The 2023 Kia EV6 has received the highest possible crash test rating from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. The electric vehicle is now the third vehicle to earn the Top Safety Pick+ award from the organization after the 2022 Kia K5 and 2022 Stinger.
The 2023 EV6 performed equally strong in all six 2022 IIHS tests registering “good” ratings across all evaluations, including driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests. The zero-emissions Kia even earned a “superior” rating for front crash prevention systems, as well as a “good” rating for its standard headlights.
Gallery: 2022 Kia EV6: First Drive Review
For the 2023 model year in the United States, the EV6 is no longer available in the previous Light base trim offered exclusively with rear-wheel drive. Instead, the Wind grade is the new entry-level model, which is sold in either an RWD or an AWD configuration. The cheapest EV6 money can buy in 2023 will be the Wind RWD starting at $49,795 compared to $42,695 for the 2022 EV6 Light.
On the other side of the spectrum, however, there’s a new addition to the lineup. The 2023 EV6 GT is the most powerful and performance-oriented model in the lineup, offering instant torque from two electric motors with a total output of 576 horsepower (430 kilowatts). This makes it possible for the EV6 to reach 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in just 3.4 seconds. The EPA-certified range between two charges is 206 miles (332 kilometers).
Back to the vehicle’s performance in the IIHS crash test, the 2023 EV6 now becomes the 10th Kia vehicle to earn one of the institute’s two top safety awards. In addition to the three models with Top Safety Pick+ awards, the 2022 Kia Telluride, 2022 Sorento, 2022 Seltos, 2022 Carnival (built after March 2021), 2022 Sportage, and 2022 Soul all qualified for the Top Safety Pick award earlier during the year.
