Video comparison – Kia EV6 GT VS Audi RS e-tron GT: Paris-Marseille to decide!

Who would have thought that it was possible twenty years ago, in the days of Shuma insipid and rustic first generation Sportage? Today, Kia is able to mock the most powerful Germans, the Audi RS e-tron GT at the front. Of course, this is an electric car, and getting hundreds of horses from a “combined” engine is much easier than a combustion engine. Texting the RS6 is already going to be more difficult…

The new EV6 GT therefore has around 600 hp. 585 in particular. Crazy, when you know that the most electric Audi surrounded by the RS badge develops 598, or… only 13 more. The exhibition, moreover, is announced as very close.

In fact, the Kia SUV does not have the presence of a very thin German sedan. And with a length of 4.70 m against 4.98 m for the e-tron GT, it belongs to the lower category. But based on that technical paper, one can legitimately wonder if South Korea offers the same road services, especially in terms of freedom. Admittedly, if that were the case, it could spoil the hair of a few “Lords of the Rings” on the highway, especially since it claims “only” €73,990, against… €145,800 for the ‘Audi…

Closer than it seems…

The rally is all the more exciting as Kia has made the most impressive strides in the last ten years. The EV6’s pencil stroke is already brilliant, considering the thumbs it encounters. Especially since it sports, in this GT version, beautiful 21″ rims that fill its curved arches and green brake calipers. Admittedly it looks good, especially in this (free) shade of matte gray. We are far from the look of the car of the concept that escaped from the Audi show, but still…

The interior also pulls out all the stops with a dashboard cut from soft materials, large screens that are as responsive as they are readable (if not easy to use), and suede-trimmed seats with matching stitching and brake calipers. Better yet, the staff is complete with the excellent Meridian sound system, hands-free doors and tailgate, level 2 autonomous driving, and attractive monitors that broadcast images from the side cameras on the screen. instrument always turn signal. is a lover The only disappointment: the heat pump, which reduces the effects of independent heating, costs € 1,400.

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A futuristic atmosphere on board the Kia EV6 GT, with cleverly designed materials. That said, the e-tron GT offers a more natural driving position, a more refined environment and power-adjustable seats.

Audi has nothing to be ashamed of in terms of interior environment, of course. The design of the dashboard is more detailed, the ergonomics are successful, especially since there is a more natural driving position, and more homogeneous furniture. But it’s not day and night either, contrary to the price difference might suggest. The seats are covered with microfiber as usual and can be adjusted electrically here, but they are not heated (+500 €). On the other hand, the RS cannot drive “alone” without adding (+1,600 €).

Practical features: Kia more spacious and clever!

Question the space of the interior finally, the height of 5 meters of Audi does not guarantee the best accommodation. There is less leg room (about 9 cm difference according to our reading). The only pleasant surprise: the headroom is the same.

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EV6 GT offers more legroom, reclining backrests and good lighting. In Audi, we feel closed, especially since the glass surfaces are reduced, and the passenger in the middle has to cross the tunnel of bad service. That said, the lower side seats are more comfortable.

On the other hand, the rear trunk of the Germans is very simple: not only does it not have a tailgate, but only 350 liters of cubes, or 130 liters less than that of the Kia. For its part, its 75-liter front trunk carries all the charging cables, unlike that of its rival which offers only 15 liters in the top-level versions due to the installation of a second engine.

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If the rear trunk of the Kia looks a little weak (bad carpet, side plastic sensitive to scratches), it is large and easy to load thanks to the tailgate. On the other hand, the charging cables will have to be close to the trunk because the front counterpart cannot receive them, unlike the Audi.

Budget: expensive, or very expensive…

The Kia EV6 GT is already not cheap, at €73,990. And at this price level, there is no bonus to expect. In the category of electric family SUVs to which it belongs, the Tesla Model Y Performance claims €69,990. Agree, the American is less powerful (534 hp), but its low weight of almost 200 kg allows to increase the speed of the near. That said, South Korea makes up for it significantly with its long warranty of 7 years or 150,000 km.

However, we are far from the stratospheric budget of the Audi RS e-tron GT, which reaches 145,800 € in its basic version. And if the German battery is guaranteed for 8 years or 160,000 km, everything else is covered for only 2 years. At this price, of course, you have a stylish and refined car, but you can also choose the new Tesla Model S Plaid (€138,990), more powerful (1,020 hp) and capable of covering, according to the WLTP contact cycle. , 634 km. Not forgetting the ease of recharging with the brand’s network of fast stations…

And freedom in all this?

Let’s talk about it, because it is the veins of war against lightning that are brought to perform family duties. And at Paris-Marseille, a good staging area will be valuable for us. According to the WLTP protocol, the EV6 GT will be able to reach 424 km one way in the combined cycle, against 472 km for the Audi. The small deficit is due in part to its battery with a useful capacity of 77.4 kWh, while the e-tron GT has a “net” accumulator of 83.7 kWh.

That said, nothing was lost on the Koreans on our long journey. Not only are the actual conditions very different from the WLTP cycles, but the lower frequency difference does not mean more downtime. And above all, Kia promotes a charging capacity of up to 240 kW at fast DC stations, a guarantee of refueling in a short time: less than 20 minutes to go from 10 to 80%, depending on the brand.

Even if it accepts 270 kW, Audi will not leave early, as its battery is large. And a lot to tell you at once: during our return trip, we very rarely managed to “pull” more than 150 kW … In fact, nothing is predetermined, and falling on efficient stations is still important. Speaking of which, shall we leave?