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The transition from a 2017 Prius Prime to a Kia EV6 ought to really feel like a clear technological leap. New platform, extra energy, extra vary, more cash. And but, as one new EV6 Wind proprietor found, progress doesn’t at all times transfer in straight strains.
In a publish shared with the KIA EV6 Homeowners USA group, the proprietor praised the EV6 for its effectivity and refinement, whereas expressing real disbelief {that a} $50,000 electrical crossover lacks on a regular basis conveniences his six-year-old Prius dealt with with out drama.
The comparability begins with effectivity, and right here the EV6 makes a robust case for itself. On a roughly 30-mile spherical journey that included a film outing and some additional stops, the automotive reported utilizing solely about 10 miles of displayed vary. For a car that’s bigger, heavier, and considerably extra highly effective than a Prius Prime, that result’s putting. It exhibits how far EV effectivity has come, particularly in real-world, blended driving, the place regenerative braking and regular cruising can quietly stack the percentages within the driver’s favor.
“We simply bought a 2023 wind. And so these are my ideas on the automotive for the time being, after having it for a couple of days. Beforehand, I had a 2017 Prius Prime, which is a PHEV.
Just a few issues that I miss from my Prius that I can not imagine are usually not on a $50,000 automotive.
On the Prius, I stroll up, and I can unlock the automotive just by touching the door deal with. Similar factor to lock the automotive. I simply faucet it it locks.
You may stroll as much as the automotive and have the tailgate robotically open, however you’ll be able to’t have the doorways robotically lock and unlock. I don’t get it.
Heated steering wheel. I do know you will get it on the. EV6 AWD, however why do I’ve to buy the all-wheel-drive with the intention to get a heated steering wheel?
What I really like
I notice it’s EV, but it surely’s nonetheless quiet highway noise-wise. I at all times appear to have bother with tires. I at all times get tires that produce terrible highway noise, particularly on the freeway.
The heated seats. I’ve had heated seats within the final three vehicles I’ve owned, however they by no means get sizzling. They get decently heat. This automotive will get downright sizzling. I find it irresistible.
Ventilated seats, I’ve by no means had a automotive with that earlier than, and within the sizzling, humid Oklahoma Summers it’s gonna turn out to be useful
The mileage is spectacular. At present, the spouse and I went to the theater, which is about 12 miles every method. Plus a couple of additional locations, so in all probability near 30 miles but, once we obtained again, the mileage that the automotive mentioned we may go was down solely 10 miles.
I do just like the type of self-driving. Nevertheless, it nonetheless amazes me that Tesla has been doing this for years, and I can’t imagine that someone else has not provide you with one thing shut.
We had been going to do the digital key, however realized it’s a subscription and didn’t need to try this.
I really like the styling. It’s so modern, and it stands out.
Can’t wait to drive it extra.”
The shock comes not from what the EV6 does properly, however from what it doesn’t do in any respect. The proprietor factors out that his Prius allowed easy touch-to-unlock and touch-to-lock on the door handles, no buttons, no additional thought required. Stroll up, seize the deal with, get in. Stroll away, faucet, lock. Within the EV6 Wind trim, that primary interplay is both lacking or inconsistently carried out, although the car will robotically open the tailgate when approached. To the proprietor, the logic feels backwards. If the automotive is aware of you’re there, why cease midway?
Kia EV6: Surprising Ergonomics
- The EV6’s low seating place relative to different crossovers alters driver sightlines, making a extra car-like really feel that will shock consumers anticipating SUV ergonomics.
- Thermal administration programs play a noticeable function in efficiency consistency, with energy supply remaining steady throughout repeated acceleration slightly than tapering shortly.
- Inside storage prioritizes open console house over enclosed compartments, which impacts how small gadgets are secured throughout aggressive driving.
- Rear-seat consolation advantages from the flat flooring, although the mix of low cushion peak and sloped roof shapes long-trip ergonomics.
The frustration deepens with function bundling. A heated steering wheel, one thing Prius homeowners have taken as a right in colder climates, is locked behind all-wheel drive on the EV6. Need heat palms in winter? Purchase one other drivetrain. That form of packaging could make sense on a spreadsheet, but it surely clashes with the expectation {that a} trendy, premium-priced EV ought to enable consumers to decide on consolation options with out dragging in unrelated {hardware}.
And but, when the EV6 will get one thing proper, it actually will get it proper. Street noise, usually a sore spot for drivers who’re delicate to tire choice, is notably low. The proprietor mentions a protracted historical past of battling noisy tires, solely to seek out the EV6 calm and composed at velocity. The heated seats earn particular reward as properly, not for having the function, however for really delivering warmth. These are seats that get genuinely sizzling, not politely heat, and in every day use, that issues.
Ventilated seats are one other revelation. For drivers in sizzling, humid areas like Oklahoma, this isn’t a luxurious gimmick however a quality-of-life enchancment. As soon as skilled, it’s exhausting to surrender, and it highlights how the EV6 generally feels forward of mainstream expectations whereas concurrently lagging behind them in easier areas.
Driver help additionally lands in a well-known center floor. The proprietor appreciates the semi-autonomous options however can not assist noticing that Tesla has normalized this expertise for years. The EV6 works, but it surely doesn’t redefine expectations. It feels competent slightly than transformative, which is ok, till you bear in mind the value level and the tempo at which rivals are transferring.
The digital key dialogue provides one other wrinkle. The function exists, but it surely lives behind a subscription. Quite than feeling futuristic, that mannequin pushed the proprietor away fully. The expertise was not rejected as a result of it failed, however as a result of it requested an excessive amount of for too little. That call displays a broader fatigue amongst consumers who more and more bristle at paywalls for {hardware} already constructed into the automotive.
Group responses stuffed in some gaps. Different homeowners identified that urgent the indentation on the door deal with will lock and unlock the automotive, and that larger trims supply self-presenting handles that take away a lot of the friction. That clarification helps, but it surely additionally reinforces the unique level. These options exist, simply not persistently throughout trims, and never at all times communicated clearly at buy.
The EV6 leaves a blended however trustworthy impression. It’s environment friendly to a level that may have appeared inconceivable a decade in the past. It’s quiet, trendy, and genuinely snug. But it surely additionally stumbles over small, human particulars that Toyota solved way back with far much less fanfare. The consequence will not be disappointment a lot as confusion. How can a automotive really feel so superior and so oddly incomplete on the similar time?
For this proprietor, the decision continues to be optimistic. He likes the automotive. He needs to drive it extra. However the expertise serves as a reminder that progress isn’t just about vary, energy, or screens. Generally it’s about whether or not a door unlocks the best way your hand expects it to.
Picture Sources: Kia Media Heart
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based mostly in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys masking the newest information within the automotive business and conducting evaluations on the newest vehicles. He has been within the automotive business since 15 years outdated and has been featured in distinguished automotive information websites. You may attain him on X and LinkedIn for suggestions and to comply with his automotive protection.
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