Kia EV6 vs Range Rover Evoque

What's the difference?

It’s fair to say the Kia EV6 is not the most affordable mid-to-large electric SUV money can buy. Especially in the era of cheaper Chinese models.

It also lacks some of the practicalities of a few rivals. If that’s your focus and you’re dead set on buying a Kia, then the EV5 is the clear choice.

But that’s not the sole purpose of this car.

It doubles as family transport and a car for driving enthusiasts. It’s the sort of EV that can convert EV non-believers.

After a week with the EV6, it’s not a car I’ll forget easily. And I urge buyers looking in the EV space not to overlook this pioneering model. It’s a brilliant car to drive and the GT-Line RWD is the value pick of the whole line-up.

The Range Rover Evoque is more highly specified and more luxurious than ever, and this plug-in hybrid version makes the most of what’s on offer with its slick but familiar feel from behind the wheel. 

Unfortunately, it does have an eye-watering price tag to go with its classy design and the options list is a bit rude, all things considered, but the core offering is a solid luxury buy for city-slickers, nonetheless. 

What makes the Evoque P300e stand out for me is its impressive EV driving range and excellent charging specs which make it as convenient as possible to make the most of its electrified features.

It’s up to the buyer whether these conveniences and the Range Rover badge are worth swapping into a car a full size down from its luxury plug-in rivals for the same money.

When I first saw the Kia EV6, I have to admit I wasn’t a massive fan of the design. I was, and still am, a massive fan of the mechanically related Hyundai Ioniq 5. Perhaps one of the many reasons that model won Best Medium SUV Under $130,000 at the 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year Awards!

But the 2026 facelift has given me a renewed appreciation of the Kia’s design.

The overall shape is the same but the front, which was arguably its least appealing angle, has been redesigned.

It’s 15mm longer thanks to the new front bumper design, and it has adopted a completely new headlight signature that's in keeping with the EV3, EV4, EV5 and EV9. The front looks meaner, more aggressive, but in a really hot way.

There’s also a new bumper at the rear but the tail-lights are pretty much the same.

Overall it’s a much sharper look, helping to breathe new life into the EV6.

The visual changes are more subtle inside, but it was already a nice cabin to begin with. The big changes include the new version of Kia’s dual-screen set-up which is more modern and centred than the previous version, and there’s more visually appealing graphics.

The other key change is the steering wheel. For GT-Line and GT grades, Kia’s dropped the polarising two-spoke wheel in favour of a sportier and more premium three-spoke, dual-tone wheel found in other models, including the EV3. The base Air retains the two-spoke wheel.

The Evoque has always been a car all about its sleek, city-slicking design, an iconic piece of modern SUV art from Jaguar Land Rover head of design, Gerry McGovern.

With its shapely proportions, clever descending roofline, and a silhouette which successfully reflects a miniaturised version of the Range Rover, the Evoque is at once classy with a faint suggestion of toughness under the skin.

The blacked-out grille, slimline headlights, and contemporary strip across the tailgate all serve to add intrigue to this SUV, and the extra detailing in the front bumper, shapeliness of the bonnet, and contrast black trims (with extra contrast panels on our test car matching the gloss black wheels) serving to add to its premium appeal.

It’s important to remember, while the Evoque slides into a busy small SUV landscape now, it was one of the first to make a premium car so successfully appealing in this small SUV space way back in 2011 with the first Evoque, following Land Rover’s historic trend of being in front of the SUV curve.

Rival small SUV designs may have caught up in the minds of many with the likes of the Audi Q3, BMW X2, and Volvo XC40 shining in recent years, but few have won as many design accolades as the Evoque.

Range Rover seems to be leaning into a more upper luxury trend, not just with the pricing, but with the vibe of the car’s interiors, too.

The new generation Evoque, for example, took a big jump in the look and feel of its interior appointments when it launched in 2019, and over time has only consolidated its market positioning.

The HSE grade which our P300e hybrid arrives in is lavish on the inside, with lovely suede-like seats, intricate contrasting grey cloth trims in the doors (do I detect an influence from Volvo here?) and a plush-looking dash, all finished in soft-to-the touch materials.

Attention to detail, like the silver bezels which adorn the centre console and media screen, add to the premium flair which lifts the Range Rover badge above the Land Rover one, and I do like the way the additional function screen seamlessly melts into the piano finish and integrated dials. While it’s always a nightmare to keep gloss piano finishes clean, it looks oh-so primo.

It’s a little odd the P300e has analogue dials, which seems to miss the premium edge which a fully digital dash might provide although the 7.0-inch centre dash screen has a great resolution and speed, as well as a mostly well laid out operating system.

I found the R-Dynamic modes, which can sharpen up the accelerator response and steering buried two menus deep, unnecessarily hard to find, as were various EV information screens and other less important functions.

Under Australia’s vehicle categorisation, the Kia EV6 is classed as a large SUV. Which is not correct. Yes, it’s long and wide but it isn’t large. It’s medium. Also, is it an SUV? Or is it a low-slung coupe-style fastback? Perhaps a bit of both.

The EV6 has a decent amount of space in the cabin, but family-friendly practically might not be its strongest suit.

In the front row, headroom is limited. The sunroof is partly to blame for this, but the EV6’s front seats have always felt a little cramped for taller folks. Finding my perfect driving position took a bit longer as a result. Popping your sunglasses on your head is a no-no for a six footer like me. There is, however, plenty of space across the front of the cabin.

The front seats offer excellent upper body bolstering but could do with a little more for the thighs. But they are delightfully comfortable and look gorgeous.

The elevated centre console provides a high-set armrest and under that is a massive central bin, then there is a huge amount of open space underneath.

It houses two shallow and narrow cupholders with a phone charger, gear shifter, vehicle on/off and seat/steering wheel heating buttons. Yay buttons!

Climate control is managed via a digital panel separate to the main screen. It features smart dials that switch between air con and audio and sat-nav controls. Speaking of which, the air con flow is excellent.

Kia’s updated multimedia system brings it into line with other newer models. It’s a pleasure to use this system. Large tiles drill down into logical sub-menus, you can swipe every which way and the resolution is excellent. It’s also easy to navigate.

There are three USB-C charge ports under the centre stack.

Taller passengers might need to duck their head when getting in the second row, due to the lower sloping roofline. Once seated, the EV6 features that quirk of some older EVs where the rear seats are heavily bucketed and your knees sit up high because of the positioning of the under-floor battery. A lot of newer EVs keep the rear footwell free of battery packs to ensure more foot room and a more comfortable rear-seat experience.

There’s heaps of leg room behind my seating position, and headroom isn’t bad back there. It’s certainly better than the front. I had about 2.0cm between my head and the roof liner.

It feels a little dark back there due to the high window line, privacy glass and small rear window.

The rear seats are comfy but on the firmer side. There’s a fold-down arm rest with two shallow cupholders, and a small bottle will fit in the door.

You get two map pockets, USB-C ports on the back of both front seats, and chest-level side air vents.

You can lower the 60/40 split rear seats via a lower lever on the seat base. They fold almost flat, too. You can also lower the seats via a lever in the boot which is a handy feature.

The EV6 Air RWD’s boot can swallow 490 litres of cargo, and that drops to 480L for all other grades.

The boot area allows for a decent amount of usable space but the sloping tailgate means you won’t fit tall items.

Under-floor storage is limited but could easily fit flatter items like a charging cable. It also houses the tyre repair kit which is sadly what you get instead of any form of spare wheel. The boot also has a number of bag hooks, speakers and a light.

A front storage compartment under the bonnet can take 52 litres in the RWD grades, dropping to 20L in AWD versions.

While it still plays the role of Range Rover’s smallest SUV, the current Evoque is much bigger than the car it replaced in 2019. I would go so far as to say it’s deceptively large on the inside.

Front occupants are treated to a cabin which now feels almost as wide as an actual Range Rover, with plenty of room for elbows on either side, which are, of course, met by lovely soft-touch surfaces.

The raised console helps with the upmarket feel, as does the plush dash. The standard 14-way adjust front seats help to accommodate most passengers, with my only criticism being the large A-pillars and height of the dash can make it feel a little bit claustrophobic compared to some rival luxury SUVs.

Storage is offered through a set of large door pockets, a centre console box, dual bottle holders behind the shift lever, and a healthy nook underneath the climate controls, which also hosts a wireless charging bay.

The rear seats share the same comfortable rim as the front ones, and also have large pockets in the doors. Despite the descending roofline, I had just enough room for my head at 182cm tall although it is notable the space in the PHEV feels smaller with the raised floor needed to accommodate the batteries.

I had a little airspace for my knees behind my own driving position, too. The main drawback for rear passengers is the large transmission tunnel, making it difficult to accommodate an adult in the centre position.

There are adjustable air vents for rear passengers, but it is frustrating Land Rover has chosen to make rear USB-C charging ports an arbitrary $270 option.

The boot is also deceptively large for such a small SUV, measuring in at 472 litres (VDA), it’s above average for the small SUV class and fits the full CarsGuide luggage set, provided you remove the parcel shelf as it's just a smidge too high.

You'll also need to keep your charging cables in the boot, as there's no underfloor storage, the entire space being taken up by a space-saver spare wheel.

While we’re on the topic of excess, the Evoque HSE P300e certainly reflects it in the price tag. This plug-in starts from a whopping $105,060 price-wise putting it in the same league as luxury PHEV rivals a full size up.

Because there are no small luxury segment small SUVs in this league currently, we’re in fact forced to compare the Evoque to cars like the Volvo XC60 Recharge (from $100,990), BMW X3 xDrive30e ($107,000), or the particularly good-value Lexus NX 450h+ (from $88,323).

All are larger than our Evoque here, so it’s automatically at a disadvantage, and as is the usual case with Land Rover products, there’s an extensive and occasionally rude options list which can add thousands more to the price.

Our test vehicle, for example, had over $10,000 worth of options attached to it, only three of which (dual-zone climate with second row vents - $1000, and the additional Type 2 charging cable - $528) I would bother to add.

The included equipment at the HSE grade is good, with 20-inch alloy wheels, 14-way electrically adjustable front seats, Matrix LED headlights, a 10-inch tiltable ‘Pivi Pro’ touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as built-in navigation, and a second screen for the climate and car functions.

There’s also a semi-digital dash (oddly, with analogue dials for engine rpm and road speed, but a 7.0-inch digital element for everything else), the choice of either leather or suede interior trim, a leather-bound steering wheel, and keyless entry with push-start ignition. 

It’s nice to see the Matrix LEDs as standard here, as well as a swish set of screens and a premium feeling interior. But it’s also frustrating things like digital radio ($520), a head-up display ($1690), data plan ($1040), and USB-C for the rear seats ($351) are optional on a car north of $100,000, especially since most of these are standard on its rivals.

One major catch is how long you might be waiting for one. Some dealer sources tell us customers will need to wait up to 12 months for delivery at the time of writing, so be prepared for this if you want one.

The EV6 has a range of powertrains depending on the grade. The Air and GT-Line RWD have a single motor set-up offering 168kW of power and 350Nm of torque, and the GT-Line AWD dual-motor pumps out 239kW and 605Nm.

Kia has boosted power in the high-performance GT by 18 kilowatts to a bonkers 448kW.

These figures are higher than some cheaper rivals and on par with other similarly priced EVs.

The 0-100km/h sprint time for the rear-drive grades is 7.7 seconds, dropping to 5.3 seconds for the GT-Line AWD, while the GT can do it in a blistering 3.5 seconds when engaging Launch Control.

The Evoque now sports Jaguar Land Rover’s hybridised ‘Ingenium’ engine family across the range, and the set-up which appears in the plug-in hybrid model might be the most interesting.

It consists of a 1.5-litre three-cylinder combustion engine which is said to produce 147kW/280Nm, and an electric motor powering the rear axle producing 80kW, the two of which combine for an impressive quoted total output of 227kW/540Nm, driving all four wheels.

The motor sources its power from a 15kWh lithium-ion battery pack under the floor of the car, which provides a claimed 62km of fully-electric driving range.

Land Rover also replaced the mechanical brake pedal with a drive-by-wire one to allow for improved ‘blended’ regenerative braking.

All EV6 grades get a bigger under-floor lithium-ion battery, up from the 77.4 kilowatt hour unit in the previous model to 84kWh.

Driving range is up more than 50km in rear-wheel drive variants to 582km in the Air and 560km in the GT-Line, according to the WLTP testing cycle.

The GT-Line AWD’s range is now 522km (up from 484km), and the range-topping dual-motor GT offers 450km of range - a 26km increase.

All EV6 grades have vehicle-to-load charging via a port under the rear seating row or by using an extender for the external CCS Type 2 charging port.

Maximum DC charging is 10.5kW but the EV6 supports AC charging infrastructure up to 400 and 800 volts.

Using a 50kW fast charger should take 80 minutes to get from 10 to 80 per cent full, while a 350kW charger takes 18 minutes. Slow AC charging at home with three-phase power should take about seven-and-a-half hours.

Official energy consumption varies between grades. The Air RWD is 15.9kWh/100km, GT-Line RWD is 16.9kWh, GT-Line AWD is 17.7kWh and GT is 20.9kWh.

The car’s trip computer recorded an efficiency figure of 19.1kW/h when I handed it back, but I engaged in some enthusiastic driving. Factoring in the usable battery capacity (80kWh), the EV6 GT-Line RWD’s theoretical range is 473km.

It has multi-mode regenerative braking that is exceptionally smooth, including one-pedal driving, various EV sounds to choose from and a utility mode function to save battery life.

There’s even a soft close function for the charge flap that’s integrated nicely in the driver’s side rear tail-light.

Claimed energy consumption on the combined WLTP cycle for the Range Rover Evoque P300e is 2.0L/100km. As with all plug-in hybrids though, this will heavily depend on how it is driven.

The 15kWh battery is said to provide a 62km driving range (again, on the WLTP cycle), which seems healthy for a PHEV, and I was pleased to find that my car was reporting about 56km on a full charge, not far off the claim.

Importantly, the Evoque has stellar charging specifications, which make it ideal for a city-slicker with minimal time to conveniently charge.

I was shocked to find a DC charging port when I flipped open the panel, which is capable of charging the tiny battery up in just 20 minutes (at a peak rate of 35kW), while on a slower but easier-to-find AC charger, it can extract 7kW allowing a charge time of around two hours.

This is well above par for a plug-in hybrid, and makes charging quick, painless and convenient, even for those who can’t charge at home.

As a result of this ease-of-charging and therefore minimal time spent in the hold or hybrid modes, my car reported an astounding 1.0/100km of fuel consumption during my week, covering mostly urban kilometres.

The only drawback is the need to fill this small turbo engine with mid-shelf 95RON fuel.

This is where the EV6 excels. There’s a lot more competition out there now, but the good news is the EV6 still impresses on the road.

I am purely focusing on the GT-Line RWD for this section as it’s the grade I had for a week.

It’s not brutally quick from a standing start, but it offers a nice, linear build up of speed. It adds speed quite quickly when at pace and this is more than enough poke for most people.

If you are intent on more power and speed, but without stretching to the GT flagship, the GT-Line AWD might be your cup of Jarrah. Although that is an $8000 premium over the RWD.

If you want to save the cash the RWD has drive modes ('Eco', 'Normal', 'Sport', 'Snow', 'MyDrive'), so you can add some spice with Sport mode.

The EV6’s precise steering has a little weight to it and good feedback.

On dynamically engaging roads the EV6 doesn’t feel its two-tonne weight. It has loads of grip when you lean into a corner and remains flat through the twisty stuff. There’s the tiniest hint of lateral movement in the car but there’s a lack of top-heavy body roll.

Thanks to the rear-wheel drive configuration, it’s also playful. The rear flicked out briefly when turning in wet conditions, but otherwise the stability control keeps everything in check.

This car has clearly been engineerd by driving enthusiasts for driving enthusiasts.

The ride quality is a little jittery on uneven roads. It’s not cushy like the EV5. You will feel tram/train tracks, potholes and random bumps. I detected a little vibration through the steering wheel on crumby roads. The Continental Premium Contact 6 (255/45 R20) tyres have a decent sidewall but they can’t soak up everything.

As well as being dynamically excellent, it’s also a lovely cruiser on smooth freeways and roads.

Other related points - it has a large turning circle (11.6m) and visibility is impeded by enormous B- and C-pillars, small rear windows and a middle-seat headrest.

The second-gen Evoque is still the lovely, luxury, small SUV it was when it launched in 2019, and this plug-in hybrid version only serves to improve the formula, adding sleek electric driving characteristics to the already-smooth turbo engine and torque converter automatic.

Interestingly, and like its Volvo XC60 rival, the electric motor is located on the rear axle, giving this car the odd characteristic of being rear-wheel drive when driven electrically, or predominantly front-wheel drive when driven in combustion mode.

Speaking of modes, this car does the bulk of the management, with only three driving modes available to the pilot. These include the default ‘hybrid’ mode, which as the name suggests, blends the two power sources with more of an emphasis on electric driving when the battery is charged.

There's also an electric mode, which will only use the rear axle motor until the battery runs out, and a ‘Hold’ mode which will still blend the two sources but predominantly rely on the combustion engine to maintain the car’s state of charge.

You might want to use the last mode if you're travelling long-distance, to maintain the electric range for where it is most efficient - in low-speed stop-start driving.

The regenerative braking is not adjustable, having just a single mild level. It’s far from the single-pedal driving you can experience in a fully electric car, but Land Rover has made the brake pedal fly-by-wire so it can blend increased regen with the mechanical brakes.

It makes for a familiar experience from behind the wheel for those coming straight out of a purely combustion vehicle.

The electrified brake pedal does have the consequence of removing a bit of feel for a keen driver, and the same can be said for the rather slow steering tune in the default settings which makes the Evoque feel more luxurious and less sporty or reactive than it could be.

It’s a shame, because the two power sources combine to make for a thumping amount of power when you stick your boot in, and the all-wheel drive system and nicely balanced suspension keep this little SUV well under control in the corners.

As with my original Evoque range review in 2019, though, it is notable how heavy this SUV feels, particularly compared to some rivals like the Audi Q3.

The heftiness suits the Evoque's expanded dimensions and even more upmarket feel, but despite the power on offer it’s not an agile SUV to be carving corners in.

At least the ride quality and quietness is superb, making the Evoque an ideal SUV for driving around the centre of pothole-stricken Sydney, with a notable amount of poise. At the end of the day, isn’t that what this Range Rover was built for?

Despite its long options list, thankfully all key safety equipment is standard on the Evoque. Active items include auto emergency braking, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, driver attention alert, a clear exit monitor, and adaptive cruise control.

Only two items which could be considered under the safety umbrella remain on the options list (the options list becoming a recurring theme in this review), a 360-degree parking camera ($500), and the ‘ClearSight’ rear view mirror, which is able to show a camera view out the rear if the mirror is obscured by luggage or people in the cabin ($1230).

Elsewhere, the Evoque scores two ISOFIX child seat mounting points on the outer rear seats, and three top tethers across the rear row.

There are six airbags, and despite notably missing a front centre airbag, which is often required for a maximum safety rating to today’s standard, the Evoque maintains the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating it was awarded in 2019. For the record, it scored very highly across all categories.

The EV6 is covered by Kia’s solid seven year/unlimited kilometre warranty and it has a battery warranty of seven years or 150,000 kilometres, whichever occurs first.

The service schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km.

Kia offers service plans of three, five and seven years with pricing for Air and GT-Line of $728 for three years, $1391 for five years and $2055 for seven years.

The GT is a little pricer at $842, $1570 and $2319, respectively.

This pricing isn’t astronomical, but it is more expensive than the Cupra Tavascan and MG IM6.

Kia has 147 dealerships across the country covering metro, urban and rural areas and all of them service EVs.

As of April, 2021 all Land Rover products are finally covered by an industry-standard five-year and unlimited kilometre warranty, matching its key rivals, and beating out BMW which persists with an old three-year warranty promise. Five years of roadside assist is also included for the duration.

When it comes to servicing, the P300e is available to be purchased with a five-year plan ($2650 - $530 annually) which covers 102,000km of visits.

This pack is well worthwhile as Land Rover servicing is generally quite expensive when purchased a-la-carte.