The Kia EV6 Has Already Been Facelifted

The Kia EV6 still feels like it’s a brand-new car, but it’s actually been on sale for around three years now. That’s still quite early in a car’s life cycle for it to get a major facelift, but that’s exactly what the EV6 has been given, bringing its styling in line with Kia’s other bespoke EVs, like the EV9 and upcoming EV3.

The new look has been unveiled in its home market of Korea first, although we expect it to arrive in the rest of the world soon. The front end’s been given an entirely new treatment, with slender LED lights in an arrangement that Kia calls a ‘Star Map Lighting Signature’. Changes are less drastic at the rear, where it retains the full-width light bar that wraps around between the two rear wheel arches, although the bumpers at both ends have been lightly tweaked.

The interior’s been treated to a light refresh too, with a new curved LED screen that encompasses both the instruments and the central infotainment screen. There’s a new, slightly squared-off steering wheel that further proves that the Austin Allegro was decades ahead of its time, and the centre console now features a fingerprint authentication system for drivers. There’s also a selection of new upholstery colours.

It’s underneath where arguably the more important changes have taken place, with the facelifted EV6 getting the latest fourth-generation version of Kia’s battery tech. The new 84kWh battery increases quoted driving range from 295 to 307 miles on the long-range two-wheel drive version of the car. It’ll also do the all-important 10 to 80 per cent charge in a quoted 18 minutes on a 350kW-capable fast charger.

The suspension has been retuned and Kia has given it increased sound deadening and tweaked the amount of noise the motors put out, all of which is said to contribute to an increase in comfort and quietness. The body has been strengthened with thicker B-pillars, and rear side-impact airbags have been added.

In Korea, the tweaked EV6 starts at 55.4 million Korean Won, which equates to roughly £32,300, rising to 55.95 million Won (approx. £35,000) for the GT-Line. Expect that to increase significantly when the facelift arrives in the UK, where the EV6 currently starts at £45,275. The changes will presumably appear on the range-topping EV6 GT very soon.