Kia’s high-performance EV6 GT has just gone on sale in the UK priced from £59,995 driveaway ahead of its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from June 23-26.
A simple currency conversion would price the supercar-quick EV6 GT at $104,000 in Australia, backing up comments made last year by Kia Australia’s planning chief Roland Rivero: “Even if the dealer tells [customers] it could be 100 grand, they’re still putting their money down [on deposits].”
Would people put money down for a $100K Kia? The EV6 GT makes a strong case on paper
Australians can currently buy the EV6 Air RWD for $67,990; GT-Line RWD for $74,990 and GT-Line AWD for $82,990 – all before on-road costs. The hot EV6 GT model is due to arrive on our shores either in late 2022 or early 2023.
The EV6 GT is Kia’s most powerful production car – boasting a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 260km/h. The 430kW/740Nm dual-motor GT has a claimed WLTP driving range of 424km and 800V ultra-fast charging capabilities.
The latter promises, in optimum conditions, to recharge the 77.6kWh battery from 10-80 percent in just 18 minutes.
Do UK EV6 prices correspond to Australian ones?
Kia UK asks £52,695 driveaway for its standard EV6 GT-Line S (basically the same spec as our GT-Line), which translates to $91,500 in Aussie dollars.
The EV6 GT gets a host of bright yellow accents around it
In Australia, depending on the state the car is registered, the EV6 GT-Line AWD is around $90,000 drive-away, so on-the-road pricing appears to be very similar between the UK and here. It would make the $104,000 direct price translation look a fair bet for what we’ll pay for the EV6 GT once it arrives.
The EV6 GT’s obvious rival is the all-wheel-drive Tesla Model Y Performance, which went on sale in Australia last week. It’s priced at $98,689 before on-road costs, or around $105,000 on the road.
If the EV6 GT can slightly undercut the Model Y, it would be a win for Kia. The Tesla can’t match the EV6 GT’s power or acceleration figures (at 393kW and 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds), however the Model Y boasts a superior range of 604km.
And depending on your level of badge snobbery, Porsche’s new Taycan GTS AWD at $241,900 before charges could be seen as something of a rival too.
With big brakes and plenty of grunt, the EV6 GT has performance credentials
EV6 GT production is scheduled to start in September and European deliveries set for the end of 2022.
Specification differences over lesser EV6s include 21-inch alloys; sportier exterior styling including a GT-only clamshell bonnet and rear spoiler; 380mm ventilated brakes (front) and 360mm (rear); adaptive suspension; an electronic LSD; Drive Mode Select system and a dedicated ‘everything up to 11’ GT Drive Mode.