2023 Kia EV6 GT: An Electric Bottle-Rocket with Warp Speed
Among the new wave of EVs, some priced in the stratosphere, others affordable but not-so-powerful, comes Kia’s high-performance compact SUV — priced to compete with Tesla –delivering heart-attack-quickness, a lavishly designed interior and smooth, space-age overall design. And what’s more, the EV6 GT is faster than the Tesla Y. This little thing’s a beast!
This version features more powerful motors than those found in other EV6 models, the all-wheel-drive GT serves up a whopping 576 horsepower and 545 pound-feet of torque — engineered to deliver 60 mph performance in an eye-popping 3.4 seconds.
All that power needs, well, a lot of power!
The balance between range and performance — there’s always a trade-off. The EV6 GT’s zero-to-60-mph G-force sprints drain a lot of energy. Kia gave the EV6 GT lots more power but not a larger-capacity battery. As a result, the EV6 GT suffers from a disappointing EPA range of just 206 miles. The Tesla Model Y Performance rates at 303, while the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT comes in at 270. Kia obviously believes that there’s a EV buyer out there that wants head-snapping speed and agile handling — but don’t want to wander too far from home (of at least not too far from a charger).
The good news is that refueling stops should be fast — thanks to Kia’a ultra-fast charging capability, which delivers a 10-80% charge in just 18 minutes.
The Kia EV6 GT: More Power, More Performance
In addition to more power, Kia equips the EV6 GT with a number of performance upgrades, including an electronic limited slip differential, adaptive dampers, larger front and rear brake rotors (the rears are now vented, too), and a quicker steering ratio. The top speed gets a big bump from 117 to 161 mph, as well. Stickier Goodyear Eagle F1 tires help with the work of putting all those horses to the ground.
The EV6 GT also provides drivers a long list of drive modes that tweak everything from accelerator response, steering feel, damper stiffness, the e-diff programming, stability control settings, and the power split between the front and rear motors. In addition to the Eco, Normal, Snow, and Sport modes found in all EV6s, the GT gets a Drift mode (rear motor does all the work here), GT Drive Mode (everything turned to its most aggressive setting), and a My Drive Mode that opens up further customization. Want stiff dampers but prefer the lightest steering feel? My Drive Mode lets you do just that.
