We spent a full day testing the 2024 Kia EV6 Wind RWD (77.4 kWh pack, 19-inch wheels) to measure real-world range across city streets, suburban arterials, and interstate cruising, with a cold-weather segment to stress HVAC loads. Here’s how it performed outside the lab.
Our test car was a 2024 Kia EV6 Wind RWD, single-motor rear drive rated at 225 hp and 258 lb-ft. EPA range is 310 miles on 19-inch wheels. Curb weight is roughly 4,200 lb, DC fast charge peak is advertised at up to 240 kW on an 800V architecture, and the battery is 77.4 kWh gross (approx. mid‑70s kWh usable).
We charged to 100%, set tires to 39 psi cold, and ran multiple loops: urban (avg 23 mph), mixed suburban (avg 38 mph), and two controlled highway runs (65 mph and 75 mph, GPS-verified). Ambient temperatures ranged 48–72°F with light winds (8–12 mph). Climate control was set to 72°F Auto, ECO drive mode, regen in i‑Pedal for city and Auto for highway. Elevation change netted within ±150 ft; we used out‑and‑back legs to cancel wind/grade.
City loop (25 miles at 68–72°F) returned 4.3 mi/kWh (233 Wh/mi), projecting roughly 318 miles on the usable pack. Stop‑and‑go favored the EV6’s strong regen; i‑Pedal allows smooth one‑pedal driving to a stop, reducing brake use. The cabin stayed quiet over rough pavement and throttle mapping in ECO helped avoid efficiency-sapping surges. In heavier traffic with more HVAC cycling, we saw 4.0–4.2 mi/kWh.
Mixed suburban driving (45 miles, 40–55 mph corridors with lights) delivered 3.9 mi/kWh (256 Wh/mi), projecting ~288–295 miles. At steady 65 mph on dry pavement and 70°F, the EV6 averaged 3.6 mi/kWh (278 Wh/mi), or ~265–270 miles. Bumping to 75 mph dropped efficiency to 3.1 mi/kWh (323 Wh/mi), projecting ~225–235 miles; our out‑and‑back averages were 3.2 mi/kWh with a tailwind and 3.0 mi/kWh into a headwind. A light rain at 65 mph further trimmed results to ~3.3 mi/kWh due to increased rolling resistance and wiper/HVAC loads.
A cold segment at 37–42°F with the cabin at 72°F showed the expected HVAC penalty. At 65 mph, we recorded 2.7 mi/kWh (370 Wh/mi), or ~195–205 miles, while low‑speed city driving in the same conditions improved to ~3.3 mi/kWh as waste heat and regen did more of the work. Across the full day, we covered 236 miles and ended at 4% state of charge with 71.0 kWh shown as used, back‑calculating to roughly 74–75 kWh usable including buffer. The trip computer’s arrival‑SoC predictions were within 2–3 percentage points after the first 10 miles of learning.
Bottom line: the EV6 comfortably exceeds 300 miles in temperate, urban-heavy use, lands around 260–270 miles at a steady 65 mph, and about 225–235 miles at 75 mph. In near‑freezing temps with continuous heat, plan for ~200 miles at highway speeds. For buyers, the RWD/19-inch setup is the efficiency sweet spot; stick with moderate speeds, precondition in winter, and rely on out‑and‑back planning to validate your own baseline. It’s a calm, confidence‑building cruiser with honest, predictable range behavior.
