Ford Everest vs Kia EV6

What's the difference?

I enjoyed my time with the Ford Everest Sport 4WD. It’s a great-looking vehicle with the engine specs to support families who like to adventure. It’s also big enough to haul a large family and those added child seat top-tethers in the third row offer flexibility, too.

The ride is a bit rough at times and it's thirsty in the city but it has enough to charm my family of three.

My seven-year old and my husband loved our blue truck and my son doesn’t want to see it go!

The Kia EV6 Air offers comfort, a good range of features and beautiful handling for a ‘base model’, but it is a little pricey considering its competition.

Having said that, if you’re looking for an EV that will fit the family and has a stellar safety list – this is one to consider.

My son reckons the EV6 looks 'really cool' and he loves the space in the back seat.

The Everest Sport means business. It’s big and brutish-looking with its squared-off shape and a bunch of black accents across the handles, badging, 20-inch wheels and massive grille.

These accents up the beasty factor and I love the look of this SUV. Especially in our test model's 'Blue Lightning' paintwork, which is exclusive to the Sport variant. 

The cabin continues the exterior's robust look, especially in the dashboard and vertical 12-inch touchscreen multimedia set-up.

The massive honeycomb-like air vents look cool but there’s still something of a workhorse vibe inside thanks to the styling and feel of the black leather-accented upholstery and trims. 

Everything gives off a strong ‘vinyl’ feel and the soft touchpoints look hard thanks to their plastic-looking grain. But it’s a pleasant cabin to be in and the overall finish still looks high-quality.

The EV6 is cool and fun-looking, but being the base-model does mean you get plastic rather than body-coloured mouldings around the base of the car, which highlights its grade level.

The exterior hosts 19-inch alloy wheels and a full suite of LED lights but misses out on the upgraded Matrix headlights that the higher grades get.

The exterior's swoopy curves look aerodynamic and the chunkier rear balances out the sharper nose.

The interior looks well-made, and the mix of high-end cloth and synthetic-leather materials complement the futuristic exterior aesthetic.

The dashboard is headlined by a curved panel that houses the dual 12.3-inch tech screens and the floating centre console leans into that future vibe again.

There's a nice mix of touchscreen and physical buttons to satisfy a wide audience. Overall, while it’s not as flashy as its siblings, the cabin of the Air is very pleasant to look at.

The biggest issue I have with the cabin’s practicality is getting in and out, which comes down to the 226mm ground clearance. But that is 100 per cent a user issue!

The side-steps and grab handles are a must have and my seven-year old needed them, too. No doubt, you'll be helping younger kids into their seats.

Besides the tall trucky-ness, the cabin in the first two rows feels roomy with ample leg- and headroom for my 168cm height. It's only when you venture into the third row that legroom is compromised for an adult, although access to this row is still very good.

All seats are rather firm and there's not stacks of under-thigh support in any row but the front seats are powered with additional lumbar support as well as heat and ventilation functions which adds dramatically to comfort on a long trip.

Amenities and storage are pretty good in all three rows. The front has two glove boxes, a shallow-ish middle console, phone holder, big storage bins and drink bottle holders in each door, two permanent cupholders and, my personal faves, a pair of retractable cupholders in the dashboard and a sunglasses holder.

In the middle row there are map pockets, drink bottle holders in each door and two retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest. There aren't any luxury features but the roof-mounted directional air vents and fan control is appreciated by my kid.

The third row gets two shallow and skinny cupholders and the left-hand side also features a long but thin nook, which may be for a tech device. There are also roof-mounted directional air vents and reading lights.

Technology is found in each row and looks good while still being useful. The vertical 12-inch touchscreen multimedia system is easy enough to use but it takes a while to get used to its positioning.

It sits lower than I'd like and isn't angled towards the driver which makes accessing controls that have been embedded in the screen, like seat functions and air-flow direction, a bit of a pain while on the go.

The wireless Apple CarPlay is easy to connect to but dropped out twice during our test. There is also Android Auto for those users and built-in satellite navigation.

The charging options are very good throughout the car with the first rows getting a USB-A and USB-C port. The front also gets a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt socket. While the third row and boot feature a 12-volt socket each.

The boot space is mostly user-friendly but because the boot lip sits quite high it can be annoying to load heavier items in or fit a top-tether strap.

Capacity is good and with the third row in use. You get 259L of storage, which is adequate for a smaller grocery run but that capacity jumps up to 898L when the third row is stored.

There is a small space underneath the floor that could house your manual and log book, if you wanted to free up your glove box. This model has a powered tailgate function.

The space in the EV6 rivals much larger SUVs and tall families will rejoice with how much leg- and headroom you get in both rows.

The comfort for passengers is pretty good, with comfortable seats in both rows that feel well-cushioned. The floor in the rear is flat, which accommodates any middle-seaters.

Being the base grade, you don’t get electric front seats, which is a bit rough for its price point but the driver’s side does get powered lumbar support, which I appreciate on longer journeys.

Individual storage is fantastic for the class and the front gets two cupholders, a drink bottle holder in each door and glovebox and middle console. There are multiple storage nooks and a utility tray on the topside of the floating centre console (sized for items like keys, wallet, phone etc).

The large shelf underneath the centre console easily accommodates a handbag and snacks for any kids in the back (or adults, no judgement).

Individual storage in the back is as good as the front, with plenty of spots to tuck away all of the paraphernalia that kids seem to attract. There are also two cupholders in a fold-down armrest, a drink bottle holder in each door and map pockets.

On the whole, my seven-year-old really enjoys being in the back seat because of the amenities and space he has. He finds the EV6 to be an easy car to get out of but we all struggle with the flush door handles! They can be terribly annoying to use as they don’t pop out on approach or when you unlock the doors. If you have your hands full and have little T-Rex hands like me, it can be awkward to open.

What isn't awkward to use is the technology! The 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system is quick to respond and the system itself is easy to navigate once you spend some time with it.

The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is semi-customisable but not as pretty in its graphics as it could be. It has two styles to choose from - white or black, and the white is a little too sterile for my liking.

The multimedia system features wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and built-in satellite navigation with map updates for 10 years.

Charging options are solid with a single USB-A and and two USB-C ports up front, a wireless charging pad and a two 12-volt ports to choose from. The rear enjoy a three-pin standard house port and two USB-C ports as well.

The back seat has a 60/40 split and it's handy that you can lower them from the boot with manual levers. The boot itself is a good size with 490L when all seats are in use but you miss out on a powered tailgate in this model.

The frunk storage also offers an additional 52L, which is perfect to keep any charging cables or the tyre mobility kit stored away.

The Kia EV6 Air is the base-model in a four-variant line-up but is still priced at $72,590 before on road costs.

That positions it as the most expensive option compared to its nearest rivals. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 2WD is the closest at $71,000 but the Tesla Model Y RWD base model is $7190 more affordable.

Compared to it's siblings, the Air isn’t as well-equipped with the luxury features, but it doesn’t feel basic either because the technology is top-notch.

There is a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia screen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, plus built-in satellite navigation, as well as wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other tech features include dual-zone air-conditioning, single USB-A port, four USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad and a full suite of LED lights.

A mixture of premium cloth trims and synthetic-leather upholstery gives the cabin a premium feel, but being the base model does mean you miss out on the upgraded sound system. The base sound system with its six speakers is sufficient for every day use.

The seating features manual adjustments, but the driver's side does enjoy powered two-way lumbar support, which I appreciate on a long journey.

The Ford Everest Sport on test is the four-wheel drive variant and has a 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel engine that produces a power output of 184kW and 600Nm of torque.

That hefty power supports the 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity this model has, meaning you can have your weekend adventures and haul the family around, too.

The EV6 Air is a single-motor rear-wheel-drive that produces a maximum power output of 168kW and 350Nm of torque.

The Air has the slowest 0-100km/h sprint time in the EV6 range at 7.3 seconds, but that’s honestly enough for my little family. It still feels pretty damn zippy when you put your foot down.

It's big but is it thirsty? The answer is, sometimes.

The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 8.5L/100km. But after a fair bit of travel, consisting of mostly open-road driving, my real-world average came in at 7.6L/100km, which is amazing for such a massive car.

In fact, I had to triple check my figures to make sure I had calculated it correctly!

During urban trips the on-board read-out sits closer to 15L/100km, which is something to consider if you're an urban dweller.

Based on the official combined cycle number and large 80-litre fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of 941km, which is good for road tripping families.

Officially, you get a driving range of up to 528km (WLTP) from the 77.4kWh lithium-ion battery. However, the longest range I ever saw was 480km, which admittedly is still very good.

The EV6 Air has a Type 2 CCS port, which means you can benefit from plugging into a fast charger and the accepted voltage is a whopping 800v.

On a 50kW system, you’ll get from 10-80 per cent charge in 73 minutes and on a 350kW system, which charge time drops to just 18 minutes.

Expect it to take longer on AC charging, though. To get from 10-100 per cent on an 11kW system, it will take approximately seven hours and 20 minutes. On a standard house plug ... expect it to be on charge for around 30 hours.

The Air also has a vehicle to load (V2L) capability – meaning, it has a standard house three-pin plug port available to charge larger appliances while on the go. 

The official combined energy consumption is 16.5kW/100km (WLTP), and my usage came out at 16.02kW after a mix of open-road and urban driving this week.

The Everest Sport delivers its power responsively once you’re up to speed. Overtaking or keeping your pace consistent on hills is no issue but this car reminds you of its size when you start moving from a standstill. It’s not quick.

There’s a serious lull between accelerating and actually shooting forward. So, allow more time for roundabouts or crossing traffic.

The steering sits right in the middle – not too firm or loose. Which means it doesn't handle like a truck and has a nice on-road feel.

Coupled with a relatively small 11.8m turning circle it’s quite nimble to manoeuvre and you won’t be daunted by city driving.  

The ride comfort is a little bit rough but not totally unexpected given its relatively high centre of gravity. You get some consistent vibrations through the seats and the suspension feels bouncy when hitting corners. I still feel confident going over bumps but you will feel them.

Cabin noise is low key most of the time but you can get a fair bit of wind noise at higher speeds. Otherwise, it’s easy to hear and chat between all three rows, which is excellent for a large SUV.

Because of the higher seating position and wide windows, visibility is awesome – another big plus for a big, three-row SUV.

Despite almost being five metres in length (with the tow bar), you don’t notice the size when it comes time to park because the turning circle is good and the 360-degree camera system is also nice and clear. You fill out a space but getting into the space isn’t an issue.

The EV6 Air handles itself really well, it's been hit by torrential rain and didn’t skip a beat.

The Air really grips the road and distributes the power through the rear wheels evenly. Even at higher speeds, there’s no wobble and it feels stable when you accelerate. 

Steering is on the right side of firm and makes the Air feel very zippy when navigating tight city streets.

There are three levels of regenerative braking available, as well as a one-pedal function called iPedal, which is probably the best I’ve sampled and I like how responsive it is in stop-start traffic. However, when using this function on hills, I still hover over the brakes as it can still roll forward a bit. 

The cabin can get really loud from road noise at higher speeds, but it seems to come from underneath the carriage, rather than through the windows. The suspension is well-cushioned but not spongy.

Parking the EV6 isn’t an issue once you get used to the rotary gear selector and the reversing camera is super clear. You get a 360-degree system on higher grades but the Air does come with front and rear parking sensors.

The Kia EV6 Air is well equipped with safety features and it's here that you don't feel like you're in the 'base model'.

Standard features include the biggies like forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping aids, lane departure alert, driver attention alert, reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors.

Considering the Air is a base model, it's also great to see items like blind-spot collision avoidance, safe exit warning, rear occupant alert and haptic-feedback on the steering wheel (as an additional 'sense' warning).

I rejoiced when I discovered that the Traffic Sign Recognition technology has been tweaked to not sound or alert on every traffic sign or speed change. It still chimes in school zones, but you no longer have to go into the menu to downgrade the sensitivity! Hurrah!

The Air has AEB with car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning assist, which is operational from 5.0 - 85km/h but it is usual to see that top figure be well above 100km/h, so this is surprising.

The EV6 achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2022 and features seven airbags, including the newer front centre airbag.

There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seats plus three top-tethers. You might get lucky in fitting three skinny child seats but two fit the best and there’s plenty of space for front passengers when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed too.

The Everest comes with a usual warranty term of five-years/unlimited km and you can pre-purchase servicing for the first four-years or up to 60,000km for $1385 or an average of $347 per service, which is good for the class.

Servicing intervals are at every 12 months or 15,000km, which is also reasonable.

Participating dealers will also provide a complimentary loan car when your vehicle is being serviced.

Roadside assistance is included for the first 12 months, extending up to seven years if you have your car regularly serviced at an authorised Ford dealer.

The EV6 comes with a leading seven-year/unlimited-km warranty. The battery covered by a separate seven-year/150,000km term, but this is a smidge shorter than some of its rivals.

You can pre-purchase either a three-, five-, or seven-year servicing program, priced at $721, $1382 and $2045, respectively. All of which are reasonable for the class.

The seven-year program runs up to a max 105,000km.

Servicing intervals are more in line with a fuel-based car at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.