In January 2023, jurors presented the Kia EV6 with the 2023 North American Utility Vehicle of The Year (NACTOY) award. Kia America today debuted a limited edition EV6 at The Quail with bespoke visual elements to commemorate the achievement.
The special edition would be limited to just 1,000 units. Kia is offering a model-specific paint called Deep Forest Green to make it stand apart. The EV6 will also feature blacked-out exterior elements including wheel arches, side skirts, and mirrors – these are bits borrowed from the EV6 Wind variant, said Kia America.
It will borrow the 20-inch alloy wheels and sunroof from the EV6 GT-Line. Inside, the limited-run electric crossover would feature NACTOY medallions and a “teaser silhouette” of the vehicle next to the gear selector, said Kia America as the trim made its Monterey Car Week debut.
Powering the limited edition EV6 would be the all-wheel-drive GT-Line’s motors. Its front and rear motors will deliver a combined 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque, deriving energy from the 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery that Hyundai Motor Group also uses on its other E-GMP-based EVs like the Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60 among others.
Prices will be revealed closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date later this year. “It’s a vehicle that jurors found superior to other electric vehicles in many ways, including driving dynamics, price, and ability to charge quickly,” said Jeff Gilbert, the president of North American Car Truck and Utility of the Year.
NACTOY comprises 50 automotive journalists from the US and Canada associated with various publications. They evaluate cars annually based on innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, user experience, driver satisfaction, and value. Vehicles are then put through their paces throughout the year, followed by three rounds of voting.
The base Kia EV6 rear-wheel-drive starts at $42,600 in the US (as of August 17, 2023), and the prices stretch up to $61,600 for the 576 hp GT version.
Its sales haven’t picked up compared to some of its rivals. The year-to-date sales figure in the US amounted to 10,265 units, down 28 percent year-over-year. The EV might be a dealbreaker for some as it does not qualify for the $7,500 tax credit. Although, buyers might find value in the lease options depending on where they live.
