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.