Is the 2023 Kia EV6 GT a Good Electric Car? 5 Pros and 3 Cons
With the launch of the Kia EV6, the South Korean carmaker reaffirmed its position as a serious contender in the rapidly evolving EV market. Thanks to its impressive range, fast-charging capability and affordable pricing, the EV6 arrived ready to do battle with the likes of the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach–E. For 2023, Kia has upped the ante with the performance-focused EV6 GT.
Related: 2023 Kia EV6 GT Review: Affordable All-Electric Performance
The result is a real GT with performance to back up its shiny new badging and a further burnishing of Kia’s EV cred. With a big boost in power, an adaptive suspension tuned for performance and larger brakes to rein in its added performance potential, the GT gets the job done in fine fashion while building on much of what impressed us with the regular EV6.
It doesn’t hurt that all that performance is wrapped up in the EV6’s modern and sophisticated, coupelike four-door shape, further enhanced with larger wheels and larger, more aggressive rubber. The GT also suffers from some of the same gripes we had with the original EV6 and brings a couple of new ones of its own.
Cars.com’s Mike Hanley recently spent some time driving a new EV6 GT on both the street and the track, and he found its performance is impressive but comes with some downsides. To read Hanley’s expert review, click the link above; for a quick look at highs and lows of the 2023 Kia EV6 GT, read on.
Things We Like
1. Power Surge
The GT gets standard all-wheel drive and new front and rear electric motors, resulting in a substantial power boost over other trims. With a total output of 576 horsepower and 545 pounds-feet of torque, the GT outdoes the AWD EV6 GT-Line with around 250 hp extra. Kia says the GT will accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 3.4 seconds and has a top speed of 161 mph; at the drag strip, we consistently recorded quarter-mile times in the 11.4-second range at around 118 mph.
2. Handling to Match
Thanks to its new adaptive suspension, quicker steering ratio with a nice bit of heft to the wheel, and larger 21-inch wheels shod with summer performance tires, the GT delivers handling to match its acceleration. The steering and suspension provide good feedback, and the beefy EV6 GT remains level and controlled in corners. At nearly 4,800 pounds, it’s not lightweight, but a big chunk of that is from the floor-mounted battery pack, which helps give it a lower center of gravity.
3. Modes for Moods
A choice of driving modes includes Eco, Normal, Sport and GT, with only the last allowing you to unleash the full 576 hp. It’s still plenty quick in less aggressive modes, and it can get decent efficiency: We observed 3.5 miles per kilowatt-hour during one stretch of highway and two-lane driving — comparable to what we saw with the EV6 GT-Line.
4. Civilized Performance
The GT is very similar to the EV6 GT-Line inside, which is generally not a bad thing. Controls are mostly straightforward, and the overall look of the cabin is modern and upscale, with an open and airy feel at least up front. GT trims get black suede-style accents and more aggressively bolstered sport seats with green accents. Even with its larger summer performance tires, the GT remains impressively quiet underway, with only a bit of wind noise above 70 mph.
5. Solid Value
With a starting price around $63,000, the EV6 GT is something of a bargain, particularly given its impressive performance. And with few options to choose from, it should be easy to keep the well-equipped GT pretty close to that figure. Unfortunately, limited production numbers and possible dealer markups may impact the bottom line.
More From Cars.com:
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- 2023 Kia EV6 Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus Award
- What’s Bidirectional Charging and Which EVs Offer It?
Things We Don’t Like
1. Cheap(ish) Seats
Those nicely bolstered sport seats look good and do a nice job of holding the driver in place during aggressive driving, but the GT’s front seats lack power adjustments, which is something that’s standard in less expensive trims. They also do without adjustable lumbar support and ventilation, standard features in other EV6 variants.
2. Bad Headspace
A standard moonroof eats into what isn’t especially generous headroom to begin with, and taller drivers would be advised to try one on for size before buying. In back, the seat cushion is mounted low, which helps with headroom but results in a knees-up seating position. Reclining seatbacks help, but small side windows and the low roof make things feel a bit claustrophobic.
3. Modest Range
The price of performance is evident when it’s time to recharge the GT, which will happen more often than in a less powerful version of the car. The GT returns an EPA-estimated 79 mpg-equivalent in combined city and highway driving, but overall range is only 206 miles. That’s considerably less than the most efficient EV6 variant with AWD, which is good for 109 mpg-e combined and has an estimated range of 282 miles.
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