Looking at making the switch to Kia/EV. What should I know

Discussion
1

Specifically looking at low mileage GT-line. I want to swap my 2019 Audi S4 for something more family friendly with my 2yr old. It would become our primary vehicle for my family, with my wife’s 2017 RDX as our second vehicle. It would mostly be used for commuting and 60-90 mile trips to visit family. We live in Northern California, so our weather is pretty moderate.

What are some things people DON’T like about the EV6? What are things that make it stand out from other EVs?

We would charge at home almost exclusively, unless we were on a trip or something. Are they able to use Tesla chargers? How are you all finding the charging station situation? Is the EPA estimated range accurate or should I expect better or worse? Any notable differences between '22, '23, and '24 models?

Sorry for the long post. What do I not know that I should know from you seasoned veterans?

Edit: edited post to remove my interest in GT models.

2

You can put the VIN into Kia’s website to check recalls. The dealer should do it but it’s easy to verify.

$39k for a 2023 with that low mileage is decent, not awesome.

Things I don’t like: I remain convinced a door handle will snap off, there’s always the nagging fear of killing the 12V battery (easily mitigated by keeping a small booster kit), you will constantly accidentally turn on the seat cooler/heater/wheel heater when adjusting the controls, the paint clear coat is thin, no full size spare.

Things that standout: very feature rich for the price, great range, very fast charging when needed, looks awesome, rear seats fold with handles from the back (genius feature that every car should have), great adaptive cruise control, very nice screen integration to the dash (I loathe the giant iPad on Tesla or Mach-E).

3

Thomas said:
You can put the VIN into Kia’s website to check recalls. The dealer should do it but it’s easy to verify.

$39k for a 2023 with that low mileage is decent, not awesome.

Things I don’t like: I remain convinced a door handle will snap off, there’s always the nagging fear of killing the 12V battery (easily mitigated by keeping a small booster kit), you will constantly accidentally turn on the seat cooler/heater/wheel heater when adjusting the controls, the paint clear coat is thin, no full size spare.

Things that standout: very feature rich for the price, great range, very fast charging when needed, looks awesome, rear seats fold with handles from the back (genius feature that every car should have), great adaptive cruise control, very nice screen integration to the dash (I loathe the giant iPad on Tesla or Mach-E).

I’m 100% with you on the loathing of that awful iPad on the Teslas.

4

Thomas said:
You can put the VIN into Kia’s website to check recalls. The dealer should do it but it’s easy to verify.

$39k for a 2023 with that low mileage is decent, not awesome.

Things I don’t like: I remain convinced a door handle will snap off, there’s always the nagging fear of killing the 12V battery (easily mitigated by keeping a small booster kit), you will constantly accidentally turn on the seat cooler/heater/wheel heater when adjusting the controls, the paint clear coat is thin, no full size spare.

Things that standout: very feature rich for the price, great range, very fast charging when needed, looks awesome, rear seats fold with handles from the back (genius feature that every car should have), great adaptive cruise control, very nice screen integration to the dash (I loathe the giant iPad on Tesla or Mach-E).

Can you elaborate more on your fear for the door handle? Snapping off seems… not ideal. Also, what’s the deal with the 12V battery? Does it not get topped up during normal use or charging?

I don’t think the clear coat or no full-size spare would bother me. Would probably get it ceramic coated or PPFed.

One thing I didn’t ask about, how are the connected services? Useful? Gimmicky? Expensive?

5

kwame said:

Thomas said:
You can put the VIN into Kia’s website to check recalls. The dealer should do it but it’s easy to verify.

$39k for a 2023 with that low mileage is decent, not awesome.

Things I don’t like: I remain convinced a door handle will snap off, there’s always the nagging fear of killing the 12V battery (easily mitigated by keeping a small booster kit), you will constantly accidentally turn on the seat cooler/heater/wheel heater when adjusting the controls, the paint clear coat is thin, no full size spare.

Things that standout: very feature rich for the price, great range, very fast charging when needed, looks awesome, rear seats fold with handles from the back (genius feature that every car should have), great adaptive cruise control, very nice screen integration to the dash (I loathe the giant iPad on Tesla or Mach-E).

Can you elaborate more on your fear for the door handle? Snapping off seems… not ideal. Also, what’s the deal with the 12V battery? Does it not get topped up during normal use or charging?

I don’t think the clear coat or no full-size spare would bother me. Would probably get it ceramic coated or PPFed.

One thing I didn’t ask about, how are the connected services? Useful? Gimmicky? Expensive?

Like many EVs, it has pop-out door handles. The Kia ones are cantilevered so they stick out and you pull on the free end. I have zero reason to think it would actually break, I just find it a very weird motion.

The 12V gets topped up by the HV battery during normal operations and periodically during charging. Early EV6s had a problem with their ICCU (charge controller) where it would fail and not charge the 12V, and if the 12V dies you can’t start the car. That issue was fixed by recall, but the Kia OEM 12V is also kind of weak and the car draws a lot of power in accessory mode so a lot of people have killed their 12V by accident. Fortunately, it’s really easy to jump the car and replace the 12V with a more durable one (many people get an aftermarket AGM battery).

The connected services seem fine. I only have the free level now (you get a few months free of premium). Being able to remote lock/unlock and start/stop climate control is nice but I’m not willing to pay extra for it. The free level still does drive history, charge controlling, and maintenance, and it seems fine.

6

From MY 2022 to 2024 there are no differences apart from 2024 getting an extra light in the charge port to aid in dark places. All the real changes happen in the MY2025 refresh.

It’s easy to meet or exceed the EPA range in good weather as long as you don’t break the speed limit too often. If you are like me and primarily drive on city/suburb roads with very little freeway driving, you can actually exceed the EPA estimates by ridiculous amounts. This is the case with all EVs - driving slowly basically sips battery life.

If you’re getting a GT-Line AWD, note that the lower range estimate compared to other trims is primarily due to the 20" rims that come standard. Dropping down to 19s will give you back about 30 miles of range at least. Again, this is universal to EVs in general - getting the smallest possible rims and the thickest possible sidewall will always maximize range. The GT-Line RWD in the US will come with 19s.

So far I love my EV6. My complaints:

  1. The Kia Connect mobile app is absolute garbage. I came from a Tesla so my standards are probably unreasonable but seriously it’s like throwing away a PS5 to replace with an Ouya.
  2. The one and only data-capable USB port is a slower type-A port while all the type-Cs (which output a whopping 27W!) are charge-only. Ironically this is why I bought a wireless Android Auto adapter - I still plug in the cable regardless but I want to charge faster while Android Auto is active.
  3. The nice big screen for the instrument cluster has a lot of wasted space and very little customization.
  4. Wireless charging pad is a total waste of space. Charge speed is excruciatingly slow and it makes the phone overheat to the point where it displays warnings on-screen while using Android Auto. I’d rather have a third cupholder instead of this junk…
  5. Child lock and window lock are the same button, and it’s easy to accidentally press, and then you’ll go crazy wondering why your rear passengers aren’t able to let themselves out.
  6. Remote start doesn’t activate heated seats in the winter, whether you use the key fob or the terrible app.

But it’s still the best car I’ve ever owned. If I could revisit my decision, I’d absolutely do it all over again.

7

martin said:
From MY 2022 to 2024 there are no differences apart from 2024 getting an extra light in the charge port to aid in dark places. All the real changes happen in the MY2025 refresh.

It’s easy to meet or exceed the EPA range in good weather as long as you don’t break the speed limit too often. If you are like me and primarily drive on city/suburb roads with very little freeway driving, you can actually exceed the EPA estimates by ridiculous amounts. This is the case with all EVs - driving slowly basically sips battery life.

If you’re getting a GT-Line AWD, note that the lower range estimate compared to other trims is primarily due to the 20" rims that come standard. Dropping down to 19s will give you back about 30 miles of range at least. Again, this is universal to EVs in general - getting the smallest possible rims and the thickest possible sidewall will always maximize range. The GT-Line RWD in the US will come with 19s.

So far I love my EV6. My complaints:

  1. The Kia Connect mobile app is absolute garbage. I came from a Tesla so my standards are probably unreasonable but seriously it’s like throwing away a PS5 to replace with an Ouya.
  2. The one and only data-capable USB port is a slower type-A port while all the type-Cs (which output a whopping 27W!) are charge-only. Ironically this is why I bought a wireless Android Auto adapter - I still plug in the cable regardless but I want to charge faster while Android Auto is active.
  3. The nice big screen for the instrument cluster has a lot of wasted space and very little customization.
  4. Wireless charging pad is a total waste of space. Charge speed is excruciatingly slow and it makes the phone overheat to the point where it displays warnings on-screen while using Android Auto. I’d rather have a third cupholder instead of this junk…
  5. Child lock and window lock are the same button, and it’s easy to accidentally press, and then you’ll go crazy wondering why your rear passengers aren’t able to let themselves out.
  6. Remote start doesn’t activate heated seats in the winter, whether you use the key fob or the terrible app.

But it’s still the best car I’ve ever owned. If I could revisit my decision, I’d absolutely do it all over again.

Thanks for the lengthy reply!

  1. What is bad about the Connect app? Doesn’t work or just slow/clunky?

  2. Is it wired only for CarPlay/Android Auto?

  3. That’s unfortunate but not a dealbreaker.

  4. Wireless charging in my Audi is garbage too.

  5. Good to know lol

  6. That is unfortunate as well but not something I currently have. So I wouldn’t know what I’m missing I guess.

8

kwame said:

martin said:
From MY 2022 to 2024 there are no differences apart from 2024 getting an extra light in the charge port to aid in dark places. All the real changes happen in the MY2025 refresh.

It’s easy to meet or exceed the EPA range in good weather as long as you don’t break the speed limit too often. If you are like me and primarily drive on city/suburb roads with very little freeway driving, you can actually exceed the EPA estimates by ridiculous amounts. This is the case with all EVs - driving slowly basically sips battery life.

If you’re getting a GT-Line AWD, note that the lower range estimate compared to other trims is primarily due to the 20" rims that come standard. Dropping down to 19s will give you back about 30 miles of range at least. Again, this is universal to EVs in general - getting the smallest possible rims and the thickest possible sidewall will always maximize range. The GT-Line RWD in the US will come with 19s.

So far I love my EV6. My complaints:

  1. The Kia Connect mobile app is absolute garbage. I came from a Tesla so my standards are probably unreasonable but seriously it’s like throwing away a PS5 to replace with an Ouya.
  2. The one and only data-capable USB port is a slower type-A port while all the type-Cs (which output a whopping 27W!) are charge-only. Ironically this is why I bought a wireless Android Auto adapter - I still plug in the cable regardless but I want to charge faster while Android Auto is active.
  3. The nice big screen for the instrument cluster has a lot of wasted space and very little customization.
  4. Wireless charging pad is a total waste of space. Charge speed is excruciatingly slow and it makes the phone overheat to the point where it displays warnings on-screen while using Android Auto. I’d rather have a third cupholder instead of this junk…
  5. Child lock and window lock are the same button, and it’s easy to accidentally press, and then you’ll go crazy wondering why your rear passengers aren’t able to let themselves out.
  6. Remote start doesn’t activate heated seats in the winter, whether you use the key fob or the terrible app.

But it’s still the best car I’ve ever owned. If I could revisit my decision, I’d absolutely do it all over again.

Thanks for the lengthy reply!

  1. What is bad about the Connect app? Doesn’t work or just slow/clunky?

  2. Is it wired only for CarPlay/Android Auto?

  3. That’s unfortunate but not a dealbreaker.

  4. Wireless charging in my Audi is garbage too.

  5. Good to know lol

  6. That is unfortunate as well but not something I currently have. So I wouldn’t know what I’m missing I guess.

  7. It’s slow, clunky, and severely lacking in functionality. And for a whole month this summer it was literally broken. In comparison, on a Tesla the response is instant and you can control damn near everything short of actually driving the car.

  8. Yes, wired only (unless you wait for MY2025 which has wireless built-in).

9

martin said:

kwame said:
martin said:
From MY 2022 to 2024 there are no differences apart from 2024 getting an extra light in the charge port to aid in dark places. All the real changes happen in the MY2025 refresh.

It’s easy to meet or exceed the EPA range in good weather as long as you don’t break the speed limit too often. If you are like me and primarily drive on city/suburb roads with very little freeway driving, you can actually exceed the EPA estimates by ridiculous amounts. This is the case with all EVs - driving slowly basically sips battery life.

If you’re getting a GT-Line AWD, note that the lower range estimate compared to other trims is primarily due to the 20" rims that come standard. Dropping down to 19s will give you back about 30 miles of range at least. Again, this is universal to EVs in general - getting the smallest possible rims and the thickest possible sidewall will always maximize range. The GT-Line RWD in the US will come with 19s.

So far I love my EV6. My complaints:

  1. The Kia Connect mobile app is absolute garbage. I came from a Tesla so my standards are probably unreasonable but seriously it’s like throwing away a PS5 to replace with an Ouya.
  2. The one and only data-capable USB port is a slower type-A port while all the type-Cs (which output a whopping 27W!) are charge-only. Ironically this is why I bought a wireless Android Auto adapter - I still plug in the cable regardless but I want to charge faster while Android Auto is active.
  3. The nice big screen for the instrument cluster has a lot of wasted space and very little customization.
  4. Wireless charging pad is a total waste of space. Charge speed is excruciatingly slow and it makes the phone overheat to the point where it displays warnings on-screen while using Android Auto. I’d rather have a third cupholder instead of this junk…
  5. Child lock and window lock are the same button, and it’s easy to accidentally press, and then you’ll go crazy wondering why your rear passengers aren’t able to let themselves out.
  6. Remote start doesn’t activate heated seats in the winter, whether you use the key fob or the terrible app.

But it’s still the best car I’ve ever owned. If I could revisit my decision, I’d absolutely do it all over again.

Thanks for the lengthy reply!

  1. What is bad about the Connect app? Doesn’t work or just slow/clunky?

  2. Is it wired only for CarPlay/Android Auto?

  3. That’s unfortunate but not a dealbreaker.

  4. Wireless charging in my Audi is garbage too.

  5. Good to know lol

  6. That is unfortunate as well but not something I currently have. So I wouldn’t know what I’m missing I guess.

  7. It’s slow, clunky, and severely lacking in functionality. And for a whole month this summer it was literally broken. In comparison, on a Tesla the response is instant and you can control damn near everything short of actually driving the car.

  8. Yes, wired only (unless you wait for MY2025 which has wireless built-in).

I appreciate your response. One last question. How do you find the road and vehicle noise? Any creaks and squeaks?

10

kwame said:

martin said:
kwame said:
martin said:
From MY 2022 to 2024 there are no differences apart from 2024 getting an extra light in the charge port to aid in dark places. All the real changes happen in the MY2025 refresh.

It’s easy to meet or exceed the EPA range in good weather as long as you don’t break the speed limit too often. If you are like me and primarily drive on city/suburb roads with very little freeway driving, you can actually exceed the EPA estimates by ridiculous amounts. This is the case with all EVs - driving slowly basically sips battery life.

If you’re getting a GT-Line AWD, note that the lower range estimate compared to other trims is primarily due to the 20" rims that come standard. Dropping down to 19s will give you back about 30 miles of range at least. Again, this is universal to EVs in general - getting the smallest possible rims and the thickest possible sidewall will always maximize range. The GT-Line RWD in the US will come with 19s.

So far I love my EV6. My complaints:

  1. The Kia Connect mobile app is absolute garbage. I came from a Tesla so my standards are probably unreasonable but seriously it’s like throwing away a PS5 to replace with an Ouya.
  2. The one and only data-capable USB port is a slower type-A port while all the type-Cs (which output a whopping 27W!) are charge-only. Ironically this is why I bought a wireless Android Auto adapter - I still plug in the cable regardless but I want to charge faster while Android Auto is active.
  3. The nice big screen for the instrument cluster has a lot of wasted space and very little customization.
  4. Wireless charging pad is a total waste of space. Charge speed is excruciatingly slow and it makes the phone overheat to the point where it displays warnings on-screen while using Android Auto. I’d rather have a third cupholder instead of this junk…
  5. Child lock and window lock are the same button, and it’s easy to accidentally press, and then you’ll go crazy wondering why your rear passengers aren’t able to let themselves out.
  6. Remote start doesn’t activate heated seats in the winter, whether you use the key fob or the terrible app.

But it’s still the best car I’ve ever owned. If I could revisit my decision, I’d absolutely do it all over again.

Thanks for the lengthy reply!

  1. What is bad about the Connect app? Doesn’t work or just slow/clunky?

  2. Is it wired only for CarPlay/Android Auto?

  3. That’s unfortunate but not a dealbreaker.

  4. Wireless charging in my Audi is garbage too.

  5. Good to know lol

  6. That is unfortunate as well but not something I currently have. So I wouldn’t know what I’m missing I guess.

  7. It’s slow, clunky, and severely lacking in functionality. And for a whole month this summer it was literally broken. In comparison, on a Tesla the response is instant and you can control damn near everything short of actually driving the car.

  8. Yes, wired only (unless you wait for MY2025 which has wireless built-in).

I appreciate your response. One last question. How do you find the road and vehicle noise? Any creaks and squeaks?

Noise insulation is excellent thanks to double-paned glass. I’ve been in higher-end luxury ICE vehicles like the Lexus LS, which are known for being extremely quiet on the road, and the EV6 feels just as quiet as those.

I’m probably not the best person to ask for info on creaks/squeaks as I only have 7,000 km on my car, haha. But from what I’ve seen on YouTube, owners with high mileage report very few nuisance issues. TechnicallyJeff had a rattle noise issue with his 2022 but it was easily fixed.

11

martin said:

kwame said:
martin said:
kwame said:
martin said:
From MY 2022 to 2024 there are no differences apart from 2024 getting an extra light in the charge port to aid in dark places. All the real changes happen in the MY2025 refresh.

It’s easy to meet or exceed the EPA range in good weather as long as you don’t break the speed limit too often. If you are like me and primarily drive on city/suburb roads with very little freeway driving, you can actually exceed the EPA estimates by ridiculous amounts. This is the case with all EVs - driving slowly basically sips battery life.

If you’re getting a GT-Line AWD, note that the lower range estimate compared to other trims is primarily due to the 20" rims that come standard. Dropping down to 19s will give you back about 30 miles of range at least. Again, this is universal to EVs in general - getting the smallest possible rims and the thickest possible sidewall will always maximize range. The GT-Line RWD in the US will come with 19s.

So far I love my EV6. My complaints:

  1. The Kia Connect mobile app is absolute garbage. I came from a Tesla so my standards are probably unreasonable but seriously it’s like throwing away a PS5 to replace with an Ouya.
  2. The one and only data-capable USB port is a slower type-A port while all the type-Cs (which output a whopping 27W!) are charge-only. Ironically this is why I bought a wireless Android Auto adapter - I still plug in the cable regardless but I want to charge faster while Android Auto is active.
  3. The nice big screen for the instrument cluster has a lot of wasted space and very little customization.
  4. Wireless charging pad is a total waste of space. Charge speed is excruciatingly slow and it makes the phone overheat to the point where it displays warnings on-screen while using Android Auto. I’d rather have a third cupholder instead of this junk…
  5. Child lock and window lock are the same button, and it’s easy to accidentally press, and then you’ll go crazy wondering why your rear passengers aren’t able to let themselves out.
  6. Remote start doesn’t activate heated seats in the winter, whether you use the key fob or the terrible app.

But it’s still the best car I’ve ever owned. If I could revisit my decision, I’d absolutely do it all over again.

Thanks for the lengthy reply!

  1. What is bad about the Connect app? Doesn’t work or just slow/clunky?

  2. Is it wired only for CarPlay/Android Auto?

  3. That’s unfortunate but not a dealbreaker.

  4. Wireless charging in my Audi is garbage too.

  5. Good to know lol

  6. That is unfortunate as well but not something I currently have. So I wouldn’t know what I’m missing I guess.

  7. It’s slow, clunky, and severely lacking in functionality. And for a whole month this summer it was literally broken. In comparison, on a Tesla the response is instant and you can control damn near everything short of actually driving the car.

  8. Yes, wired only (unless you wait for MY2025 which has wireless built-in).

I appreciate your response. One last question. How do you find the road and vehicle noise? Any creaks and squeaks?

Noise insulation is excellent thanks to double-paned glass. I’ve been in higher-end luxury ICE vehicles like the Lexus LS, which are known for being extremely quiet on the road, and the EV6 feels just as quiet as those.

I’m probably not the best person to ask for info on creaks/squeaks as I only have 7,000 km on my car, haha. But from what I’ve seen on YouTube, owners with high mileage report very few nuisance issues. TechnicallyJeff had a rattle noise issue with his 2022 but it was easily fixed.

Great response - great contribution. You rock.