2025 Kia EV6: A Subtle Refresh Can Go a Long(er) Way
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Along with its cousin, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Kia EV6 has set the benchmark in the compact electric SUV segment since launching three years ago. In fact, The Car Guide gave the Korean duo a Best Buy award in both 2023 and 2024. However, with competition still growing and improving considerably, a mid-cycle update was in order for 2025, both aesthetically and technologically.
Designers have concentrated their efforts at the front, where the slightly revised bumper is accompanied by new headlamps that beautifully reinterpret Kia's “Star Map” lighting signature—the best way to tell the 2025 EV6 apart from previous vintages. New body colours include Midnight Lake Blue and the eye-catching Nebula Blue.
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The wheels, meanwhile, feature a cool new geometric pattern reflecting the latest trend among the Korean brand's products. There’s no rear wiper like the one the Ioniq 5 has just received, but the fact that the spoiler is detached from the fairly sloping rear window allows rain and grime to drain off more easily.
Updated Cabin
Inside, the digital panel combining 12.3-inch screens as standard is now more rectangular and sits in front of a new steering wheel with a flat top and bottom (don’t miss the off-centre Kia logo). We didn't find it unpleasant to manipulate, but some people might see things differently. What's nice is that the steering wheel retains those convenient paddles for adjusting regenerative braking (four levels, the most intense of which actually allows one-pedal driving) as well as the drive mode button, which is easy to operate with the left thumb while remaining focused on the road.
An important new feature is the multimedia system, which benefits from the latest version of Hyundai-Kia's in-house infotainment software. The updated and simplified menus promote a more user-friendly interaction. On the other hand, the touch-sensitive interface underneath the main display still requires the driver to tap a button in order to toggle between temperature and radio controls/shortcuts. Kia wanted a clean-looking HMI, but this solution causes distraction while driving. The new materials on the dashboard and centre armrest deserve praise, however.
The seats provide commendable comfort and support. Too bad Kia hasn’t taken advantage of the 2025 update to install headrests as plush and comfy as those in the EV9. The second row offers generous room for the legs, less so for the head if you're an adult or even a tall teenager. As for the trunk, its 690 litres are nothing to sneeze at, but there's a bit more cargo room to be found elsewhere in the segment, with or without the rear seat folded. Storage space under the hood remains modest, too. Better than none at all, of course.
A Bigger Battery
On the road, the 2025 Kia EV6 is solid and quiet with no unpleasant noises and vibrations, which is a testament to its build quality. By the way, Canadian units are now assembled in the U.S. alongside the EV9. And stop looking for the 576-horsepower EV6 GT: as we reported earlier this year, the performance-focused model is not returning to Canada due to poor sales.
Nearly all EV6s now feature a larger battery with a capacity of 84 kWh instead of 77.4 kWh (a 63kWh battery is reserved for the base trim). The rear-wheel-drive models, called Light and Wind, make do with a single motor delivering 225 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. Their maximum range is 381 and 513 km, respectively, according to Natural Resources Canada (NRC), which represents a gain of 14 km for the latter. That's on par with the popular Chevrolet Equinox EV in front-wheel drive configuration, and slightly better than a comparable Ioniq 5 (504 km). Many drivers will be pleased, and rightly so.
Our preferred pick is still the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive Land models with their 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque. As little as five seconds will get you to 100 km/h, with Sport mode activated. The latter, incidentally, has a significant impact on the EV6's performance. With the new battery, maximum range increases from 454 to 475 km with the 19-inch wheels. The Premium (as tested), GT-Line and GT-Line Limited packages reduce it to 435 km due to the larger 20-inch wheels, but this is more respectable than the previous 406 km.
After driving our 2025 Kia EV6 in a mix of city streets, highways and secondary roads, we recorded an average energy consumption of 18.9 kWh/100 km, beating the official NRC rating of 21.5 kWh/100 km. We could easily have covered more than 460-470 km given the favourable weather.
You can feel the EV6's heavy weight and relatively soft suspension in sharp corners and quick lateral moves, not to mention under braking. Around town and in parking lots, a slightly smaller turning circle would be appreciated. That said, the low and long stance combined with nicely calibrated steering make for a pleasant ride, more like a midsize car’s than an SUV’s. What's more, maximum towing capacity increases to 2,700 lbs for 2025, something not all competitors can boast.
Fast and Convenient Charging
Of course, one of the EV6's biggest strengths is the Hyundai Group's E-GMP architecture, which enables some of the fastest charging speeds in the industry (up to almost 240 kW). As a result, the new 84kWh battery can go from 10-80 percent in less than 20 minutes under ideal conditions—if you can find one of the rare 350kW DC charging stations available.
Since our test drive took place in mid-June, we didn't have to use the heat pump (standard except on the base model) to prevent range loss in cold weather. We did, however, take the opportunity to connect the vehicle to a Tesla Supercharger. That’s right: another new feature on the 2025 Kia EV6 is a built-in NACS port replacing the CCS connector (Kia supplies an adapter for other charging stations). A future article will explain how this works with a non-Tesla vehicle, but just so you know, not all Superchargers are compatible. You'll need to consult the navigation system or, better still, the Tesla app to find out where to charge.
The procedure is fairly straightforward, but while the Supercharger we used had a capacity of 250 kW, the maximum power extracted by our EV6 was limited to 122 kW (due to a voltage difference between the vehicle's 800V system and the Supercharger's 400V system). Keep in mind that this level of power remained constant for almost the entire duration of the charge, so that 24 minutes were enough to go from 25-80 percent.
Our Verdict
The Kia EV6’s Canadian sales exploded 128 percent in 2024 to 6,671 units, putting it in the middle of the pack among electric SUVs. As with many others, things will be different in 2025 due to the interruption of the federal government’s incentive program and the fact that the EV rebate in Quebec has dropped from $7,000 to $4,000. But that doesn't detract from the product itself, which is still an excellent buy. All-in prices (before rebates) range from $52,276 to $68,276. A well-equipped EV6 with all-wheel drive will set you back $61,776.
In addition to the Ioniq 5, electric SUVs from Chevrolet and Ford are proving more popular than the Kia. And unfortunately for the latter, the new 2026 Toyota bZ (formerly known as bZ4X) and 2026 Subaru Solterra have greatly improved and should be taken seriously by consumers, not just because of their brand reputation. Will the EV6 continue to put up a good fight? It definitely can, and in our opinion, it should stay high on your list of candidates for your next electric vehicle purchase.
