Yahoo Autos 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line RWD Road Test: When rear-drive isn't the fun choice
Normally, when we talk about adding all-wheel-drive to a sporty car, it means adding weight and losing some driving fun. It also means gaining traction for quicker launches and more all-weather assurance. Either way, you can expect the exact same power coming from the engine regardless of how many wheels are driven. Electric vehicles are different. With rare exception, opting for all-wheel drive adds a second electric motor to the axle that normally does not have one as standard. That invariably adds extra performance in addition to the traction benefits of all-wheel drive. In the Kia EV6, the difference between rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive is 95 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque. That's immense, equaling a 0-60-sprint time difference of 7.2 seconds with RWD and 4.6 with AWD. The price difference accounts for that, with a premium of $4,700 instead of the usual $1,500 or $2,000 in most AWD SUVs.
We've noticed, however, that dealers may not be ordering these cars with this performance angle in mind. In Detroit and Portland, Ore., for instance, every EV6 in inventory is all-wheel-drive. In Los Angeles, all but one of 25 EV6s are rear-wheel drive. That's probably pretty consistent with customer tendencies for normal, gas-powered SUVs, but it sure seems like folks in northern climates are likely paying a lot of money for extra performance they may not want, while those in southern climates are missing out on performance cause they don't realize that AWD brings benefits beyond snowy weather traction they obviously don't need.
Performance for the RWD model may be down at 225 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, but range is bolstered all the way up to 310 miles, which is a 36-mile increase over the dual-motor GT-Line. That’s also normal when it comes to EVs. An identical battery pack providing power to one fewer motor is inherently going to be more efficient. The critical number for the RWD car is 117 MPGe, which is notably greater than the 105 MPGe from the dual-motor AWD version.
Punching it from a stop doesn’t yield the neck-snapping acceleration of quicker EVs, including our long-term EV6 AWD model. Instead, the RWD EV6 GT-Line pulls away from lights in a far more relaxed manner indicative of its official 7.2-second 0-60 time. That 258 pound-feet of torque is still ready in an instant once moving, but it’s never pin-you-back levels of quick.
The above said, Kia’s eco-friendly tires are still liable to squeak and slide from time to time if you get on the power through a turn. There isn’t enough excess power being sent to the rear to induce smoky oversteer, but try hard enough, and the EV6 will give you a little rotation. Its big battery pack being evenly distributed in the car’s floor means that even the slightly tall EV6 feels planted and predictable when you ask it to be unruly. Strangely enough, though, the AWD version of the EV6 is even easier to provoke oversteer from despite having a comparably sized rear motor. With traction control off, the rear end can be sent into a nice, arcing slide as you accelerate from a stop while turning either left or right. This rear-drive model is much more docile and happier to just gently apply its power to the pavement without major provocation.
It doesn’t matter which drive layout you choose when it comes to handling, as both EV6s are relatively heavy. And while the RWD one saves nearly 300 pounds of weight versus the dual-motor, it still doesn’t feel sprightly or light on its feet. The EV6, unlike sportier EVs like the BMW i4, Polestar 2 or Jaguar I-Pace, is no sports sedan alternative. Instead, it prioritizes ride comfort above corner-carving prowess. That doesn’t mean it isn’t a competent handler, but don’t expect greatness out of this chassis, even with this lighter rear-drive version.
