Kia EV6 new vs old: same price, new design, greater range

The Kia EV6, which arrived in India in June 2022, has just received a mid-lifecycle facelift. At Rs 65.90 lakh (ex-showroom, India) for the GT-Line all-wheel drive (AWD) variant, the updated EV6 has the same price as the outgoing version. Yet, there are exterior and interior cosmetic updates and, more importantly, a larger battery that brings greater range. Let’s take a closer look.

Kia EV6 new vs old exterior design

New front and rear bumpers, new headlights 

Kia EV6 new vs old front quarter

The face of the new EV6 sees the most significant changes. The headlamps are now set much lower in the bumper, which is a lot more angular than earlier. What’s most striking is the new LED DRL signature that stretches the entire width of the car and envelops the headlamps, replacing the winged design of the outgoing car. In profile, the only notable change is a new design for the 19-inch alloy wheels, while at the rear, the curved tail-lamps get a new LED lighting signature. The dual-tone rear bumper is also slightly redesigned.

Kia EV6 new vs old interior and features

New three-spoke steering wheel with fingerprint sensor 

On the inside, the most notable change is a new three-spoke steering wheel instead of the two-spoke, flat-bottomed unit of the previous car. The shape of the housing for the infotainment screen and instrument cluster has also changed slightly, but the size of both screens remains the same at 12.3 inches. Other changes include a new textured finish for the centre console area instead of a gloss-black finish, which was prone to fingerprint marks. On the steering wheel, Kia has added a new fingerprint sensor that allows registered drivers to start the car without a key.

Kia EV6 new vs old interior

There aren’t any major additions on the equipment front. The EV6 continues with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, ambient lighting, a wireless charger, a 360-degree camera, ventilated front seats, a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) charging, and over-the-air (OTA) software updates.

Kia EV6 new vs old powertrain and specs

Claimed range is up by 53km 

The most significant changes are under the skin. The new EV6 uses an 84kWh battery pack, up from the outgoing model’s 77.4kWh unit. As a result, the WLTP range has increased to 581km from 528km for the GT-Line AWD variant. Power and torque outputs are unchanged at 325hp and 605Nm. Notably, Kia is no longer offering the entry-level RWD variant in India with this facelifted model. The new EV6 GT-Line AWD sprints from 0 to 100kph in 5.3 seconds, 0.1 seconds slower than before.

Kia EV6 new vs old rear quarter

Kia EV6 new vs old price

Price remains unchanged 

With the RWD variant now gone, the entry-level price is higher. However, the last recorded ex-showroom price for the pre-facelift EV6 GT-Line AWD was Rs 65.90 lakh, and the fact that the new EV6 costs the same is of great value to the customer. For no premium, you get a much more striking design and significantly higher range, the latter ultimately being the most important thing for an EV buyer.

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