Kia EV6 News

Kia announced the first details of its much-anticipated EV9 GT model at this year's Los Angeles motor show.

It’s been a long time since someone who’s not that interested in cars gushed to me about how much they like Tesla (it doesn’t help that the man in charge of Tesla has done less and less for his own reputation as time rolls on), so if Tesla isn’t the brand at the cultural forefront of electric cars then, who should be?

After being rumoured and teased, the 2025 Kia EV6 facelift has finally been unveiled in South Korea. A discreet nip and tuck of the front end with new lighting features is mated to an updated cabin design and larger 84kWh battery providing a few extra kilometres of driving range for the refreshed EV6.Australian details have yet to be confirmed but we do know the refreshed Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Ioniq 5 rival will hit local shores in the fourth quarter (October to December inclusive) of this year. Led by the Air and GT-Line variants, Kia will introduce the flagship GT locally a few months after the more attainable trims. Changes outside include a new front mask featuring full-width LED lighting that attempts to link the EV6 to the latest EV9 and EV5 design language. It gives the impression of a longer bonnet, while the bumper and valance have been tidied up for a sleeker appearance. The coupe-like EV6 remains a distinct offering next to the rest of Kia’s EV range. At the rear not much has changed for the 2025 EV6, which retains its textural chrome ring on the tailgate that links into the LED tail and brake lights. There are new futuristic alloy wheel designs in both 19- and 20-inch sizes. Further changes lurk inside with the multimedia touchscreen and digital driver’s display now integrated into a single curved display module. There’s an updated operating system straight from the EV9 that features wireless smartphone mirroring. A newly-designed two-spoke steering wheel now features low-gloss switchgear and attractive airbag cover. There’s also a fingerprint reader that will allow registered drivers to start the EV6 without a key. That feature is not confirmed for Australia. Overseas images show greater interior customisation than what’s previously been offered in Australia with a two-tone black and brown leather and light option. An upgraded 84kWh lithium-ion battery pack – the same as the Ioniq 5 – replaces the previous 77.4kWh unit. It increases driving range from 475km to 494km for rear-drive models with 19-inch wheels while the 10-80 per cent ultra-rapid charge time remains at 18 minutes. There are no changes to the EV6’s outputs with the rear-drive model producing 168kW/350Nm and the twin-motor AWD up at 239kW/605Nm. Kia has not detailed changes to the flagship GT model yet. In South Korea, Kia claims to have tweaked the settings of the EV6’s frequency-selective dampers. It’s unclear whether the same changes will be made to Australian cars given Kia’s local ride and handling program. Other improvements include improving insulation for the electric motors and adding strengthening material to the body. Australia pricing will be revealed closer to the EV6’s launch. The current line-up runs from Air ($72,590) to GT ($99,590, both before on-road costs).

In line with Tesla’s global ‘floating price strategy’, cost-of-entry for the Performance version of the brand’s Model Y mid-size SUV has been reduced.

Kia is working on what it says will be a solution to electric-vehicle resale challenges, promising localised battery reconditioning and guaranteed future value for its EV6, EV9 and incoming EV5.

Speaking to the media at the reveal of the EV5, EV3, and EV4, Kia’s head of global design, Karim Habib explained how the brand is able to keep its cars so close to their concepts, and why Kia is willing to take risks with its designs.On the topic of the brand’s latest and more extreme futuristic design direction, Habib said: “There are a lot of very good designers, but if you have good designers and you’re not listened to, you can’t get much through. We have a CEO that really listens to what we have to say, and a chairman who really believes in design. He’s a patron of the arts and believes in our ideas.“Our voice carries a certain meaning, not just in terms of styling, but in terms of strategy, which is super gratifying as a designer.”Of course, there are concept cars with wild ideas, and then there are ones which reflect the production car, the latter of which seems to be more Kia’s speed of late. It’s a trend which should mean the latest concept versions of the EV3 small SUV and EV4 crossover sedan which were shown alongside the production version of the EV5 won’t be far from the reality when the production versions of each break cover in 2024 and 2025 respectively.On the topic, Habib explained: “I also believe it’s our responsibility as designers to have a certain discipline when we do concept cars because I don’t want to promise something we can’t build.“Of course, it has to be a prototype, it has to test the things we’re talking about when it comes to materials or proportions, or we’re not using the tool the way we should, but it should be something we believe we can or we should build.”The EV5 and smaller EV3 seem to continue to build on the boxy forward-thinking design cues of the EV9 large SUV, while the EV4 seems to follow the same swoopy, sporty design language seen on the EV6.While the exteriors appear loud and tech-focused, the interiors move more toward natural hues and the use of sustainably sourced materials, and are designed as more open, serene places. It’s all part of the brand’s guiding ‘opposites unite’ principle, which Habib says is designed to be flexible, so Kias can be many things in many markets and segments.When asked if he sees a world where the brand’s entire range can be united under the design language seen on EV9, EV5, and EV3, Habib said “that should be the intention.”“We definitely set up this ‘opposites unite’ so that it allows for a bandwidth of interpretation, because we have very different models, from small to large cars, for very different markets. Also, the brand has slightly different identities in the different markets, and we want the design philosophy to be able to adapt to that.”“Consistency is important, but each model needs its own personality.”When asked if the brand’s combustion range would need to be winding down before a consistent design vision can be achieved, Habib said it's not necessary to wait.“I think we can have certain things which are in-sync with the EVs. Definitely when it comes to exterior design and certain features, interpretations, and motifs, lighting signatures. When it comes to proportions that becomes a little more difficult, because there’s the basics of having the engine and so on which makes it difficult for .“When it comes to interior design, there’s more roominess, the flat floor, the disconnect between the dashboard and the console - that’s something which is much easier on EVs. With combustion cars you have the tunnel which creates a challenge.” he said.Of the three vehicles shown at the Kia EV day event outside of Seoul, the EV4 was certainly the most unusual, what the brand calls a re-interpretation of the sedan. Elaborating on this strategy to create such an unconventional, and potentially risky vehicle, seemingly as a follow-up to the unusual (but well received) EV6 Kia's head of next vehicle design, TK Kim said: "with EV4 we felt being safe is more risky these days - opening up to a new chapter of mobility - it’s not just EVs but innovation comes with technologies together - when you have new technologies we need to create new things rather than stay traditional."While we're on the topic of extreme designs, you’re probably wondering when we’ll ever see the so-called ‘Tasman’ ute - a first for the brand - which has been in the works at Kia for a very long time, and which could pose a unique challenge to the brand's stylists as it takes Kia in an entirely new direction.When asked about this long-speculated-upon model, Habib only said; “I think you’ll get a peek pretty soon.”

The first-ever ‘Kia EV Day’ is just a week away, and the South Korean brand is set to use the inaugural event to reveal not one, but two new model concepts.

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