Kia EV6 vs BMW X3

What's the difference?

The Kia EV6 Air offers comfort, a good range of features and beautiful handling for a ‘base model’, but it is a little pricey considering its competition.

Having said that, if you’re looking for an EV that will fit the family and has a stellar safety list – this is one to consider.

My son reckons the EV6 looks 'really cool' and he loves the space in the back seat.

This is a highly competent all-rounder, given that it has the comfort and practicality for urban family duties yet with its revered M breeding can produce a level of performance which, in competent hands, could hold its own at a track day where its capabilities could be safely explored.

The EV6 is cool and fun-looking, but being the base-model does mean you get plastic rather than body-coloured mouldings around the base of the car, which highlights its grade level.

The exterior hosts 19-inch alloy wheels and a full suite of LED lights but misses out on the upgraded Matrix headlights that the higher grades get.

The exterior's swoopy curves look aerodynamic and the chunkier rear balances out the sharper nose.

The interior looks well-made, and the mix of high-end cloth and synthetic-leather materials complement the futuristic exterior aesthetic.

The dashboard is headlined by a curved panel that houses the dual 12.3-inch tech screens and the floating centre console leans into that future vibe again.

There's a nice mix of touchscreen and physical buttons to satisfy a wide audience. Overall, while it’s not as flashy as its siblings, the cabin of the Air is very pleasant to look at.

The fourth-gen X3, which has a lighter but stiffer body, shares the same wheelbase as its third-gen predecessor but at 4755mm end-to-end it's 34mm longer and it's 29mm wider.

It’s also 25mm lower, which combined with front and rear track-width increases and adaptive suspension damping to sharpen the handling underlines its sportiness and driver appeal, despite a substantial 2055kg kerb weight.

The new exterior design is characterised by short overhangs, flush door handles, a larger ‘split kidney’ grille, new LED taillights and L-shaped light elements for the LED headlights.

The new interior design is a classy mix of soft-touch materials and high-gloss hard surfaces in tastefully contrasting tones. The seats are upholstered in a new synthetic leather called 'Veganza' ('Espresso Brown' in our example) which according to BMW requires 85 per cent fewer CO2 emissions to produce than genuine leather (which is still available as an extra-cost option).

Combined with subtle use of ‘Magnolia’ fine-wood trim inserts, satin chrome, piano black, blue/red M highlights and slender ambient light-strips, it’s a cabin that exudes opulence.

The space in the EV6 rivals much larger SUVs and tall families will rejoice with how much leg- and headroom you get in both rows.

The comfort for passengers is pretty good, with comfortable seats in both rows that feel well-cushioned. The floor in the rear is flat, which accommodates any middle-seaters.

Being the base grade, you don’t get electric front seats, which is a bit rough for its price point but the driver’s side does get powered lumbar support, which I appreciate on longer journeys.

Individual storage is fantastic for the class and the front gets two cupholders, a drink bottle holder in each door and glovebox and middle console. There are multiple storage nooks and a utility tray on the topside of the floating centre console (sized for items like keys, wallet, phone etc).

The large shelf underneath the centre console easily accommodates a handbag and snacks for any kids in the back (or adults, no judgement).

Individual storage in the back is as good as the front, with plenty of spots to tuck away all of the paraphernalia that kids seem to attract. There are also two cupholders in a fold-down armrest, a drink bottle holder in each door and map pockets.

On the whole, my seven-year-old really enjoys being in the back seat because of the amenities and space he has. He finds the EV6 to be an easy car to get out of but we all struggle with the flush door handles! They can be terribly annoying to use as they don’t pop out on approach or when you unlock the doors. If you have your hands full and have little T-Rex hands like me, it can be awkward to open.

What isn't awkward to use is the technology! The 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system is quick to respond and the system itself is easy to navigate once you spend some time with it.

The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is semi-customisable but not as pretty in its graphics as it could be. It has two styles to choose from - white or black, and the white is a little too sterile for my liking.

The multimedia system features wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and built-in satellite navigation with map updates for 10 years.

Charging options are solid with a single USB-A and and two USB-C ports up front, a wireless charging pad and a two 12-volt ports to choose from. The rear enjoy a three-pin standard house port and two USB-C ports as well.

The back seat has a 60/40 split and it's handy that you can lower them from the boot with manual levers. The boot itself is a good size with 490L when all seats are in use but you miss out on a powered tailgate in this model.

The frunk storage also offers an additional 52L, which is perfect to keep any charging cables or the tyre mobility kit stored away.

This would make a great family weekend escape machine, for which BMW quotes a 645kg payload rating. It’s also rated to tow up to 2500kg of braked trailer, which could pose a challenge given the relatively low 100kg tow-ball download limit (TBD is typically around 10 per cent of trailer weight).

BMW also does not publish a GCM figure (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) so we can’t confirm if it can carry its maximum payload while towing its maximum trailer weight.

Even so, the M50 has a useful-sized luggage area which offers up to 570 litres (or 0.57 cubic metres) of load volume with the rear seat upright.

This expands to 1700 litres (or 1.7 cubic metres) with the rear seat folded flat, which can be handy for a multitude of tasks like transporting a mountain bike or hauling home flat-pack furniture.

There’s comfortable space for the driver and front passenger, along with useful storage including large bottle-holders and bins in each front door.

The centre console has two small-bottle/cupholders plus wireless phone-charging and a pair of USB ports. There's also a glove box plus another box at the rear of the console with a padded lid that doubles as an elbow rest.

The rear bench seat is surprisingly spacious, given that I’m 186cm tall and when seated behind the driver’s seat in my position I still have about 40mm of knee clearance, which is optimised by the concave shape of the front seat backrests.

The spacious and airy feel is enhanced by the ‘panorama’ glass roof which spans the full length of the seating area and allows generous headroom even for tall people.  

However, shoulder room is tight for three adults and the centre passenger’s feet must contend with the transmission tunnel, so even though it would be fine for three kids we’d suggest a limit of two adults for longer trips.

Rear passengers get privacy glass and pull-up roller sunshades, large-bottle holders and bins in each door plus net-type pockets and anchorage points for media devices on each front seat backrest. There are also two small-bottle/cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.

The rear of the centre console has two USB ports, adjustable air-vents plus controls for zone temperature, airflow preferences and seat-heating.

The bench seat features a 40/20/40 split, which allows the centre backrest to fold forward independent of the two outer backrests to allow long loads like snow skis, home hardware etc to be carried if securely fastened.

A power tailgate provides access to the luggage area, which is equipped with a handy 12-volt accessory socket plus load-anchorage points front and rear, extra storage nooks for small items on either side and a retractable roller-type load cover. Overall, this vehicle offers good practicality for family duties.

Our X3 M50 xDrive test vehicle, finished in new 'Dune Grey Metallic', comes standard with a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engine incorporating 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, plus an eight-speed automatic and permanent all-wheel drive for a list price of $128,900.

You’d expect a high performance prestige vehicle costing six figures would be packed with desirable standard features and the M50 xDrive delivers, starting with big 21-inch 'M' lightweight alloy wheels shod with wide 285/35R21 tyres.

However, there’s no room for a spare (not even a space-saver) so you get a tyre repair kit instead.

The standard equipment list also includes adaptive LED headlights (with matrix high-beam and blue design detailing), a power tailgate, an ‘Iconic Glow’ illuminated kidney grille with M-specific elements, quad exhaust outlets, a panorama full-length (fixed) glass roof, a choice of six premium metallic paint colours and more. The 'M Sport Pro' visual enhancement package is also included.

Step inside and the driver is treated to a head-up display and an elegantly curved digital dash display, which spans about two-thirds of the cabin's width. It seamlessly incorporates a 12.3-inch driver’s instrument display (made from recycled polyester) and 14.9-inch multimedia display controlled by BMW’s latest 'iDrive System 9' software.

Premium audio is provided by a 15-speaker 750-watt Harman Kardon surround sound system, which includes digital radio and wireless Apple/Android connectivity. There’s also wireless phone charging.

The driver gets a thick leather-rimmed and heated 'M Sport' flat-bottom steering wheel and the driver and front passenger are also treated to sumptuous bucket seats with multiple power adjustments and heating/cooling.

Up to three passengers can share the rear bench seat and indulge in the luxury of three-zone automatic climate control, heating for the outer seating positions, privacy glass, roll-up sunshades, two USB-C ports and lots more.

The EV6 Air is a single-motor rear-wheel-drive that produces a maximum power output of 168kW and 350Nm of torque.

The Air has the slowest 0-100km/h sprint time in the EV6 range at 7.3 seconds, but that’s honestly enough for my little family. It still feels pretty damn zippy when you put your foot down.

According to BMW, the M50 xDrive features the most powerful inline six-cylinder petrol engine fitted to an M Performance model.

This 3.0-litre unit clearly benefits from BMW’s twin-scroll turbocharging technology, which combined with variable valve timing and an extra 13kW/200Nm from the 48V mild-hybrid technology produces a stomping 293kW of power at 5500rpm and 580Nm of torque at 1900rpm.

It also has a ‘boost’ function, which provides an extra burst of power for short periods when maximum acceleration is required when overtaking etc.

It’s activated by the left paddle-shifter on the steering wheel and automatically optimises transmission/chassis settings to suit. There’s also a drive mode selector, with ‘Sport’ offering the most responsive and engaging experience.

The eight-speed torque converter automatic is a refined and efficient transmission well suited to this full-time all-wheel drive application. Rapid-fire manual shifting is also available using the steering wheel paddles.

Officially, you get a driving range of up to 528km (WLTP) from the 77.4kWh lithium-ion battery. However, the longest range I ever saw was 480km, which admittedly is still very good.

The EV6 Air has a Type 2 CCS port, which means you can benefit from plugging into a fast charger and the accepted voltage is a whopping 800v.

On a 50kW system, you’ll get from 10-80 per cent charge in 73 minutes and on a 350kW system, which charge time drops to just 18 minutes.

Expect it to take longer on AC charging, though. To get from 10-100 per cent on an 11kW system, it will take approximately seven hours and 20 minutes. On a standard house plug ... expect it to be on charge for around 30 hours.

The Air also has a vehicle to load (V2L) capability – meaning, it has a standard house three-pin plug port available to charge larger appliances while on the go. 

The official combined energy consumption is 16.5kW/100km (WLTP), and my usage came out at 16.02kW after a mix of open-road and urban driving this week.

BMW claims an official average combined consumption of 8.2L/100km but the dash display was showing 9.9 at the completion of our 210km test, which included a mix of suburban, city and highway travel.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, came in slightly higher again at 10.5L/100km, which given our test vehicle’s two-tonne-plus weight and performance capabilities is still reasonable economy.

So, based on our figures, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 600km from its 65-litre tank, which prefers premium 98 RON petrol.

The EV6 Air handles itself really well, it's been hit by torrential rain and didn’t skip a beat.

The Air really grips the road and distributes the power through the rear wheels evenly. Even at higher speeds, there’s no wobble and it feels stable when you accelerate. 

Steering is on the right side of firm and makes the Air feel very zippy when navigating tight city streets.

There are three levels of regenerative braking available, as well as a one-pedal function called iPedal, which is probably the best I’ve sampled and I like how responsive it is in stop-start traffic. However, when using this function on hills, I still hover over the brakes as it can still roll forward a bit. 

The cabin can get really loud from road noise at higher speeds, but it seems to come from underneath the carriage, rather than through the windows. The suspension is well-cushioned but not spongy.

Parking the EV6 isn’t an issue once you get used to the rotary gear selector and the reversing camera is super clear. You get a 360-degree system on higher grades but the Air does come with front and rear parking sensors.

First, the fun stuff. It certainly feels like ‘the ultimate driving machine’ when you slide behind the chunky leather-rimmed flat-bottom steering wheel and hold it in your hands.

The driver’s seat offers not only powered adjustment of backrest and base-cushion rake, but also four-way lumbar support and side-bolsters that can tighten their embrace of your upper torso to contend with high cornering loads.

There’s also manual extension of the base-cushion length for greater thigh support and a big left footrest to brace against, so you could not ask for a more accommodating and purposeful driving position.

The steering is perfectly weighted and the quartet of enormous disc brakes provide ample bite with superb pedal feel. Combined with its adaptive suspension and wide grippy tyres, the X3 is a family car that’s also invigorating to drive, particularly when you select the ‘Sport’ mode.

The enhanced engine response and sharper steering that result (even the instrument panel display changes) make any twisting mountain road an engaging experience, enhanced by an intoxicating exhaust note that only a BMW M six can deliver.

The turbocharged engine offers an unyielding surge of acceleration from well below peak torque at 1900rpm to maximum power at 5500rpm, making BMW’s claim of 0-100km/h in a scant 4.6 seconds sound credible.

You can also manually change gears using the steering wheel paddles, but we found the gearing and shift calibrations so good that we preferred to leave it in auto mode.

However, the X3 M50 has two distinct personalities, as in more relaxed drive modes it’s just as happy serving as practical family transport during the week for grocery shopping, daily school runs and other common tasks.

It’s also a comfortable tourer for family getaways, with long gearing that requires only 1500rpm to cruise at 100km/h where low engine, tyre and wind noise allow highway conversations at lounge room levels.

No ANCAP rating as yet but this X3 comes with a long menu of standard safety features including multiple airbags, AEB with pedestrian/cyclist/junction detection, front collision warning with brake intervention, lane-keeping, active cruise control, head-up display with speed sign recognition, front and rear cross-traffic alert, tyre pressure monitoring and lots more.

There are also ISOFIX and top tethers for the two outer rear seating positions.

The EV6 comes with a leading seven-year/unlimited-km warranty. The battery covered by a separate seven-year/150,000km term, but this is a smidge shorter than some of its rivals.

You can pre-purchase either a three-, five-, or seven-year servicing program, priced at $721, $1382 and $2045, respectively. All of which are reasonable for the class.

The seven-year program runs up to a max 105,000km.

Servicing intervals are more in line with a fuel-based car at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

It comes standard with a five-year, unlimited km warranty.

Scheduled servicing is determined by BMW’s vehicle monitoring system which advises when a service is needed, typically around 12 months/15,000km.

A capped-price servicing package covering five years/80,000km (whichever occurs first) totals $2475, or an average of $495 per service.