EV vs. Gas: Is 1,000 Miles LTS the Metric of the Future?

kia ev6 Full OverviewHey," we said to the MotorTrend test team as it pulled its instruments off the 2022 Kia EV6. "You guys all have something on your face. Something really odd-looking. Goodness gracious, are those … smiles?"Sure enough, the EV6 had elicited that rare sign of positive emotion among our jaded testers, and for much the same reason its platform mate, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, earned that same infrequent accolade. Given free rein from its electronic nannies, it turns out the Kia EV6 likes to go sideways—earlier and even more so than the Hyundai does.Unexpected Results at the Test Track"Wow, I was not expecting this," road test editor Chris Walton said. "Well, I was halfway expecting it because we noticed the rear weight bias [49/51 front/rear]. But I wasn't expecting entry and midcorner oversteer." While the Ioniq 5 showed signs of a willingness to rotate as it careened around the skidpad, the EV6, with its 4-inch-shorter wheelbase, proved to be even friskier than the Hyundai. Walton was so intrigued that he attempted to drift the all-wheel-drive EV6 all the way around the circle, but its front motor kept straightening the car out. "I tried to do the entire skidpad sideways, but I only got about a third of the way around." (The Hyundai, which began to straighten later, drifted through two-thirds.)We noticed the same tail-happy behavior = on our public-road test loop: Push the EV6 hard into a corner, and it leads from the back. Which is not to imply you should avoid following Kia EV6s for fear that one will suddenly spin out in front of you—the EV6 has decent grip, generating 0.89 g on the skidpad before Walton decided to do his pro drifter impersonation. Its stability control system will prevent tail-wagging when fully on and curtail it before it gets out of hand in partial-off mode. Nothing dangerous here—just good old-fashioned unleash-the-teenager-within fun."It's a back-to-basics car, surprisingly," Walton said. "You have to get all the braking done before starting the turn-in. It hates trail-braking. The steering is a little lifeless, but it's very precise and intuitive. It doesn't feel like the heavy car [4,693 pounds on our scales] that it is." The EV6's figure-eight time of 25.9 seconds at 0.71 g further highlighted its dynamic bona fides, a number just 0.2 second behind that of the Hyundai.How Quick Is the 2022 Kia EV6?For our acceleration test, we were curious to see how the EV6 stacks up against both the Ioniq 5 and the Tesla Model Y, the current benchmark by which dual-motor E-crossovers are measured. With 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque to motivate itself, the EV6 sprinted to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, a tenth slower than the slightly lighter Hyundai but with similar acceleration characteristics. Even with traction control off, the test team reported that the EV6's launch was drama-free with no wheelspin. While its acceleration didn't feel quite as dramatic as the 2020 Model Y Dual Motor Long Range we tested at 4.1 seconds to 60, unlike many other EVs, the EV6's power doesn't feel as though it trails off at higher speeds. That said, the quarter-mile came up in 13.3 seconds at 101.2 mph, again a tenth of a second (and 1.5 mph) slower than the Ioniq 5 and almost a second behind the Model Y.Braking performance was a mixed bag. The EV6's best 60-0-mph stop of 117 feet was fine—better than the Hyundai and the Model Y. But our first hard stop elicited a worrying bang accompanied by a very long stopping distance. The second run gave us the 117-foot figure, but on subsequent stops the performance notably deteriorated. Although the Kia felt more stable under panic braking overall than the Hyundai, we felt the pedal should offer more feedback, and we wish the brakes were more robust in general."The brakes definitely won't last long when driving it like a hot hatch," road test analyst Alan Lau said. "Powerful powertrain but not enough stopping power."A Sporty SUV in a Strangely Shaped PackageWhile the EV6's driving characteristics elicited grins, other aspects of this vehicle seemed to elicit an itching in our scalps—yes, this Kia had us scratching our heads. For starters, there's the price. The as-tested MSRP for our top-of-the-range AWD GT-Line model just crested $58K, a long way from the base model's $42,115 starting price. Even after incentives, that seems like a lot of money given the EV6's price and packaging.The packaging itself was another puzzler. Kia advertises the EV6 as an all-electric SUV, yet its limited headroom—thanks to a rakishly low roof combined with a high floor under which the battery pack resides—make it feel like more of a hot station wagon. Even our shorter staffers noted with some alarm how close their noggins were to the EV6's headliner. That, and the EV6's half-pane sunroof effectively turns the back seat into a cave.Some of the ergonomic choices are really baffling, as well, such as the combination stereo and climate controls. We don't mean that they're combined on one panel; rather, a capacitive-touch LCD screen and a pair of dials switch between these two functions—the left-hand dial, for example, serves as either power/volume or driver-side temperature control, depending on which mode the panel is in. Therein lies the trouble: If, when reaching for said dial with the intention of changing the volume, your finger happens to come close to the auto climate touch-pane next to it, the volume stays the same but the temperature changes. Hopefully you weren't planning to turn the volume down in a hurry, because you're now unable to change it (or press it to turn the stereo off) until you press another section of the screen to change the panel back to the stereo controls. This didn't happen to us just once or twice—it happened repeatedly, even after we knew to look out for it. It's hard to imagine Kia coming up with a worse idea short of mounting the horn inside the cabin.Speaking of inappropriate noises, while all EVs are required to have an external noisemaker at low speeds (to warn the sight-impaired of their otherwise-silent approach), the Kia pipes in a droning faux engine note at all speeds, not unlike what Audi does in the E-Tron GT. Except in the E-Tron GT it sounds cool. In the EV6, it just grated on our nerves.Kia EV6 May Not Be a Great SUV, but It's Pretty GreatSo yes, the EV6 has some challenges. Perhaps if Kia marketed the EV6 as a hot hatchback rather than an SUV, we might be a little less baffled. As a sporty electric car, though, we're as pleased as can be with the Kia EV6's test-track results and their real-world implications. We've known for a while now that the speed and smooth power of electric cars can make them a lot of fun to drive, but the Kia's tail-first antics were not the sort of fun we were expecting from an EV—and we call that a very pleasant surprise, indeed. Hey, Kia, how long before we can get a rear-drive version of the EV6 in for testing? Walton's eager to drift it all the way around the skidpad.Looks good! More details?2022 Kia EV6 AWD GT-Line Specifications BASE PRICE $57,115 PRICE AS TESTED $58,105 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front- and rear-motor, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV MOTOR TYPE Permanent-magnet electric POWER (SAE NET) 320 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 446 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 1-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,693 lb (49/51%) WHEELBASE 114.2 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 184.8 x 74.4 x 60.8 in 0-60 MPH 4.5 sec QUARTER MILE 13.3 sec @ 101.2 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 117 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.89 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.9 sec @ 0.71 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 116/94/105 mpg-e EPA RANGE, COMB 274 mi ON SALE Now Show All

For many of us, 2002 feels far more distant than 20 years ago. The world has drastically changed since then—just think about it. Smartphones weren't even around. One thing that was around and stuck around is Volkswagen's Golf R, even if it has drastically advanced since then. The hatchback's beginnings as the still beloved Golf R32 in Europe and, later, here in America, gave way to a lineage of hardcore Golfs, though they've long since dropped the "32" from their names, leaving them as Rs only.Those original R32s used a 3.2-liter VR6 engine (VW's narrow-angle V-6), so naturally, when the follow-up arrived with a 2.0-liter turbo I-4, the "32" part of the name went away. The R has kept the same all-wheel-drive, turbocharged-four-cylinder layout since, and now VW is celebrating 20 years of "R" with a limited-edition 2023 Volkswagen Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition limited to under 2,000 examples and just three color options for the North American market.Typically badge and paint "Anniversary Editions" of performance cars, you know, the kind that lack performance enhancements, aren't terribly thrilling. Brand aficionados usually eat them up, of course, for their rarity or special colors. Volkswagen combines the usual style upgrades and rarity with a few interesting twists for its Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition. A quick note, too: This version is distinct from the "20 Years Edition" Golf R introduced for Europe earlier this year. The first and really only performance enhancer? VW deletes the Golf R's sunroof, reducing some mass from the Golf's roof, likely lowering the center of gravity fractionally relative to a normal R. Inside, the Golf R's interior is treated to real carbon fiber trim, which VW says is a first from the brand. But wait, didn't our European friends had a shot a few years back at the über rare and ultra-efficient XL1 diesel-hybrid, which not only sported a carbon fiber monocoque, but also featured carbon fiber in its interior? VW clarified to MotorTrend that the Golf R therefore is "the first mass-produced VW with carbon fiber trim, and first ever for North America."Everything else is standard Golf R, which includes the 315-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged E888 I-4, six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission choices, front 14.1-inch cross drilled rotors, and 235/35R19 summer tires. Every R gets all-wheel drive with torque vectoring and DCC electronically adaptive dampers. These mechanicals make every Golf R fun to drive, at least when you don't accidentally bump the sensitive capacitive touch controls on the steering wheel, meaning the 20th Anniversary should be just as zippy.So, what about those visuals? The Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition will only be offered in three colors, each with contrasting mirror cap colors. Lapiz Blue (pictured here) will come with gloss black mirror caps, while Deep Black Pearl and Pure White will come with Lapiz Blue mirror caps. Regardless of paint color, the 19x8-inch Estoril wheels are finished in Gloss black. There are also special blue finished R logos on the bumpers and front fenders while a gloss black 20th Anniversary badge on each B-pillar. The "R" logo will also have a blue finish on the steering wheel clasp, and the key fob will also be unique to the Golf R 20th that has a blue "R" logo painted on it.Finally, the Golf R 20th Anniversary Edition won't cost you much more than a standard Golf R. The six-speed manual version starts at $46,035, and adding the seven-speed DSG will cost $800. That represents an $850 premium over equivalent regular Rs. The only problem is that only 1,800 models of the 20th Anniversary Edition will be available. If you're an absolute VW Golf and "R" fan, you can't miss this, otherwise you can opt for the standard Golf R that's already an amazing vehicle—again, save for its frustrating interior climate and radio controls.

The Honda Civic isn't just the car that turned one of the largest motorcycle companies into a big-time automaker. It's also the car that lit up the small-car performance movement. Before the Civic, compact cars with satisfying driving dynamics, reliability, and generally not sucking just didn't exist. It helped cement Honda's reputation for affordable, quality vehicles here in America, and the Civic has changed just as much as the sort of people who buy, drive, and modify them have. Now in its eleventh generation and with more than 22 million of them built, the Civic is a mainstay of the auto industry, a top seller in its class, and even carries performance cred thanks to its generations of sporty Si models and—available elsewhere for years but only recently here—hardcore Type R variants. So, let's take a deeper look at one of the longest-running nameplates in automotive history as it turns 50 years old in 2022: