2026 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD review: Australian first drive

Since it launched in Australia four years ago, the Kia EV6 has been a well-regarded electric SUV, with great driving dynamics and rapid charging speeds.

However, the EV6 has remained a niche model in Kia Australia's range, with limited supply at launch, and more recently, higher pricing than many electric SUV rivals.

In 2023, its best sales year in Australia to date, 1831 examples of the EV6 were reported as sold compared with 28,769 Tesla Model Ys.

By 2025, that figure fell to 348 due to the delayed arrival of an updated model, which debuted in Korea in May 2024 but is only launching in Australia this month – nearly two years later.

Kia Australia said it intends to focus on its "volume-selling" EV3 and EV5, while the EV6 and EV9 will be positioned as "niche EV products, aimed around brand enhancement and showcasing our technology and performance".

As such, it has elected to keep the EV6's relatively high starting price similar to the outgoing model – partly to protect residual values for existing owners – and admits it doesn't have "big volume aspirations".

The updated EV6 makes a great car even better, but as this review will detail, it doesn't go far enough to justify the extra $19,000 over an equivalent Model Y.

A small $70 price increase – rather than a price cut – has been applied across the 2026 Kia EV6 range, now starting from $72,660 before on-road costs for the rear-wheel-drive Air. 

The GT-Line RWD costs $79,660, while the dual-motor GT-Line AWD and GT AWD are listed at $87,660 and $99,660, respectively. 

Competitors to the GT-Line AWD include the $68,900 Tesla Model Y Premium Long Range AWD, the $91,700 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Line Premium AWD, the $76,490 Skoda Enyaq Coupe RS AWD, and the $80,490 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium RWD, all prices before on-road costs. 

You could also consider more affordable rivals from China, such as the Zeekr 7X ($63,900 for the Long Range RWD, $72,900 for the Performance AWD) and BYD Sealion 7 ($63,990 for the Performance AWD), all prices before on-road costs. 

Standard highlights in the EV6 Air include 19-inch alloy wheels, a tyre repair kit, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, and a wireless smartphone charger. 

All EV6 grades have gained the Hyundai-Kia 'ccNC' infotainment software, enabling a wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection, along with Kia Connect telematics in Australia. At last!

Other specification changes include an updated lane-following assist system, a configurable MY DRIVE mode, and, in the Air, full black synthetic leather upholstery instead of the outgoing part-cloth finish. 

Unfortunately, the EV6 Air remains sparsely equipped for its high asking price, continuing to go without heated or ventilated power-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, a surround-view camera, or an electric tailgate. 

New features for the GT-Line and GT include an updated automatic parking system (Remote Smart Park Assist 2, instead of version 1), a fingerprint scanner to easily switch driver profiles, and a unique three-spoke, two-tone steering wheel. 

In addition to adding the features the Air lacks, the GT-Line also gains a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, black-and-white synthetic leather and suede upholstery, a 'premium relaxation' front-seat tilt function, 20-inch alloy wheels, a head-up display, and blind-spot cameras. 

New for the performance-bred GT is a powered steering column, while it no longer deletes the GT-Line's ventilated front seats and electric front seat adjustment – but it still reverts to manual lumbar support and removes the 'premium relaxation' feature. 

All grades include an interior vehicle-to-load (V2L) socket with an Australian power socket, while the GT-Line and GT also add an external V2L adaptor, with a maximum total power output of 3.6 kilowatts.

Given the EV6's price premium over other electric SUVs, some of the GT's exclusive features should be included on the GT-Line, such as its matrix LED headlights, heated rear seats, and powered steering wheel column.

Additionally, the Kia EV6 continues to lack features in Australia compared with overseas models, including the semi-autonomous Highway Driving Assist 2 system with automated lane changes. 

This feature is fitted to the mid-spec $36,690 plus on-roads Kia K4 hatch and sedan in Australia, as well as its EV4 and EV9 siblings, so it doesn't seem like a tall ask.

Like most Kia EVs in Australia, the EV6 range also omits an energy-efficient heat pump – consuming less power in cold weather by transferring heat from its battery into the cabin, instead of using a PTC resistive heater – yet it is offered overseas. 

All those features are available in the $58,900 plus on-roads Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive, let alone the Long Range AWD and Performance AWD, albeit with a $149/month Full Self-Driving Supervised (FSD-S) subscription for the auto lane changes. 

Of course, the Model Y's FSD-S system also goes well beyond auto lane changes, as the Tesla can drive itself from Point A to Point B in most situations with "minimal driver intervention". 

Matte paint options have been removed from the new EV6 range in Australia, while new $700-extra metallic colours include a darker Interstellar Grey for the Air and a lighter, flatter Wolf Grey for the GT-Line and GT. 

The 2026 Kia EV6 GT-Line has a WLTP-rated energy consumption of 17.7 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometres (kWh/100km), a slight improvement from 18.0kWh/100km.

Combined with its larger 84kWh battery – up from 77.4kWh – the new model has a 522km driving range rating, 38km more than the outgoing version.

During my week with the car, I achieved 19.1kWh/100km after 700km across city, highway and rural environments, with a realistic driving range between 400 and 450km. Consistent low-speed drives would likely remain closer to its 522km rating.

For context, the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD is rated at 600km WLTP, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Line Premium AWD is rated at 495km WLTP, the Skoda Enyaq Coupe RS AWD is rated at 534km WLTP, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium RWD is rated at 600km WLTP.

A 10 to 80 per cent charge in the EV6 is said to take 18 minutes at a 350kW direct-current (DC) fast charger, with a maximum charging rate of 235kW.

Along with its Kia and Hyundai E-GMP 800-volt siblings, the EV6 remains one of Australia's fastest-charging EVs, even four years after its launch.

A circa-220km highway run from inner-Melbourne to Gippsland, Victoria at 80–110km/h, which I frequently do, was hardly different in the EV6 compared with an internal-combustion vehicle.

I was confident I'd make the full distance without needing to stop (with a 100 per cent charge on departure), but with limited public charging infrastructure at my destination, I ultimately decided to make a 15-minute pit-stop at a 250kW Chargefox fast-charging station.

The battery state-of-charge remained high after about 130km – dropping to 70 per cent – so I wasn't able to take advantage of the EV6's fastest charging speeds, as it begins to slow as the battery gets closer to full.

On my return trip, stopping at the same location, the charging speed peaked at around 200kW, with a 40 to 80 per cent top-up achieved in around 15 minutes, giving me more than enough energy to return to the city.

It is worth noting that while its 800-volt architecture allows for ultra-rapid 235kW charging, 400-volt charging stations – such as Tesla Superchargers open to non-Tesla EVs – are limited to a maximum 125kW as the EV6's inverter needs to boost the voltage to 800V.

You'll face the same consideration in other 800-volt electric cars, such as the Zeekr 7X, Porsche Taycan, or its Hyundai Ioniq 5 twin-under-the-skin.

The EV6 is covered by Kia Australia's seven-year, unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty, which is equivalent to the Skoda Enyaq and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 when all services are completed at a Hyundai dealer. 

A separate seven-year/150,000km warranty covers its high-voltage battery, which is slightly below the industry-standard eight years or 160,000km. 

Service intervals for the EV6 are set at 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first, and identical to most petrol, diesel and hybrid Kia vehicles. 

The Ioniq 5, Enyaq and most other EVs can travel 24 months or 30,000km between each service, while there is no set servicing schedule for the Model Y, with recommended intervals for certain items listed on Tesla's website. 

Prepaid service plans of three, five or seven years are available at the time of purchase – or within 12 months/15,000km of delivery – at $728, $1391 or $2055, respectively. 

The Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD will cost $2193 to comprehensively insure, based on a comparative quote from a leading provider for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances. 

It is cheaper to insure than the Model Y Long-Range All-Wheel Drive, which returned $3267, while the Ioniq 5 N Line Premium AWD and Enyaq Coupe 85 Sportline RWD (the RS wasn't listed) were similar at $2187 and $2271 respectively. 

The Kia EV6 Air and GT-Line are covered by a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2022, while the GT is unrated. 

It scored 90 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 per cent for child occupant protection, 64 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 88 per cent for safety assist. 

Most of the EV6's active safety systems worked as they should during my time with the car, although Kia's intelligent speed-limit assist system – new for the EV6 – remains a frustration. 

An audible chime will alert the driver if they exceed the detected speed limit, which often doesn't reflect the actual speed limit, as the car may detect incorrect signs or misidentify a school zone when it's not in school-zone times. 

This audible alert can be silenced by holding the steering wheel mute button for a few seconds, which is far easier than diving into the infotainment settings when you're on the move, but you'll still need to do it every time the car is restarted. 

A driver-monitoring camera is not fitted to the EV6, unlike some Kias with more recent ANCAP scores, though I have found it a source of frustration in those cars, so I was glad to see its absence. 

The EV6's blind-spot cameras – fitted to the GT-Line and GT – are nice to have, and the lane-centring assist works well, even on poorly marked roads. 

The Kia EV6 is officially categorised in VFACTS new-car sales data as a Large SUV Over $80K, which includes bigger and dearer models such as the Volvo EX90 and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. 

Realistically, it should align with the Medium SUV Over $65K segment, which includes EVs such as the Model Y, Ioniq 5, Enyaq, Toyota bZ4X and Volkswagen ID.4, along with the shorter but taller Kia EV5. 

The EV6 GT-Line is marginally smaller than the Model Y Premium in most dimensions, but with a 10mm-longer wheelbase. 

The new EV6's front end has been restyled with the brand's 'Star Map' signature lighting to match other Kia models, including the EV3, EV4 and EV5, while there are also new alloy wheel designs, a tweaked LED tail-light signature, and new rear bumpers. 

While it gives it a sleeker look, a consequence of the EV6's lowered roof line is that it isn't as spacious as other electric SUVs, and rear passengers need to be careful not to hit their heads when they are getting into the car.

I found the capacitive lock/unlock button on the auto-folding door handles didn't work all the time, occasionally requiring multiple taps to lock or unlock the car from the driver's door. You can set the car to automatically unlock when you approach it with the key fob.

The EV6's interior looks similar to many other Kia vehicles, with a panoramic display integrating its infotainment touchscreen and digital instrument cluster, as well as plenty of shared switchgear. 

For instance, its rotary gear selector and lower touch display, that can switch between audio or climate controls, are shared with the Sportage. 

Its floating-style centre console provides additional storage space beneath it, with hooks to carry smaller bags, though it doesn't slide back and forth like the Hyundai Ioniq 5. 

All the materials in the EV6's cabin feel great, albeit not at a luxury-car level, and I did notice some creaks and random sounds. 

In particular, the indicator stalk made a nasty sound at one point, as if it had broken, but it continued to operate correctly. 

Design changes are limited to a new steering wheel – two-spoke in the Air and three-spoke in the GT-Line/GT – and a tweaked centre console without the old model's gloss-black materials. 

The rear seats can tilt backwards, and there was plenty of head, leg and toe room behind my 182cm driving position, but as with any EV, your legs will sit higher due to the battery placement.

There are also USB-C ports integrated into the back of each front seat and rear air vents positioned in the pillars, along with two ISOFIX and three top-tether child-seat anchors. 

The EV6 GT-Line AWD has a 480-litre boot volume, extending to 1250L with the second-row seats folded, plus 20L of storage under the bonnet. 

It is a smaller boot than its rivals, particularly in height but also depth, meaning you won't fit as much into the EV6 compared with a Model Y. 

Its front storage compartment is good for storing the charging cables, but in AWD models, there isn't room for much else. Rear-drive EV6s have a larger 50-litre capacity.

At last, the EV6 includes two infotainment features the old model sorely lacked: Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and Kia Connect telematics.

The wireless connection, combined with the wireless smartphone charger, means you no longer need to deal with cables, though, like most cars, it was slow to charge my phone.

Kia Connect is complimentary for the first seven years of ownership, allowing owners to remotely control their vehicle, track it, view nearby charging stations, and send a destination to the navigation system.

It also includes support for over-the-air software updates, emergency SOS calls, an improved voice assistant to control certain vehicle functions, current weather conditions, and the ability to link to your calendar.

The EV6's 12.3-inch ccNC infotainment system might be familiar if you've driven a new Kia, Hyundai or Genesis model, with an easy-to-use interface, modern graphics, and the ability to customise many vehicle settings.

If the touch-heavy vehicle controls of many EV competitors aren't your thing, the EV6 strikes a better balance, retaining its separate climate/audio control panel below the screen.

It supports AM/FM/DAB+ radio bands, and separate Bluetooth connections for phone calls and audio streaming.

The GT-Line's 14-speaker Meridian audio system delivers great sound quality, and adds an 'Active Sound Design' artificial driving noise linked to acceleration.

However, Kia's implementation sounds too fake for my liking and lacks the customisable driving sounds of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

Luckily, it can be permanently turned off – or switched to a lower volume if you'd still like some audio feedback when you're accelerating, rather than electric-car silence.

Ahead of the driver is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, along with a windscreen-projected head-up display in the GT-Line and GT.

The EV6 Air and GT-Line carry over their existing driving dynamics, including an Australian suspension and steering tune conducted for its initial 2022 launch.

Rear-wheel-drive Air and GT-Line grades feature a 168kW and 350kW single electric motor, while the all-wheel-drive GT-Line moves to a 165kW/350Nm rear motor and a 74kW/255Nm front motor for a combined 239kW and 605Nm.

The dual-motor all-wheel-drive GT steps up to 448kW/740Nm in normal driving and 478kW/770Nm in launch control mode – up from the outgoing model's 430kW/740Nm – now matching the Ioniq 5 N.

Our GT-Line AWD test vehicle maintained all the excellent driving traits of the older version, with brisk acceleration, good dynamics, smooth ride quality, and excellent sound insulation.

With its localised suspension and steering tune carrying over unchanged into the latest model, the EV6 remains one of the finest-driving cars in its segment, if not the wider sub-$100,000 electric-vehicle market.

To get the most out of the GT-Line AWD, you can switch into Sport mode, which does make a noticeable difference in power delivery and steering feel from behind the wheel, or customise the drive settings to your liking with the new 'MY DRIVE' mode.

Meanwhile, the Eco drive mode appears to lean heavily on the EV6's rear electric motor, and feels slightly sedated to help conserve energy, but don't be fooled by the name – it doesn't turn into 'turtle mode'. There's still plenty of power on tap.

The EV6 offers three levels of regenerative braking, which can be controlled using the steering wheel paddle shifters, along with a fourth 'i-Pedal' single-pedal driving mode to bring the vehicle to a complete stop when you lift off the accelerator pedal.

I'd like it if the previously set regenerative braking mode could be remembered the next time the car is started, rather than defaulting to off, but this is likely a safety precaution by Kia – especially for drivers who frequently switch vehicles.

Braked towing capacity has increased to 1800kg, up 200kg.

New and used Kia EV6s are listed for sale at Drive Marketplace, which can be accessed by clicking here.

If you're looking for more pricing, specifications, and latest offers on the Kia EV6 range, click here.

This EV6 update makes a great car even better. There's a bigger battery – the same as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 – slightly more driving range, and exterior design tweaks. 

We're keen to test the 2026 EV6 GT on Australian roads, too, with its Ioniq 5 N-equivalent power boost. 

Some criticisms of the outgoing EV6 – namely, the lack of Kia Connect in Australia and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto – have also been addressed, which is great to see. 

In isolation, these are excellent upgrades for only $70 more than the previous model – and it remains one of the better-driving electric SUVs this side of $100,000, partly thanks to its unique Australian suspension and steering tune.

However, yet again, the EV6 falls down on value-for-money, amid a significant rise in more affordable, rear-wheel-drive-biased electric medium SUV rivals in the four years since it first arrived in Australia, led by the best-selling Tesla.

As good as it is, the GT-Line AWD is going to struggle to find buyers at $87,660, when the Model Y Premium Long Range All-Wheel Drive is around $19,000 cheaper, and the full-fat Model Y Performance All-Wheel Drive is similarly priced. 

Plus, Australia still misses out on technology offered in the EV6 overseas, such as semi-automomous highway driving with automatic lane changes, a digital phone key and an energy-efficient heat pump, which remains a disappointment. 

Some GT-exclusive features, such as its heated rear seats, matrix LED headlights and power-adjustable steering wheel column, should also be made standard in the GT-Line. If Australians are expected to pay top dollar for an electric Kia, they deserve every possible option. 

And, while it looks sleek, the EV6's low roof line affects practicality, and you need to be careful not to bang your head getting into the back seats.

Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.

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