Kia's EV6 GT has come out on top in a recent comparison of high-performance electric vehicles run by the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, finishing ahead of the Tesla Model Y Performance and BYD's Sealion 7.
The magazine tested five vehicles across seven categories: body, safety, comfort and convenience, powertrain, driving performance, environmental friendliness and running costs. The EV6 GT collected 585 points, nine more than the Model Y Performance, which placed second with 576.
The Zeekr 7GT took third place with 569 points. The Polestar 4 Coupe Dual Motor followed with 531, while the BYD Sealion 7 AWD Excellence finished fifth with 508.
Kia's model won three of the seven categories: safety, powertrain and driving performance. Its safety result was driven by strong braking and stability at high speed. In the powertrain category, the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, rated at up to 650 horsepower and 770 Nm of torque, drew praise.
The widest gap came in driving performance, where the EV6 GT scored 96 points against 76 for the second-placed Model Y Performance. Auto Motor und Sport said the Kia took the overall win because of its "outstanding driving performance."
The car also offers some features aimed at enjoyment, including Virtual Gear Shift, which was carried over from the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N and imitates the feel and sound of a six-speed paddle-shifted transmission. For its latest update, Kia redesigned the interior around its ccNC infotainment system, which uses dual 12.3-inch screens for navigation and the driver display in a curved panoramic layout.
On the technical side, the EV6 GT accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 3.5 seconds. It uses a new 84 kWh battery with a WLTP range of up to 279 miles. Its 800V architecture allows charging from 10% to 80% in as little as 18 minutes.
In Germany, the EV6 GT starts at 69,990 euros, roughly $78,000. The Tesla Model Y Performance starts at 63,970 euros in the country, offers a WLTP range of up to 360 miles (580 km) and also reaches 100 km/h from a standstill in 3.5 seconds.
The result is unlikely to help American buyers directly. Earlier this year, Kia said it was discontinuing the EV6 GT in the US "until further notice."
