Kia EV6 long-term test: report 5

The car Kia EV6 RWD GT-Line Run by Allan Muir, managing editor

Why we’re running it To see whether the EV6 can live up to its status as our reigning Car of the Year and cement its place among the very best electric cars

Needs to Deliver on the promise of a long range and ultra-fast charging, while being comfortable and good to drive

Mileage 4940 List price £47,195 Target Price £47,195 Price as tested £45,370 Test range 278 miles Official range 328 miles

19 August 2022 – Bicycle space

Bicycles can be awkward things to fit into a car – at least, without partly dismantling them first. Given that my Kia EV6 doesn’t have such a high roof as most conventional electric SUVs of its size, I wasn’t at all sure that it would accommodate my bike when I decided to do some solo trail riding in the Surrey Hills recently. But to my surprise, with the rear seatbacks folded down and the retractable load cover removed, my bike went in with relative ease, and off we went.

Although the EV6 doesn’t have a height-adjustable boot floor, its boot opening is quite broad (and similar to that of rivals such as the Audi Q4 e-tron), and there’s only a small load lip to contend with when loading bulky items. And while its maximum boot height is a long way short of a Tesla Model Y’s, for example, there’s still plenty of room for a bike’s handlebars, and the extended boot floor is reasonably level and plenty long enough. The fact that the floor of the car’s interior is completely flat gives you a secure and easily accessible place to stash the load cover between the front and rear seats, too. 

The rear seatbacks (which split in a conventional 60/40 configuration) can be folded down remotely via levers on the sides of the boot, but I struggled with these at first. They seemed reluctant to release even when I pulled the levers out quite a long way, and I was worried that I’d snap something if I yanked any harder. But eventually, with a gentle application of extra force, the seatbacks unlocked and flopped down. That said, I’d prefer electric switches to these cable-operated release mechanisms.

The other thing the rear seatbacks can do is recline. A lever on each side allows occupants to move the seatbacks through a range of positions, if they want to stretch out and relax on a long journey. The only problem is that, with the seatbacks as far back as they’ll go, they come into contact with the load cover (when it’s in place), causing a persistent rattle over bumps, especially at low speeds. When the rear seats aren’t occupied, I make sure the seatbacks are tipped forwards by at least one notch to keep them clear of the load cover. In a car as quiet as the EV6, a rattle is the last thing you want.

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