2022 Kia EV6

This EV changes everything at least for Kia.

- By Angus MacKenzie

Kia is far from the first mainstream brand to the EV party, but after our drive of the EVO, we can confirm this SUV ought to make the teams behind the Ford Mustang Mach-E and VW ID4 quite nervous.

The EVO offers 58.0-kWh and 77.4-kWh battery packs, as well as the choice of either single-motor, rear-drive or dualmotor, all-wheel-drive configurations. The former uses a 226-hp, 258-lb-ft motor, while the latter adds a front unit for a total system output of 321 horsepower and 446 lb-ft.

This Kia is bigger in person than it seems in photos; it's longer and wider than the ID4 and essentially identical in those dimensions to the Mach-E. But it's a full 3.0 inches lower overall than the Ford and 3.4 lower than the ID4, dramatically changing its proportions and imparting a sportier stance.

The rear-drive model we drove truly impresses in the twisties-perhaps no surprise given former BMWM boss Albert Biermann oversaw the development of every Hyundai and Kia before his recent retirement. The linear, feel some steering is sharper than either the Volkswagen's or the Mustang's, and it's neither too heavy nor too light.