2023 Kia EV6 GT

Performance SUVs? Seen ’em. Battery electric SUVs? They’re pretty much everywhere. But a performance battery electric SUV? Now that’s something a little different.

This EV6 GT is Kia’s most powerful production vehicle EVER and the replacement for our current EV6 long termer. So, let’s dive into the details.

Saying goodbye is such sweet sorrow unless you’re immediately saying hello to a 576 horsepower four-door rocket. The extra 256 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque that the GT has over our outgoing EV6 comes courtesy of a 160-kW motor driving the front wheels and a 270-kW motor spinning the rears.

And it has no problem spinning the rears when set to drift mode. The under-floor battery pack is still 77.4-kWh but with all that extra “umph”, EPA-estimated range is down to 206 miles.

Draped in Runaway Red paint, the GT’s body looks even sleeker with more aggressive front and rear fascias. Wheels measure 21-inches and come wrapped in Z-rated Goodyear rubber. Brakes are considerably bigger and considerably greener.

Inside, dimensions are the same as our 2022 EV6 Wind. Notable additions are these sports seats and a special GT drive mode button the steering wheel which unlocks full power potential.

Keys to unlock this car’s potential come at a price of $63,575.

We’ll have our first long term update soon, but in the meantime, if you have any questions or comments during our year long test of this Kia EV6 GT…reach out to us on your social site at MotorWeek.

We all know how awesome it is to get an upgrade; well we just replaced our 2022 Kia EV6 with this 2023 Kia EV6 GT and my oh my, what an upgrade!

While the EV6 was a very attractive SUV by any measure, it clearly sheds the commuter car vibe for a much more purposeful design here, with the GT’s lower stance and performance hardware on full display.

And not only is it a more powerful EV6, it’s the most powerful Kia ever, with 576-horsepower coming from a dual-motor setup featuring a 160-kW front motor and 270-kW rear.

That’s 256 more horsepower than what we were dealing with in our EV6 Wind.

But, with the same 77.4-kWh battery, the GT is rated for just 206-miles compared to 274.

Though as we’ve quickly learned over 1,500-miles so far, those miles are packed with a lot more smiles, and it’s plenty to get most of us through a weekend’s worth of errands.

In our short time so far with this EV6 GT we’re finding that, just like in our outgoing EV6 Wind, the range estimate is pretty spot on. Now I will say we’re watching those miles tick off a little faster due to our inability to ignore that little voice telling us to trigger GT Mode and go full send. But to be fair, that happens in gas-powered cars too.

It’s going to be a great year plugging into this one!

This 2023 Kia EV6 GT is not the first EV we’ve had as a long-term test vehicle here at MotorWeek, but it’s definitely the most fun…by a wide margin! And miles have been adding up quickly, with some 2,500 over our first 2-months of driving.

Overall performance really is exceptional in this fast, cool, and smooth utility. But things truly get interesting when you engage GT Drive Mode, or “hit the NOS” as we like to call it around here. Supercar performance at the press of a button with power delivery, braking, steering, suspension, limited slip differential, and stability control all set to their most dynamic.

The all-wheel drive traction for putting power down out of corners can easily turn your commute into an amusement park ride. Though as we race into winter we’ll have to be mindful that colder temperatures won’t likely play nice with the performance tires currently mounted on these 21-inch wheels.

Even winter can’t grip this EV6 GT with all its bountiful torque, which in some cases, can be useful. For instance, compared to a standard EV6, the turning radius isn’t quite as tight. But under the right circumstances, Drift Mode can take care of that…

With its 77.4-kWh battery, the EV6 GT is rated for just 206-miles, but we’ve routinely seen over 230 available in the gauge display; and a recent attempt to take it down to zero had us traveling 215-miles before pulling up to the charger on whatever the EV equivalent to running on fumes is…let’s call it ‘rolling on electrons.’

Our 2023 Kia EV6 GT has been on the move a lot recently, as we’ve just passed the 5,000-mile mark in only 4-months.

Winter hasn’t impeded things at all, just requiring us to take a little extra caution with the GT’s performance tires. Everything else remains solid as the EV6 GT truly is a joy to drive.

The cabin is lovely too, and the dash setup has it appearing more traditional than many EVs; though, the GT’s splashes of additional color and accent lighting go a long way in making it special, as do the aggressively bolstered sport seats, and the unique themes that appear when changing drive modes, which we occasionally do accidentally by grazing the large steering wheel buttons.

“Recently, every time I’ve hopped in for a cruise with this EV6 GT, the drive mode has been set to ECO, which is a bit unusual for us. But I think it’s because we’re all realizing that it’s been helpful in two ways this winter. One, it takes some of the responsiveness out of the accelerator, decreasing the likelihood of unwanted wheel spin; and two, we’re extending our range.”

Indeed, recent news headlines have pointed out that cold weather does have an impact on EVs, particularly when it comes to batteries, charging, and range. But it’s certainly not a deal-breaker as very cold weather impacts everything else too. EVs just require a little bit of thinking ahead, like making sure the battery and interior are warmed before unplugging to minimize range loss. Much like remote starting has done for internal combustion cars for years.

Depending on who you listen to, EVs are either the future of the automobile or something that nobody wants. Believe what you will, but the facts are EV sales were up 46% for calendar year 2023.

We don’t play favorites. We drive all cars here at MotorWeek no matter what they’re powered by, and we absolutely love driving this 2023 Kia EV6 GT.

We are suckers for speed. So, without a doubt, our favorite thing to do in this EV6 GT is mash the accelerator! Yeah, a 3.5-second 0-to-60 is essentially a party trick, but we’d argue there are some real-world scenarios where our use of all that instant torque is justifiable. For instance, passing on the interstate.

The GT is certainly not bashful about its performance credentials, wearing aggressive black trim, monster 21-inch wheels with performance tires and, yeah, those neon brake calipers; but, if you could run as fast as Lamborghinis and Ferraris, you’d probably be flaunting that too.

We’ve made it through winter with no issues to speak of, having driven 6,000 miles in five months’ time.

We’re into our seventh month of driving this 2023 Kia EV6 GT, and its high performance is still turning heads everywhere we go.

It’s hard not to keep things fast paced in this EV6 GT, but sometimes you just gotta chill. I have to say the inherent quietness of the all-electric powertrain has enhanced the therapeutic effect that taking a drive already has on me. But if silence is an anxiety-inducer, Kia has these calming, pre-loaded soundtracks in their infotainment that have helped keep us centered.

If this were a click-bait YouTube video, we’d splash “Best Kia Ever?” all over it; but it’s an update, so update we shall, with a trip to the dealer for an 8,000-mile service. What does that involve? Well, just routine car care checks on non-EV specific things like air pressure, brakes, filters, and wipers.

And yes, it is the best Kia ever.

We’re near the peak of the summer driving season, and our 2023 Kia EV6 GT is keeping busy, with the odometer winding past 8,500 miles over eight months of drive time.

The seating position is fairly high since this is technically an SUV, but the way they lock you into place has it feeling more like a track car, and on the outside, it certainly looks like the ultimate performance wagon to us. And indeed, performance is still the main attraction of this ride.

Temperatures have finally started to rise, which means we can now get the most out of this EV6 GT and its summer performance tires. The stickier rubber combined with all-wheel drive allows us to get on the power early and liberally out of our favorite back road corners. We still can’t quite treat it like an on-off switch because 545 ft-lbs of torque is plenty to get the rear end to step out.

Recent night drives have revealed a few new things to us. The high-beams don’t seem as strong as they could be, and even at its lowest setting the head-up display can be more of a distraction than help. Nothing else to complain about inside, as we’ve gotten used to the multi-control touch-panel; rear seat passengers have plenty of room, and everything is holding up great with no noticeable wear.

Our Kia EV6 GT has been with us for 10 months now, and other than driving by gas stations instead of stopping at them, it has gone about commuting and road tripping duties just like every other member of our long-term fleet, as we’ve driven it 11,000 miles so far.

The grin-producing acceleration and overall performance continue to be highlights, but truth be told, we’re not exactly hitting Drift Mode every day. So, the little things like seamless phone integration, easy to access cargo area, and quick acting air conditioning have made it a joy to live with.

Summer’s fun is done and dusted, and school is weeks into a new term, but our Kia EV6 GT remains at the head of the class when it comes to performance-minded EVs. It’s also more than capable of making short work of typical daily activities.

We’ve gone on and on about how fun it is to drive this EV6 GT with great haste, but unlike a lot of performance cars, it has no issues driving at a leisurely pace. Despite all the torque available at a moment’s notice, the accelerator is calibrated in a way that it delivers the power smoothly and it doesn’t feel like an on-off switch especially when set to ECO mode, which neutralizes our lead-footed drivers.

Yes, at times, it is easy to forget there’s 576 horsepower on tap here; we’re 11 months into this ECO-minded mobile adventure and have driven another 1,500-miles since our last report, bringing the total to 12,500.

Regularly seeing over 220 miles available in the gauge display, we’ve gotten so accustomed to it overdelivering on its 206-mile rating that we don’t even think twice about heading out on weekend adventures.

While we’ve mentioned the upgraded brake’s neon calipers that are fitted to this high-performance EV6 GT, we probably haven’t talked enough about how they actually work, and they work incredibly well; a very natural feel along a wide range of settings for the amount of regen you want, from minimal to one-pedal driving.

They add to the overall competent and willing feel of the EV6 GT. It’s one of the best attainable performance cars available today, regardless of powertrain, and it doesn’t even come from a legacy performance brand.

Surviving a year in our long-term fleet is no easy task, but this 2023 Kia EV6 GT handled it without a single problem, electrical or otherwise.

Through 12 months and 14,222 miles, it avoided the service department as adeptly as it evaded gas stations. From the pop-out door handles to the acid green accents and aggressive styling, the EV6 GT also looks as great as it performs.

It’s been an exciting year with this EV6 GT and as we think back on it, two things stand out. One, the seasons have a real effect on expected driving range. The EPA rated 206 miles always seemed within reach during the cold months, but as temps got warmer we were seeing closer to 250 miles. The second observation is that, despite the performance-tuned suspension and these stiff sport seats, this is a comfortable commuter, and one we will definitely miss.