Hyundai Nexo vs Kia EV6

What's the difference?

If nothing else the Nexo is a brilliant experiment to prove there can be more than one solution for a zero-emissions future. A lot of this depends on the power grid being more sustainable, but the most pressing issue for end-consumers, and Hyundai itself when it comes to FCEV technology, is the rollout of a more robust refuelling network.

At the end of the day, the thought of having an electric car with the range and refuelling ease of a petrol one is a much easier sell than the tall retail prices and compromises that come with an EV for every-day Australians. In a way, then, the Nexo is functionally an ideal blend of the old and the new. 

You can’t buy one yet, but as this SUV will lay the groundwork for hydrogen’s future, we’ll be watching it with a keen eye.

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.

Like Toyota’s Prius, the Hyundai Nexo is not only a technology leader for the brand, but it also debuted many of its current exotic design elements long before they arrived on any mainstream model. 

A little larger than a Tucson, the Nexo has a dramatic honeycombed grille which maintains a paint finish, topped off with a strip of LED lighting which Hyundai says was to give it a distinctive look at night.

All its lighting is LED to fit with its avant-garde design, although when seen from the side or the rear it could be any mid-size SUV. 

There’s something sensible about that. The Nexo isn’t the kind of car which will polarise buyers because of its design alone.

Hidden away are very neat design elements, like functional air dams on the front guards and rear spoiler fitment, and hidden wiper blades under the bonnet cladding and tucked under the rear spoiler. 

There is also intricate pattern-work on the light fittings, making for an admirable overall attention to detail befitting such an interesting, if typically shaped, SUV.

Inside, and Hyundai points out that the Nexo was the first of its cars to get the 'bridge' centre console which now appears on the Santa Fe, Palisade, and Kona EV. 

It’s an impressive design element, really lifting the cabin ambiance on all the vehicles it appears on, although the plethora of buttons smattered across its face is reminiscent of older Porsche models, and not necessarily in a good way. It can be tough for first-time or occasional users to find the button they’re looking for.

The Nexo was also one of the first Hyundai models to score the impressive dual screen layout, consisting of a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen.

Trim options for our market consist of a two-tone cream or a navy blue leather-appointed upholstery.

Again, there are attention-to-detail elements here, with interesting grain designs across the dash-topper and door cards, with many of the fittings appearing in silver rather than black to add a touch of futuristic flair. 

Hyundai promises sustainable 'bio-based' plastics are used extensively in the interior, leading to a 12kg reduction in CO2 emissions during the production process. 

There are also vegetable oil-derived paints used in the cabin, and fibres made using corn and sugarcane waste material. Nice to have some real eco bragging rights on something a lot cheaper than a BMW i8.

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.

Being a mid-size SUV, the Nexo will possess many of the practicality attributes today’s buyers are searching for.

It has a similar right height and seat positioning to a Tucson, so it’s really bang-on for the market, and headroom despite a standard sunroof is excellent. Adjustability is also good with telescopic adjust for the wheel and 10-way electrical adjust for the seats. 

As is typical for Hyundai there are some great storage areas, with a large centre console box, a single large bottle holder and odd little storage tray, a huge cutaway underneath the console bridge (which houses the wireless charger and USB ports).

There are also large door bins, although these proved not so great for holding bottles as the door design and speakers limit the height of objects that can be placed there. 

There’s also an odd little pop-out bottle holder on the passenger side, I assume to make up for the fact that there isn’t a second one in the centre.

The back seats had a good amount of room, behind my own (182cm/6'0" tall) driving position my knees had plenty of airspace, although the presence of a 'transmission tunnel' which eats space for the middle seat was puzzling given this car is strictly front-drive only. 

Amenities for rear passengers include pockets on the backs of the front seats, a single 12V power outlet, and dual adjustable air vents. There are also small single bottle holders in the doors.

Boot space comes in at a competitive but not stellar 461-litres (VDA), or 1466L with the seats down. This is okay for the mid-size segment, although the loading lip and boot floor is quite high due to the presence of under-floor batteries. 

There is also no spare wheel for the Nexo, with only a small amount of room for a tyre repair kit.

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 Nexo’s hydrogen system is not really a drive component. It generates power for the electric motor, which is similar to the one that appears in the Kona EV. 

Like other EV models, it’s a permanent magnet synchronous motor mounted on the front axle, producing 120kW/395Nm. 

The hydrogen system is a grid of catalyst membranes which are essentially used like a giant battery to chemically combine oxygen sourced from outside the car with pressurised hydrogen. 

This reaction generates two bi-products: electricity and water, the latter of which exits the Nexo’s tailpipe.

The hydrogen system is capable of generating 135kW, just over the motor’s total output so there is always power to spare.

Powering the car’s auxiliary systems, and acting as a buffer to store excess and regenerated energy, is a hybrid-sized 1.56kWh lithium-ion battery under the boot floor.

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.

The Nexo drinks compressed hydrogen. It has 6.33kg worth of hydrogen storage tanks which grant it a generally EV-beating 666km of range. 

One of the key benefits of the hydrogen system is that it refuels in roughly the same time as it takes to fuel a diesel car, using a pressurised hose in a similar manner to an LPG vehicle.

The trouble is hydrogen is hard to source at a pump in Australia. There is one refuelling station at Hyundai’s Macquarie Park HQ in NSW, another just opened in the ACT, and a third one owned by Toyota which is about to open at its Altona, VIC HQ.

The fleet of 20 cars handed over to the ACT government will use the new pump, which for the first year will be providing free hydrogen as the system is evaluated.

Overall costs for the hydrogen after that time will depend on where it is sourced from. As Australia is uniquely positioned to generate compressed hydrogen (with an abundance of renewable energy idle time which can be stored in places like the ACT) the cost will come down over time. 

Right now, though, the brand estimates somewhere to the tune of $15 a kilo for an end-consumer, or about $90 to fill the Nexo.

Finally, a benefit for the eco-conscious, Hyundai pitches the Nexo as a product which actually leaves the air cleaner after generating energy, although there are some caveats.

The first is that the membrane requires use of platinum – a rare earth metal, and the second is hydrogen requires a lengthy, power-intensive and complex process to generate in a usable form. 

In the ACT government’s case this is less of a problem, as it will use 100 per cent renewably sourced idle energy to process the gas.

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.

To drive the Nexo is essentially no different to an electric car. It uses the same permanent magnet motor, the same regenerative braking, and the same buffer battery system.

This means a very quiet and smooth drive. It’s not quite the unleashed performance of a Tesla, but then that’s not really the point of the Nexo which leans into the comfort of the whole experience.

The drive and hydrogen reaction is entirely a silent process, although the Nexo emits a pleasant choral tone at low speed to alert passers by of its presence, same as the Kona EV.

Despite that strong torque number, the Nexo isn’t inclined to spin the wheels, and for balance reasons, Hyundai actually de-tuned the motor slightly to make it gentle off-the-line.

When it comes to corners the comfort is again emphasised, with very light and linear steering. The chassis is rigid enough to feel under control, although the comfort suspension tune will have it tilting around a little more than, say, a Tucson.

The ride is also far more forgiving than Hyundai’s sportier petrol range, with the Nexo undulating over bumps and corrugations with ease.

As is usual with Hyundai models, the safety systems aren’t too invasive, making the Nexo a friendly companion on the freeway, and the soft interior trimmings add to its near-luxurious feel.

The ACT government reps who will be receiving this car are of the mind that anybody that drives it will become an advocate for electrification, and I’m inclined to agree with them.

For most people it’s better in every way from behind the wheel when compared to a petrol car.

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.

Ownership is a tough one, because, well, you simply can’t own one. 

Either way Hyundai says the Nexo’s hydrogen drivetrain carries no warranty implications, meaning if you could own one (as Koreans can), it would still be covered by the brand’s five year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

In terms of servicing, the Nexo requires a visit once a year, although like a pure EV there are few items that actually need attention at one of these visits.

A top-up of coolant is only required about once every six years, and various filters need to be cycled out. Other than that, it’s just your usual wear and tear items like brakes and tyres.

As Hyundai leases the current vehicles out, it will be taking care of servicing for the initial batch.

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.