive models features a single, aft-mounted electric motor that’s good for 168-kW, or 225 hp. All-wheel-drive EV6s are graced with a 74-kW dynamo up front and a 165-kW unit at the rear. Combined, these motors deliver 320 horses. Upping the ante, the top-shelf GT model packs a 160-kW front motor and a 270-kW one at the back. Added up, they deliver a potent 576 hp.
Wind RWD – 225 hp – 310 miles of range – $49,795
Wind AWD – 320 hp – 282 miles of range – $53,695
GT-Line RWD – 225 hp – 310 miles of range – $53,995
GT-Line AWD – 320 hp – 252 miles of range – $58,695
GT AWD – 576 hp – 206 miles of range – $62,695
All prices include $1,295 in destination fees.
Updated (3:37 p.m. EST, 11/09/2022): Adjusted for clarity
