Refreshed Kia EV6 for Korea shows new face and tweaked cabin

The Korean-market EV6 is out bearing the sheen of revisions suspected from the teaser shots. As usual for these lifecycle updates, the new front fascia makes the largest impression. Out go the standard headlights, in comes "Star Map" lighting making a polygonal pattern around the redrawn front bumper and adding an illuminated crossbar. Smaller changes out back see complementary lighting used on the full-width light bar, and new mock diffuser shapes to distinguish the GT-Line from lower trims. New geometric wheels in black and silver for that market, sized 19 or 20 inches, bring the EV6 closer to the look of Kia's growing range of new electric vehicles.

Inside, a reshaped instrument panel adopts a pure rectangular shape. The crossbar steering wheel in non-GT trims gets upswept lines instead of downswept, and looks especially natty in a two-tone treatment. The GT-Line goes for more differentiation here as well, fitting a three-spoke steering wheel. Elsewhere around the cabin, a reshaped wireless charging pad holds phones more securely, there's a digital rearview mirror, new ambient lighting with "dynamic graphics," wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, compatibility with Kia Digital Key 2, and a fingerprint sensor as another layer of keyless authentication for owners to start their cars.         

For comfort, Kia engineers increased body rigidity with a thicker B-pillar, added more sound deadening around the rear motor, and adjusted the damper tuning. For safety, there are 10 airbags throughout the occupant quarters. Also, over-the-air updates can update vehicle control systems instead of just the navigation.

As expected, the battery's been upgraded from a 77.4 kWh unit to 84.0 kWh. A 350 kW fast-charging capability can replenish charge from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes. When Hyundai made this change in the latest Ioniq 5, range increased by 20 miles. We're not sure how the EV6 will fare on the EPA cycle, but in Korea, the crossover gains 19 kilometers of range. A debut for our market won't be far away; we figure it shows here as a 2025 model.