Since some people come to the forum asking for comparisons of the XC40/C40 Recharge to other EVs, I thought I'd share some thoughts on the Kia EV6 I rented this week in Charlotte, North Carolina. While the purchase price for each differ greatly, lease deals are pretty similar for both cars.
Build Quality: The car was very well assembled, and with over 50,000 miles on it, was still quiet and rattle free. For my tastes, the interior plastics weren't very elegant—flat, untextured door and dash panels combined with other plastics with different textures. There's a swath of woven fabric across the dash.The console and steering wheel had an aluminum finish (I think it was real). The Volvo definitely appears/feels more elegant.
Design: I really like the exterior, especially in the dark blue paint my rental car had. The interior had a bit too many curves, cutouts, and bulges for my taste. The driver's screen has a video game-inspired design to communicate speed and charge, with popup info windows for vitals. Controls were a confusing mix of buttons, dials, and touch-sensitive haptic icons, some of which have multiple functions. The infotainment screen is big. It took some time to figure out how to move between screens, as the home button and menu options don't show unless you swipe out of some screen content.
Space: Luggage space was great. For me, the interior felt small—the black interior was dark, and the low rear window and dark back seat area made it difficult to see out. I'm six feet tall, and my seat back position was aligned to the central door pillar. For lane changes, I couldn't see anything looking over my left shoulder, and the rear window design made it difficult to see out the passenger side too.
Performance: While not as fast as my Twin Recharge, it was still quick. There are performance modes and recharge options to suit different tastes. Unless you drag race, it had more than enough power. Handling and ride quality were great.
Range: The car showed an initial range of 265 miles miles at 80% charge. I drove roundtrip from Charlotte to Columbia, SC and around town in both cities. I'd say 85% of my driving was on the highway at speeds of 65 mph or greater on flat roads. I returned the car with 43 miles of range left. I wish my Volvo had this range! I drove from Phoenix to Flagstaff (100+ miles) mostly uphill on steep roads, and had to charge at the halfway point for personal comfort (I'm sure I had enough range to go the whole way though). Hertz has an option to pre-pay to recharge the car, much like prepaid fuel. It cost $31.50.
Before I purchased my used Volvo, I was seriously interested in the EV6. I'd say it is a great EV, but could have better interior design and materials.
Build Quality: The car was very well assembled, and with over 50,000 miles on it, was still quiet and rattle free. For my tastes, the interior plastics weren't very elegant—flat, untextured door and dash panels combined with other plastics with different textures. There's a swath of woven fabric across the dash.The console and steering wheel had an aluminum finish (I think it was real). The Volvo definitely appears/feels more elegant.
Design: I really like the exterior, especially in the dark blue paint my rental car had. The interior had a bit too many curves, cutouts, and bulges for my taste. The driver's screen has a video game-inspired design to communicate speed and charge, with popup info windows for vitals. Controls were a confusing mix of buttons, dials, and touch-sensitive haptic icons, some of which have multiple functions. The infotainment screen is big. It took some time to figure out how to move between screens, as the home button and menu options don't show unless you swipe out of some screen content.
Space: Luggage space was great. For me, the interior felt small—the black interior was dark, and the low rear window and dark back seat area made it difficult to see out. I'm six feet tall, and my seat back position was aligned to the central door pillar. For lane changes, I couldn't see anything looking over my left shoulder, and the rear window design made it difficult to see out the passenger side too.
Performance: While not as fast as my Twin Recharge, it was still quick. There are performance modes and recharge options to suit different tastes. Unless you drag race, it had more than enough power. Handling and ride quality were great.
Range: The car showed an initial range of 265 miles miles at 80% charge. I drove roundtrip from Charlotte to Columbia, SC and around town in both cities. I'd say 85% of my driving was on the highway at speeds of 65 mph or greater on flat roads. I returned the car with 43 miles of range left. I wish my Volvo had this range! I drove from Phoenix to Flagstaff (100+ miles) mostly uphill on steep roads, and had to charge at the halfway point for personal comfort (I'm sure I had enough range to go the whole way though). Hertz has an option to pre-pay to recharge the car, much like prepaid fuel. It cost $31.50.
Before I purchased my used Volvo, I was seriously interested in the EV6. I'd say it is a great EV, but could have better interior design and materials.
