Kia EV6 VS Land Rover Discovery
Kia EV6
Likes
Dislikes
Land Rover Discovery
Likes
- Comfortable on-road
- Capable off-road
- Air suspension
Dislikes
- Price-tag
- Wheels and tyres not suited to off-roading
- Spongy brakes
Summary
Kia EV6
Sometimes I think the present is nowhere near as futuristic as I thought it would be when pondering things 20 years ago.
And then there are times when the two cars you’re comparing are an electric Mustang SUV and a 580 horsepower Kia that accelerates faster than a Ferrari Enzo.Â
Yep, this comparison of the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT and Kia EV6 GT is one of those times when we’re reminded how much things have changed and how quickly we need to accept the changes electric cars introduce as the new normal.
Read more about
Supercar-like acceleration, the dilemma of charging and the premium price they command are key EV attributes. But they are still cars. Still the way we get around.
If they’re SUVs like the Mach-E GT and EV6 GT we need to compare more than just their EV credentials. Practicality, driveability, value-for-money, safety and ownership costs are also hugely important.
And this is what we’ve done here, comparing them not just as electric cars but in all the ways you’ll use them, too.Â
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | — |
| Fuel Type | Electric |
| Fuel Efficiency | —L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Land Rover Discovery
The Land Rover Discovery is a bit of a classic with 4WDers – and while it’s never attracted a massive and passionate fanbase like its hard-core stablemate, the Defender, it’s done okay for itself.
There used to be a clear distinction between the Discovery and the Defender. The Discovery was always your Landie of choice if you were after a luxurious smooth-riding 4WD, while the Defender was a gruff, rough-riding, hard-core adventure machine.
Read More about the Discovery
Well, with the new Defender being so refined, so well-appointed, so comfortable and so nice to drive – it’s almost like a Discovery in disguise – is the 22MY Discovery even relevant any more?Â
More importantly, does it make sense as your next seven-seat 4WD wagon?
Read on.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.5L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Verdict
Kia EV6/10
The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT wins this comparison with the Kia EV6 GT by a small margin, mainly due to its better practicality, its styling and its lower ownership costs. The Kia EV6 GT is also brilliant in its sporty handling, value-for-money and great battery tech. But if there was one that’s the best all-rounder to live with daily, it’s the Mustang Mach-E GT.
| Â | Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
Price and Features | 7 | 8 |
Design | 9 | 8 |
Practicality | 8 | 7 |
Under the bonnet | 9 | 9 |
Efficiency | 8 | 8 |
Driving | 8 | 8 |
Safety | 9 | 9 |
Ownership | 8 | 7 |
TOTAL | 8.3 | 8 |
Land Rover Discovery8/10
The Land Rover Discovery D300 S is a great family-friendly 4WD wagon.
It’s quiet, refined, and supremely well appointed; it’s also very nice to drive on-road and it’s a lot of fun – and very capable – off-road.Â
It’s packed full of driver-assist tech and its Pivi Pro system is a real treat to use once you’ve mastered the art, which doesn’t take long.
But you could say all of those same things about the new Defender.Â
So, is the Discovery still relevant? I reckon it is … at least for the time being.
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Design
Kia EV6
Two more different looking SUVs you could not find. Actually, the EV6 GT barely even looks like an SUV although that’s what Kia calls it and the industry classifies it as such.
Have a look at the images, or better still watch the video we made above, to take in the stark comparison between the styling of these vehicles.
The Mustang Mach-E GT looks reassuringly like a Mustang SUV with its vertical bar tail-lights, the muscular rear haunches, blade headlights, shark nose bonnet and big grille.
Well, it’s not a real grille but if you look closely you’ll see the faint outline of honeycomb mesh behind the semi-transparent plastic.
The Kia EV6 GT looks more like a bloated hatchback than an SUV, but you could argue that’s all an SUV is, anyway, I guess.
Still, it’s a stunning design with its pinched in nose, bulbous and smooth panels, looking low, wide and intimidating like a venomous insect complete with lime green brake calipers.
Despite the obvious exterior differences their dimensions aren’t wildly different as you can see in the table below, only the height sets them apart.
If all you had to go with were these figures I’m sure you’d never imagine they’d belong to two very different looking SUVs. The extra height gives the Mustang GT Mach-E a more upright and boxy design, and this affects practicality as you’ll read about further on. For now let's look at their insides on purely stylistic merits.
Of course they have completely different interiors. The Mustang Mach-E GT has a more macho, serious but sporty cabin with high quality feeling fabrics adorning the dashboard and synthetic leather seats. Only the gigantic portrait media display makes this feel like a modern Ford product.
The EV6 GT’s cabin feels dark, like a cave but one filled with expansive screens and tech. There are intriguing patterns etched into the dashboard and deep seats that wrap around their occupants.
Its innards are as alien as its exterior and I’m here for it. And so are many people. Probably not those who like the Mustang Mach-E GT’s cabin, though.
I think the Mustang Mach-E GT pulls off a better look, especially considering the pressure it’s designers would have been under to create an SUV version of one of the most iconic cars on Earth. Â
Dimensions | Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
Length | 4743mm | 4695mm |
Height | 1623mm | 1545mm |
Width | 1881mm | 1890mm |
Wheelbase | 2984mm | 2900mm |
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Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
9 | 8 |
Land Rover Discovery
As always, I’ll avoid waxing lyrical about the styling of a vehicle – suffice to say, it looks good.
In terms of dimensions, this Discovery is 4956mm long (with a 2923mm wheelbase), 2220mm wide and 1888mm high.
It has a listed kerb weight of 2437kg.
Practicality
Kia EV6
Electric vehicles have changed practicality for the better. Not being constrained by big engines, transmissions and driveshafts means the packaging can be designed for good storage and people room.
Flat floors open up space, front boots are handy and even the ability to use their colossal battery to power campsites or other appliances is a big plus.
Below is a table comparing boot sizes and power outlets. On the face of it the EV6 GT appears to have the bigger rear boot but the stacking height is lower than the Mustang Mach-E GT’s taller space.
The EV6 GT also has next to no front boot, while the Mustang Mach-E GT has a large storage space under the bonnet.
As for rear legroom, the EV6 GT and Mustang Mach E GT have plenty of space for me at 189cm to sit behind my driving position and headroom is excellent in both.
Entering and exiting the Mustang Mach-E GT is easier due it’s more traditional SUV shape with tall doors and elevated ride height. The EV6 GT is almost 10cm lower overall and I hit my head swinging into the back seat while doing my legroom test.
Both cars have directional air vents in the second row, cupholders, door pockets and USB ports.
Talking of power outlets, only the EV6 GT has a vehicle-to-load (V2L) power outlet which will take a regular household appliance plug.
It’s a tough call as to which is more practical, and while the Kia has the versatile V2L and plenty of space, the Mustang's front boot and ease of entry and exit makes it the winner here.  Â
| Â | Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
Seats | 5 | 5 |
Boot capacity (five seats up) | 402L | 480L |
Frunk capacity | 134L | 20L |
Wireless phone charging | Yes | Yes |
USB Ports | 4 | 5 |
V2L socket | 0 | 1 |
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Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
8 | 7 |
Land Rover Discovery
The interior has a real premium feel about it, but it still serves as a very practical space.
The third-row seats can be either manually folded down into the floor to use that area as cargo space, or lifted up into a seating position.
There is a load-space cover, light, luggage tie-downs, bag hook and 12v in the rear, and two USB charging sockets for the third-row passengers.
The second row is a 60:40 electric-folding set-up with manual slide and powered recline, centre headrest and armrest, as well as map pockets, and door-moulded recesses. Second-row passengers get two USB C and one USB A charging points, air vents, air-con controls and more.
The front seats are 14-way electrically-adjustable with captain’s armrest, grained leather seat facings with Ebony interior; the Pivi Pro 11.4-inch touchscreen with digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; as well as one USB A and three USB C points.
The Discovery has a fixed front and rear panoramic roof.
Price and features
Kia EV6
Electric cars are more expensive than their petrol counterparts and generally will be until the cost of EV batteries comes down. This is what drives the manufacturing price up with the extra cost passed onto the consumer. But the good news is the price is coming down.Â
That news doesn’t really help you much here because the Kia EV6 GT has come down in price and lists for $99,590, before on-road costs. Still, that’s less than the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT which lists for $104,990.
The EV6 GT and Mustang Mach-E GT sit at the top of their respective ranges and have large batteries. That’s the reason for the $100K MSRP. They both come with a lot of equipment and you can see a side-by-side comparison of their standard features in the table below.
What stands out is the lack of powered front seats in the EV6 GT, and also the absence of leather upholstery in both cars.
Both still come with heated seats, excellent sound systems and sunroofs - although the Mustang Mach-E’s is a large panoramic glass version, while the Kia’s is smaller and opens.
The EV6 GT’s head-up display is brilliant, while the Mustang Mach-E doesn’t have one.
The Mustang comes with 20-inch alloys which offer a better ride than the EV6 GT’s 21-inch alloys - but more on that in the driving section further down.   Â
| Â | Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
MSRP | $104,990 | $99,590 |
Media Display | 15.2-inch | 12.3-inch |
Instrument cluster | 10.2-inch | 12.3-inch |
Head-up display | No | Yes |
Climate control | Dual-zone | dual-zone |
Auto parking | Yes - in-car | Yes - remote |
Keyless entry/push start | Yes | Yes |
Sound system | B&O 10 speakers | Meridian - 14 speakers |
Sat nav | Yes | Yes |
Sunroof | Panoramic | Slide opening |
Privacy glass | Rear side | Rear side |
Upholstery | Artificial leather | Artificial leather |
Seats | Front: Powered/heated | Front: heated; Rear: heated |
Wheel size | 20-inch alloys | 21-inch |
LED Headlights | Yes | Yes |
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Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
7 | 8 |
Land Rover Discovery
For reference, this Discovery D300 S has a price-tag of $101,875* (plus on road costs).
As standard, the seven-seat Discovery’s list of features is considerable, as it should be at this price-point, and includes a 11.4-inch Pivi Pro multi-media touchscreen (like an all-in-one vehicle operating system, but more about it later), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, fixed sunroofs, 3D Surround Camera, height-adjustable air suspension, 20-inch five-split-spoke, gloss silver wheels, and a whole lot of driver-assist tech.
There are also plenty of optional features available, which obviously push the price up the more you add to your Disco.
Our test vehicle was equipped with a stack of those extras and, because of that, its price-tag was $110,910* (plus on-road costs). (Prices correct at time of writing.)
Optional features on our test vehicle include Advanced Off-Road Capability Pack ($3970, twin-speed transfer box (high/low range), All Terrain Progress Control, Terrain Response 2, Configurable Terrain Response; Active Rear Locking Differential $1110; Tow hitch receiver $1000; Leisure Activity Key $960; Black Roof Rails $940; Privacy glass $920; Premium carpet mats $640; and wireless device charging $455.
By the way, the Discovery is available in a variety of colours including Fuji White, which is on our test vehicle, as well as versions of black, blue, grey and silver.
Under the bonnet
Kia EV6
Electric motors make massive amounts of power and torque but the outputs of the Mustang Mach E GT and EV6 GT are beyond 'normal' EVs.
The EV6 GT has a motor driving the rear wheels and another driving the front ones. Together they have a combined output of 430kW and 740Nm with 0-100km/h coming in a brutal 3.5 seconds. That is seriously quick and unnecessary and I love it.
The Mustang Mach E GT also has all-wheel drive thanks to a motor at the front and at the rear but together they make a whopping 358kW and 860Nm, although at 100kg heavier it’s a tad slower to 100km/h with a time of 3.7 seconds. Still these times are quicker than almost any production car from the early 1990s.
Who wins here? I’m calling it evenly matched.
| Â | Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
Combined motor output | 358kW/860Nm | 430kW/740Nm |
Drive wheels | AWD | AWD |
0-100km/h | 3.7 seconds | 3.5 seconds |
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Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
9 | 9 |
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery has a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel engine – producing 220kW at 4000rpm and a whopping 650Nm at 1500-2500rpm – working with a mild hybrid system.Â
Those impressive power and torque figures don’t tell the whole story of just how well the Disco’s engine is able to punch this big unit along the road at a comfortable clip and – bonus – its chunk of torque, useable across a decent rev range, comes in very handy when off-roading.
It has an eight-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system.
Efficiency
Kia EV6
There’s so much to tell you here and the table below will help with understanding the capacities, ranges and consumption of the EV6 GT and Mustang Mach-E GT.
The Mustang Mach-E GT has the larger battery and the longer range, but the EV6 GT’s battery has a much faster DC charging rate.
The Kia can make full use of a 350kW fast charger while the Mach-E can’t accept more than 150kW. You can see the charging times in the table.
Energy efficiency is crucial to an EV’s range and in our test we filled the batteries of the Mustang Mach-E GT and EV6 GT to 100 per cent and drove a 180km route made up of CBD traffic, motorways, suburban streets and country roads. Â
At the end of the trip we found both used almost exactly the same amount of electricity at nearly the same rate. The difference being the Mustang had more projected range left because its battery is larger. Â
Who wins? Well, this is really about energy efficiency and we found that both were a good match for electricity consumption. So, let’s call it a tie. You could argue the Mustang Mach-E GT has more range, but the rebuttal would be the EV6 GT’s super-fast charging time.Â
| Â | Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
Battery capacity | 91kWh | 77.4kWh |
Estimated range | 490km | 424km |
Max DC charging speed | 150kW | 350kW |
DC 10-80 percent charge time | 45 minutes | 18 minutes |
Max AC charging speed | 10.5kW | 10.5kW |
Official combined consumption | 21.2kWh/100km | 20.6kWh/100km |
Distance (energy test)) | 176.5km | 178.0km |
Electricity used | 32.6kWh | 32.18 |
As tested combined consumption | 18.5kWh/100km | 18.1kWh/100km |
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Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
8 | 8 |
Land Rover Discovery
Fuel consumption is listed as 7.5L/100km on a combined cycle.Â
Fuel consumption on this test was 9.8L/100km. That’s sound considering I did a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing on this test and the Disco is quite a hefty unit.
The Land Rover Discovery D300 S has an 89-litre fuel tank, so, going by those fuel-consumption figures, I’d expect an effective touring range of about 860km, but remember that figure includes a built-in 50km safe-distance buffer.Â
Driving
Kia EV6
The way these SUVs feel to drive is as different as their looks. The Mustang Mach-E GT feels more suited to daily driving while the EV6 GT is our pick for the race circuit or sporty blasts on nice country roads with plenty of twists and turns.
Both have drive modes ranging from the hardcore 'Untame' in the Mach-E and 'Sport+' in the EV6 GT to the calmer 'Whisper' and 'Normal' modes in Ford and Kia, respectively.Â
Adjustable suspension in both firms up the ride for better handling and softens it for a more comfortable setting.
The Mustang Mach-E has the more comfortable ride overall compared to the EV6 GT which is very firm in its Sport+ drive mode but still overly hard in the Normal setting thanks to the big wheels and low-profile tyres. That said, the Mach-E GT is prone to jiggling too much over minor bumps.
The EV6 GT and Mustang Mach E GT can accelerate incredibly fast and while it's fun, the ability to move quickly is useful in overtaking and at intersections without traffic lights.Â
Neither the EV6 GT not Mach-E GT offer exceptional ride comfort but the Mustang delivers a better all around driving experience with good visibility, a more elevated driving height and supportive seats.
Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
8 | 8 |
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery is very impressive on-road. No surprise really as it has always had a reputation as a comfortable on-road cruiser – and it's lost nothing in this latest iteration.Â
It is a smooth driving experience: quiet, refined and you suffer little to no noise from outside intruding into the cabin.Â
The seats are very comfortable and supportive, and that makes it perfect for long-distance trips.Â
The straight-six engine and eight speed auto are a nice combination, quietly effective, and well-managed.Â
Acceleration is good with sharp throttle response, so you can crack on the pace when you need to, say, for instance, from a standing start or when you need to overtake a vehicle.Â
In terms of overall driving experience, there’s nothing too outrageously exciting or dynamic on offer here, because this is a large SUV, but it’s always comfortable and it’s lively enough if you want to give it the boot. There are paddle shifters if you want to get fancy with your up- and down-shifting.
It’s not all good news: visibility from the driver’s seat is a bit pinched out the rear of the Discovery (due to its styling); there is pronounced body-roll through corners; the brakes are quite spongy, with a real delayed-action feel about them; ride is a tad harsh because you are rolling along on 20-inch tyres and rims, which is something I’m not so used to; and, the steering column is manually adjustable only, which I reckon is a bit slack for such a pricey vehicle.
Safety
Kia EV6
The Mustang Mach-E GT and the EV6 GT have been awarded the maximum five star ANCAP rating but the Kia was tested more recently under 2022 criteria.
Both cars have ISOFIX points for child seats in the outside rear seats, while there are three top tether anchor mounts in the second row, too. The table below compares their advanced safety tech.Â
| Â | Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
ANCAP rating | 5 (2021) | 5 (2022) |
AEB | Pedestrian, vehicle, cyclist | Pedestrian, vehicle, cyclist |
Lane Keeping Assist | Yes | Yes |
Blind Spot Warning | Yes | Yes |
Rear Cross Traffic Alert | Yes with braking | Yes with braking |
Airbags | 7 (no centre airbag) | 6 (no centre airbag) |
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Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
9 | 9 |
Land Rover Discovery
The Land Rover Discovery D300 S has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on 2017 testing.Â
As standard, its suite of driver-assist tech includes AEB, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking aids, and trailer stability assist (TSA).
Don’t forget the Discovery’s terrain response system, and front and rear diff-locks.
Ownership
Kia EV6
The final piece of this comparison puzzle is the ownership costs. The table below highlights the difference in what you’ll pay to service with the Mustang Mach-E GT proving to be the more affordable.Â
The Kia comes with a longer warranty, although Ford’s battery coverage duration is better.
The Mustang Mach-E GT wins here for its more affordable capped price servicing.
| Â | Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
Warranty | Five-year/unlimited km | Seven-year/unlimited km |
Servicing cost total over five years | $780 | $1561 |
Service interval | 12 months/15,000km | 12 months/15,000km |
High-voltage battery warranty | Eight-years/160,000km | Seven-years/150,000km |
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Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Kia EV6 GT |
8 | 7 |
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery has a five year/unlimited km warranty with five years roadside assistance.
The service plan applies over five years/130,000km (whichever occurs first) with a cost of $2650.