Used Kia EV6 review and buying guide

The EV6 was a landmark car for Kia, and it can still hold its own against newer rivals thanks to its ahead-of-its-time electrical architecture, enjoyable drive, and high-quality cabin.

Before the EV6’s UK arrival in October 2021, Kia had gone from producing forgettable – and somewhat dreary – cars such as the Pride, to a maker of award-winning mainstream models like the Sportage. It also had the pioneering e-Niro, but the EV6 was still a major departure for the brand,

Built on the EV-only e-GMP platform developed by Kia and parent company Hyundai, the EV6 marked a new dawn for Kia. Here was a handsome family car with a range of up to 328 miles and an 800-volt electrical charging architecture allowing for a 10% to 80% charge in just 18 minutes.

To contextualise just how forward-thinking the EV6’s underpinnings were, the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2 – arguably the early 2020s’ EV poster children – were both running on 400V platforms. Each first-generation Kia EV6 came with a 77.4kWh battery and a maximum charging speed of 240kW, which remains strong today.

It was with the introduction of the facelifted model in September 2024 that battery size was increased to 84kWh, while a smaller 63kWh battery was added to the line-up’s entry-level Air model.

With prices starting from just under £20,000 from an official Kia dealer, a pre-facelifted EV6 remains a solid choice for any family looking for a crossover that will help them switch from diesel or petrol to electric with next to no fuss.

Despite being around for almost half a decade now, the Kia EV6 remains firmly amongst the very best on our pre-owned EV list. Kia EV6 rivals include the Cupra Tavascan, Ford Capri, the all-conquering Tesla Model Y, and the Nissan Ariya, plus the EV6’s cousins, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60.

Kia EV6 model history

The Kia EV6 was first shown in March 2021, with UK order books opening the following month. Initially, three trim levels were available: entry-level Air, mid-tier GT Line, and the range-topping GT-Line S. Air models are rear-wheel drive (RWD) with 226bhp and share their drivetrain with GT-Line cars.

GT-Line and GT-Line S cars are also available with 321bhp and all-wheel drive (AWD). This is a part-time AWD system, which kicks in when the rear wheels start to slip. Unsurprisingly, this provides a more sure-footed driving experience over RWD models.

Kias are historically well-equipped, and the EV6 is no different. Air models get LED lights, ‘vegan leather’ interior upholstery, 19-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, plus a reversing camera and adaptive cruise control.

The GT-Line builds on this by adding adaptive headlights, front parking sensors, tinted privacy glass, plus additional safety kit. Step up to the EV6 GT-Line S, and Kia adds 20-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, heated outer rear seats, a driver’s head-up display, ventilated front seats, an electronically-assisted tailgate, a 360-degree parking camera, and a 14-speaker Meridian sound system.

In December 2023, Kia introduced a special ‘Horizon’ edition. Based on the Air trim, the Kia EV6 Horizon came with LED headlights, front parking sensors, heated outer rear seats, and an electronically adjustable driver’s seat.

Used Kia EV6 equipment

Part of the EV6’s appeal to drivers crossing from internal combustion to electric was its cabin. Not all of its functions were embedded in the two 12.3-inch digital displays, and Kia resisted the urge to fully embrace minimalism or migraine induction as Tesla and Mercedes have.

Throughout the cabin, the EV6 has plenty of physical controls. Most notably, these sit below the central air vents for adjusting the cabin temperature, while the two-spoke steering wheel has tactile switchgear for managing the sound system, the in-car phone, and driver assists.

If you don’t want to use Kia’s rather good in-built infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard.

It’s worth noting that all pre-facelift cars come with a vehicle-to-load (V2L) three-pin socket, delivering up to 3.6kW of power to electrical items such as refrigerators, TVs, and even medium-sized air conditioning units.

The biggest visual difference between the Mk1 and facelifted EV6s is the use of cabin materials and hardware. In newer cars, Kia has dropped the easily marked Piano Black trim in favour of a harder-wearing and more visually matte-finished material. The two-spoke steering wheel has also been dropped for a three-spoke unit.

Inside the EV6, there’s plenty of room. With the back seats up, there’s 490 litres of boot space; fold them down, and that becomes 1,300 litres. A variable-height floor adds to the car’s overall versatility.

All EV6s come with a frunk, but the drivetrain will determine how much space you get up front – RWD cars provide anything from 20 to 52 litres worth of additional storage, while more powerful AWD models have between 20 and 25 litres of extra room.

Used Kia EV6 price range and running costs

A multiple award winner, the Kia EV6 was – and remains – a popular choice amongst UK buyers. Using AutoTrader, we found 346 cars for sale through dealer networks.

As always, we strongly recommend buying from an approved dealer. The premium you will pay over an unofficial retailer will provide you with peace of mind and transparency about your car’s history. The security net from an approved dealer also means that unfortunate issues with the vehicle are likely to be fixed sooner rather than later.

The cheapest approved used Kia EV6 was a 2022 GT-Line car costing £21,950 and with 30,696 miles on the clock. The most expensive was a 2023 GT-Line S, with a total mileage of 14,271 and a £30,380 price tag. Both were RWD and fitted with the 77.4kWh battery.

RWD cars with 226bhp promise a WLTP range of up to 328 miles. Meanwhile – and somewhat unsurprisingly – the extra power from the 321bhp AWD powertrain reduces higher-spec EV6s’ range from 300 to 314 miles.

Nonetheless, the EV6’s single battery choice makes refuelling costs easy to understand: Using a home charger with a dedicated EV tariff, a 0-100% charge can cost you as little as £5.41. To check out the most affordable EV home charging tariffs, click here to read our comprehensive guide.

Note, however, that using the UK’s public charging network will be more expensive, as charge point operators (CPOs) such as BP Pulse and Instavolt charge as much as 89p per kilowatt hour.

As we established earlier, the Kia EV6 rides on an 800V architecture, meaning it can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes with a 250kW ultra-fast charger. Using a standard 7kW wallbox, a 10% to 100% takes a respectable seven hours, 35 minutes.

All Kias come with a seven-year/100,000-mile comprehensive warranty, and the EV6 is no exception. This means that all used EV6s you come across are still covered. The battery also promises to retain at least 70% capacity for the same period.

On April 1 2025, EVs became taxable under new government legislation, meaning they are no longer exempt from road tax. As such, all-electric cars registered from April 1, 2017 onwards will now be taxed £195 annually.

Used Kia EV6 insurance

The Kia EV6 isn’t the most expensive EV to insure. The Horizon and Air models sit in insurance bracket 34 (out of 50), while GT-Line S cars sit in group 40.

Even if you’re in the market for a facelifted car, the insurance costs will not exceed group 40. Nonetheless, the EV6 can be more expensive to insure than the Cupra Tavascan and the Ford Capri. It is, however, cheaper than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Tesla Model 3.

Used Kia reliability and faults to look for

Kia EV6 drivers are generally a happy bunch, with owners citing very few issues with dealership customer service and the car itself. The problems reported were largely minor electrical niggles related to the infotainment system, 12V battery, and the charging ports. Nonetheless, this led to dashboard warning lights and/or unexpected breakdowns.

Issues with the EV6’s keyless entry system were also mentioned. In terms of reliability, the most recent What Car? reliability survey placed Kia 11th from 31 brands, above Tesla and Nissan but behind Hyundai in 10th. The EV6 ranked 17th among 27 cars, above the Ariya, but below the Model Y.

Official recalls

The Kia EV6 has been recalled three times since its 2021 introduction. The first was in May 2022, with a batch of 3,805 vehicles recalled over a faulty Shifter Control Unit.

The second was in April 2024, following a driveshaft issue; the third and final recall to date took place the following month over a problem with the Integrated Charge Control Unit. For a comprehensive rundown of the Kia EV6’s recall history, click these words.

The ‘one to have’

Sure, it’s tempting to go for the additional 95bhp from the range-topping AWD, GT-Line S Kia EV6, but in our experience, 226bhp is more than adequate for what’s a comfortable, well-considered family car.

The GT-Line S comes with more toys than the entry-level Air and GT-Line models, but it’s worth asking yourself: if you’ve never had a head-up display or ventilated front seats, would you miss them? Also consider that the 20-inch wheels on the flagship car will affect your range.

If you’re in the market for a used Mk1 Kia EV6, then the GT-Line is the one to have – it has everything you’d need and probably a bit more, plus a 328-mile range.