Whoa, some critics are being a little savage toward Kia. At the 2021 Chicago Auto Show, vehicles were named as winners and losers. The 2022 Kia EV6 was placed in the loser category, but that could be a little unfair! Let’s give it a fair shot. 

Is the 2022 Kia EV6 a good EV? 

Yes, the 2022 Kia EV6 is an excellent electric SUV to consider. It should have a targeted 300-mile range, accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, and charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 18 minutes with the 350-kWh fast charger. 

However, the folks at Cars.com decided to call the Kia EV6 a loser while attending the 2021 Chicago Auto Show. The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning and 2022 Ford Maverick were the winners they mentioned. Along with the Kia EV6, the 2022 Jeep Compass and 2023 Nissan Ariya were placed in the loser category.  

They called the EV6 a loser because it has an odd shape like a blended wagon and SUV. The backseat feels a little tight when EVs are supposed to offer more space. Taller people may notice that the EV6 has a tall floor, so your knees may sit at an uncomfortable elevated position. 

The cabin relies on capacitive-touch controls, but physical knobs are included too. Also, the final range hasn’t been released. The targeted 300 miles doesn’t provide enough information to keep the Cars.com team happy. 

Does the Kia EV6 have any wins? 

Yes, there are plenty of positive things to mention about the 2022 Kia EV6. It can be equipped with rear or all-wheel drive with plenty of power. The base rear-drive model has a single electric motor and a smaller battery with 167 hp. Opting for the larger battery with the rear-wheel drive model increases the hp to 218. 

With the all-wheel drive models equipped with an electric motor on each axle, you get 313 hp. Adding the larger battery will increase this figure to 576 hp. With the 313 hp model, the EV6 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. 

The 58.0-kWh battery is the smaller size, and the 77.4-kWh battery pack provides more range. With the 350-kWh fast charge, you can add 70 miles of juice in under five minutes. Plus, the Kia EV6 comes with an 11-kW onboard charger that can recharge the battery from 10 to 100 percent in about seven hours with a Level 2 outlet. 

What features does the EV6 include? 

The 2022 Kia EV6 is expected to begin around $45,000 when it arrives at dealerships soon. This price feels high initially, but it includes premium features and luxurious materials for an attractive and futuristic design. 

There is tons of cargo space thanks to a floating center console with a large bin under it. There are 28 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat with 54 cubes total. Also, the front trunk or frunk provides even more room. 

The 12.0-inch touchscreen extends from the 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster. It can carpet over-the-air updates and responds to voice commands. Features such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless charging, and a Wi-Fi hotspot are included. Standard safety features include blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assistance. You can add remote parking assistance. 

We think it’s a little too early to determine if the 2022 Kia EV6 is a loser or a winner. We need the chance to see how it drives and performs on the road. So, for now, it’s not a loser, and we will keep you updated as we learn more.