- The Kia EV6 gets major updates for the 2025 model year.
- In addition to a redesigned grille, the electric crossover gets a bigger battery for more range, a Tesla-style NACS plug, an updated interior and over-the-air software updates capable of digital downloads.
- The EV6 will even be built at Kia's Georgia assembly plant alongside the EV9, making it qualify for at least some EV tax credits when purchased.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 gets a lot of well-deserved glory in the electric vehicle space. But personally, I'm more a fan of its cousin, the Kia EV6. So much so that I bought one earlier this year and am strongly considering acquiring it outright whenever my lease is up. But when I look at the changes coming with the updated 2025 Kia EV6, I may just have to consider an upgrade.
What's better now about Kia's electric crossover? Basically, everything. The EV6 will now be built in the U.S. to qualify for at least some EV tax credits; packs more range thanks to a bigger battery; offers a redesigned face and interior; and will come out of the gate with a newly-relocated Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug and access to that vast network of DC fast-chargers.
There's a lot to cover here, so let's dig in.
Gallery: 2025 Kia EV6
Range And Power
The EV6 originally debuted way back in 2021 and now sees its most substantive update yet. We've already seen its newly redesigned face—a "Star Map" grille designed to more closely match other modern Kia offerings—as the second-generation model has been on sale for a few months in places like Europe and its native South Korea. But the U.S.-spec version comes with more surprises than we anticipated.
The EV6 now gets two battery options in larger sizes than the previous car, offering more range. The base, smaller battery is now 63 kilowatt-hours in size, up from 58 kWh previously, while the larger battery goes from 77.4 kWh to 84 kWh. While exact range figures for each trim level have not been released, Kia claims the Light, Long-Range, Wind and GT-Line models will target 319 miles of range in rear-wheel-drive configuration.
There's no word yet on range for the dual-motor all-wheel-drive models, unfortunately. But we're expecting all range figures to be generally similar to the 2025 Ioniq 5 that uses the same battery setups, so likely around 290 or more miles of range for the AWD versions. Either way, those should be decent upgrades from the current EV6; the RWD models are currently listed at 310 miles of EPA-rated range and 282 for AWD models (which drops to 252 and 218 miles for the GT-Line and GT variants, respectively.) Considering that my own EV6 Wind AWD regularly tops 300 miles of range on a 100% charge when the weather is fair, those could be much more consistently above that.
Power is roughly similar across the board, however. The Light RWD model is rated at 167 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, while more powerful RWD models in Light, Long-Range, Wind and GT-Line forms come in at 225 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. Upgrading to AWD gets you 320 hp and 446 lb.-ft. of torque as before.
But I'm happy to say the go-fast Kia EV6 GT gets even more powerful now, which it absolutely didn't need, but nobody's going to say no to more power. The GT delivers 601 hp and 545 lb.-ft. of torque, up from 576 hp before. Turn on GT Mode and you get a full 641 hp and 568 lb.-ft. of torque to adequately meet any Lamborghini-hunting needs that may arise in your community.
New Design, New Tech, New Plug
I'll readily admit I'm not the biggest fan of the updated grille. But the EV6 still looks as sharp as ever, and it offers more than just a new face here. The taillights also add Star Map details, while the front and rear bumper have new designs with sharper angles and a more aggressive overall stance. Kia's also offering new designs for its 19- to 21-inch wheels.
The inside is pretty familiar but with a few notable tweaks. The steering wheel has been totally redesigned, and the EV6 finally gets the fully updated Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) operating system that offers quicker speeds, higher-definiton graphics, and over-the-air (OTA) updates—something the current EV6 has only done with navigation and a handful of other core features. Basically, the software setup on the EV6 now mirrors that of the EV9, which gets high marks from us. And like the EV9, you now get access to the new Kia Connect Store for downloads like displays themed after your favorite NBA teams. (Yes, really.) The Digital Key setup has been improved to offer true smartphone-activated door unlocking, remote starting and driving.
And finally, the flush door handles now pop open automatically across all trim levels. That fixes one of my biggest gripes about the current EV6 and may justify an upgrade on that alone.
Kia's unfortunately not telling us much about the EV6's legendary fast-charging. The car can go from a 10% charge to 80% in just about 18 minutes on a 350-kilowatt DC fast-charger, and we don't expect that to change. However, like the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and updated Genesis Electrified GV70 that also debuted at the LA Auto Show this week, the revised EV6 packs a NACS plug from the factory now. And it's been moved to the other side of the car—the driver's side instead of the passenger's—to make charging at Tesla's Supercharger stations a little easier.
What Now?
And best of all, the revised EV6 is now American-made, just like the 2025 Ioniq 5. This one is made at Kia's West Point, Georgia assembly plant alongside the EV9, so it should qualify for at least some of the $7,500 EV tax credits when purchased. Those may soon vanish, so take advantage of them while you can. (The EV6 GT will continue to be built in Korea.)
Kia says that like the outgoing car, the 2025 EV6 will be available in Light (RWD only), Light Long Range (RWD or AWD), Wind (RWD or AWD), GT-Line (RWD or AWD), and GT (AWD) trims. The automaker says it's expected to go on sale in the first half of next year. Pricing and other specs will be announced at a later date.
All in all, the 2025 model year represents a big upgrade for one of the best-equipped, best-looking and best-performing EVs in its class. Expect more on this as we get it.
Gallery: 2025 Kia EV6
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
