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Kia? Really??

Hook

Blackbeard's former bo'sun.
Haven't given up on keeping my two old ICE Volvos running for a few more years, but I can't help being intrigued by advances in hybrids and EVs, some of those coming from an unexpected source!

When Kia was introduced in the US in 1993, they were terrible cars. Fast forward to today, and I think their looks have improved and they are winning quality awards regularly. To my eyes, their Telluride ICE SUV took some styling cues from a Range Rover.

2022-kia-telluride-103-1623941169.jpg


But it is this new 2022 EV6 that has just caught my eye.

1622147627286.jpg


https://www.kia.com/us/en/ev6

Never really considered Kia (or its cousin Hyundai) before. Always assumed that we would stay with Volvo going forward. But on paper, this EV6 seems to beat the new C40 platform on most important measures (battery range and charging time, performance). Kia also appears to have caught up in safety features, and their 10 year power train and battery warranty is also very attractive.

Have not yet sat in a Kia, much less driven one, so this may all be idle daydreaming. Not sure how Kia is doing in the UK and Europe. Guess I am just curious if anyone else here has given the Koreans a second look.
 
Kia have been making huge strides . watching a former senior member of the govenment on a programme the other day and he was driving a big KIA
their reliabilty according to magazines is excellent
i would most certainly buy one
 
Korea in general had come on great strides. Remember LG TV's 20 years ago ..
no one would touch them.

I've just ordered a new washing machine....LG

The Kia Stinger car is a bit of a sleeper too...

I think they'll be a major EV player
 
Coincidentally, we're taking a Kia EV6 for a test drive on Saturday - I'll report back. It's for SWMBO, but given it's quite a large car, and the range is sufficient to get us up to our Lake District place, a thought occurred, around replacing my BMW Touring with sommat a bit more sporting. I ran this idea up the flagpole, but SWMBO failed to salute.
 
We had a new body Picanto a while back. We found it’s suspension/ride a bit crude but otherwise an excellent runaround. If you enjoy driving it’s probably not the car for you.
 
my neighbour got a new Kia ICE vehicle last year - he loves it, its interior is excellent and its standard gadget level is pleasingly high. It has been exceptionally reliable and the Kia customer service experience has been excellent.
 
Parent in laws have an EV6 on order; lands late Jan 2022

Replaces their F10 5 series; but they have 2 motorbikes, a motorhome and MX5 too... So they wanted an EV for their main vehicle
 
Coincidentally, we're taking a Kia EV6 for a test drive on Saturday - I'll report back. It's for SWMBO, but given it's quite a large car, and the range is sufficient to get us up to our Lake District place, a thought occurred, around replacing my BMW Touring with sommat a bit more sporting. I ran this idea up the flagpole, but SWMBO failed to salute.

Just replied stating that's what my parent in laws are doing, replacing for F10 530D...

Alas my Dad would love one; but the distance still isn't enough (real world distance, not paper) to get them to their property in Dunkeld from Preston (or back home) in one run and now they've bought another property further up the Dee in Craigendarroch; it's simply not feasible, yet...
 
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Kia e-Niro user here. Fantastic car. I wasn't one for crossovers but this one has space for the dogs, and a really nice driving position. It goes fast too. Range anxiety isn't a thing, I can charge to 80% in half an hour or so and can get to the NE of England from Milton Keynes in one go if I wished.

Real world range is at least 220 miles, and that's in winter. In summer we could easily get 265 miles out of it. Real miles, 3.3 miles/kWh on average in winter and 4 in summer. That's not a huge difference. At 7p/kWh on Economy 7 charging that's a full tank for less than a fiver. Remind me how much petrol and diesel are at the moment.

I like the look of the EV6 but will have to wait until the agreement is up on mine before looking. I'm on a salary sacrifice scheme. I'm saving over £100 per month before fuel on not having to insure, service, and finance the thing.
 
I do the think the desire to do long distances in ‘one run’ is a red herring. If I’m going any distance further than the 200 or so miles my Zoe will do, I’d stop for coffee. So I plan to stop and charge where there’s somewhere to have a pee and drink coffee… 45 minutes or so gets me back up to 80%. That’s another good two and a half hours of driving. Anyone doing those sorts of distances without stopping is a hazard to themselves and others. I plan carefully, I use Zap map and check my planned chargers are working and have evidence of recent charger. I avoid BP like the plague, I make sure there’s a plan B.I’ve never had a problem. The problems are mostly in peoples mind.
 
The neighbours have had three Kias now, and they rave about them. Like the OP, I find the styling has improved massively too. I like the look of that Telluride too, though more LandCruiser methinks.
edit : bullocks, not available in UK

The main problem though is that Signora can't forgive them for the speling mistakes. Picanto? Sorento? Realy?
 
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Don’t really agree with that. Given I’ve worked on site for the past 35 years and my yearly average can be anywhere from 20-50k, I certainly don’t want to be stopping for 45mins when I’m on my way home for the weekend and I’ve not seen my loved ones for two weeks or more. I’ll also travel a large part of the length of the country quite happily without stopping and I certainly don’t count myself as a danger to others for doing so. If I feel tired I pull over, but that is a very rare occurrence.
 
Maybe it’s me, but I’d be terrified to be in a Kia if I happened to go through a traffic light just as it turned red.

Joe
 
Evs are a none starter for me based on mileage, I only do hops or 300+ trips. Its bad enough without adding another 30 minutes to the trip.
 
I do the think the desire to do long distances in ‘one run’ is a red herring. If I’m going any distance further than the 200 or so miles my Zoe will do, I’d stop for coffee. So I plan to stop and charge where there’s somewhere to have a pee and drink coffee… 45 minutes or so gets me back up to 80%. That’s another good two and a half hours of driving. Anyone doing those sorts of distances without stopping is a hazard to themselves and others. I plan carefully, I use Zap map and check my planned chargers are working and have evidence of recent charger. I avoid BP like the plague, I make sure there’s a plan B.I’ve never had a problem. The problems are mostly in peoples mind.

You're wrong...

We'll regularly do the 4 hour drive back from Dunkeld to Preston in one jaunt; steady down the A9 to the M80, M74, M6 etc. Zero issues and full control

So why would I or anyone else be a hazard just because you think so...?! o_O

Makes no sense at all...
 
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But it is this new 2022 EV6 that has just caught my eye.

1622147627286.jpg


https://www.kia.com/us/en/ev6

Never really considered Kia (or its cousin Hyundai) before. Always assumed that we would stay with Volvo going forward. But on paper, this EV6 seems to beat the new C40 platform on most important measures (battery range and charging time, performance). Kia also appears to have caught up in safety features, and their 10 year power train and battery warranty is also very attractive.

Have not yet sat in a Kia, much less driven one, so this may all be idle daydreaming. Not sure how Kia is doing in the UK and Europe. Guess I am just curious if anyone else here has given the Koreans a second look.
Kia, and Hyundai have followed the trajectory set by the Japanese makers in the 1980s. From novelty that nobody took seriously, to the best value/quality balance on the market.

The Hyundai equivalent to the EV6 is quite a looker too
ioniq5kvs_4.jpg

I saw one on the road for the first time a few days ago. It's terrific. The only area where I think Volvo/Polestar still has the edge is with the seats.
 
I do the think the desire to do long distances in ‘one run’ is a red herring. If I’m going any distance further than the 200 or so miles my Zoe will do, I’d stop for coffee. So I plan to stop and charge where there’s somewhere to have a pee and drink coffee… 45 minutes or so gets me back up to 80%. That’s another good two and a half hours of driving. Anyone doing those sorts of distances without stopping is a hazard to themselves and others. I plan carefully, I use Zap map and check my planned chargers are working and have evidence of recent charger. I avoid BP like the plague, I make sure there’s a plan B.I’ve never had a problem. The problems are mostly in peoples mind.
I decide when and where I stop for coffee and a wee on my 210 mile runs from Leeds to rural Essex. I don't usually stay 45 minutes at my coffee stop. I don't want a vehicle to dictate to me.
Also, while an 80% charge might only take 45 minutes, from what I've heard from my iPace-driving mate all the chargers are sometimes in use, so the overall stop may be well over 45 minutes.
I'm not averse to the idea of an electric car, but would like one that caters to what I see as my needs. I've little doubt that by the time I come to change they'll be sufficiently developed or my needs will have changed.
In any event, the current electric cars that are within my price range can do nothing like 200+ miles on a full charge, so it's all academic.
 
Yup...; They've wanted somewhere that way for a good while now; more so as my Dads a salmon/trout fisherman... So it's a good spot and they've treated themselves for their 50th anniversary...

We'll all be abusing it though :D It's a good central spot for me to get to a number of the manhood stones too (and distilleries) ;)
 


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