• Swindon & Wiltshire Motors
• Tuesday January 25 2022
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Kia’s electric EV6 named Car of the Year at 2022 What Car? Awards

Kia‘s electric EV6 has been crowned Car of the Year at the prestigious 2022 What Car? Awards. The crossover also scooped the Electric SUV of the Year title.

The historic win for Kia’s latest electric vehicle marks only the second time that an EV has won What Car?’s Car of the Year accolade – after the Kia e-Niro in 2019.

The judging panel for the What Car? Car of the Year Awards, made up of the magazine’s team of expert road testers, commented: “The EV6 combines a huge real-world range with the ability to charge at speeds that no rival can keep up with, addressing two of the biggest concerns that people still have about electric cars.

“What’s more, by using bespoke electric underpinnings rather than a set that’s shared by petrol and diesel models, Kia has been able to take advantage of the compact size of electric motors and produce a car that’s hugely spacious and practical.

“Add in effortless performance, outstanding refinement, competitive pricing and one of the best warranties around, and the striking EV6 doesn’t just look like the future – it feels like it too.”

Paul Philpott, president and CEO of Kia UK Limited, said: “It’s a great honour for Kia to win ‘Car of the Year’ at this year’s What Car? Awards, particularly given the high regard with which they are held by customers across the UK.

“The EV6 is a truly exceptional car and it’s just the beginning of things to come from Kia on our rapid journey to electrification. This is tangible recognition that Kia is fast becoming a true leader in electric vehicles having also won this award with e-Niro in 2019.”

The EV6 is Kia’s first dedicated electric car, and shows the exciting potential of the company’s new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP).

The EV6 is available with rear- or all-wheel drive and a 77.4kWh battery as standard across a choice of three model grades: Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S.

Pricing for the range starts from £40,945, with driving range as high as 328 miles for rear-wheel-drive models.

Unveiled at the start of 2021, the EV6 has quickly gained consumer attention, with UK customer deliveries commencing in the final quarter of 2021.

Sales momentum for the EV6 is strong and continuing to grow, with more than 1,000 units sold in the UK since deliveries began.

A performance-orientated version of the EV6 – the GT – is due to join the line-up later in 2022.