Kia EV6 vs Subaru Solterra

The Subaru Solterra starts at $67,520 driveaway, against $78,277 for the base Kia EV6 Air, a gap of $10,757. That undercut holds up the range: the Solterra Touring is $73,820 where the EV6 GT-Line RWD is $85,627. What makes the gap sharper is that every Solterra is dual-motor all-wheel drive, while the cheaper EV6 grades are rear-drive, so the Subaru gives you traction the Kia charges extra for. Both prices are driveaway on the same basis, current as of September 2026.

The EV6 wins public DC charging and the Solterra wins charging at home, so the answer turns on where you plug in. On a DC fast-charger the EV6's 800-volt platform is the clear winner, taking about 18 minutes for a 10 to 80 per cent top-up on a 350kW charger, where the Solterra peaks at 150kW and needs closer to 30 minutes. At home the Subaru leads: its 22kW three-phase AC charger is double the EV6's 10.5kW, so it refills overnight far quicker if you have three-phase power. Road-trippers should lean EV6; home chargers get more from the Solterra.

The EV6 starts rear-drive. The Air and GT-Line RWD both use a single rear motor, and all-wheel drive arrives only with the dual-motor GT-Line AWD and the GT. The Subaru Solterra takes the opposite approach: both of its grades are dual-motor all-wheel drive as standard, making a combined 252kW. So if all-wheel-drive traction is a must, the Solterra delivers it from its cheapest grade, while matching it in the Kia means stepping up to the $94,027 GT-Line AWD, a long way above the Subaru's entry price.

On the headline figure the EV6 wins: the rear-drive Air claims 582km on the WLTP cycle to the Solterra base's 566km. But the picture changes once you match drivetrains. The EV6's all-wheel-drive grades fall to 522km for the GT-Line AWD and 450km for the GT, both below the Solterra's 566km base and 517km Touring. The Subaru also uses less energy, 146Wh/km against 159, so if you want all-wheel drive and efficiency together, the Solterra is the longer-legged pick despite its smaller battery.

Both hold a five-star ANCAP rating, so neither is a weak link. The EV6 scores a little higher for adult occupant protection at 90 per cent and safety assist at 88 per cent. The Solterra hits back with a much stronger vulnerable-road-user result, 80 per cent to the Kia's 64, plus eight airbags and a newer 2025 test date against the EV6's 2022 assessment. One caveat on the Kia: the star rating applies to the Air and GT-Line grades, while the high-performance GT is listed as unrated.

The EV6 is the more practical load-hauler here. Its boot holds 490 litres in the base Air and 480 in the other grades, against 421 litres in the Solterra and 410 in the Touring. Rear-drive EV6 grades also add a 52-litre front boot under the bonnet, handy for keeping charging cables out of the main load space, though the dual-motor grades give most of that up to the second motor. Both are five-seat SUVs, but for outright cargo room the Kia has the edge.

The Solterra is built for it. Every grade is all-wheel drive, it rides 212mm off the ground to the EV6's 160mm, and it adds Subaru's X-Mode terrain modes for loose surfaces. That combination makes gravel roads, boat ramps, grassy campsites and light snow far more comfortable territory than in the lower, rear-drive EV6 Air. The Kia is the better road and highway car, but for buyers who regularly leave the tarmac the Subaru's all-wheel-drive hardware and extra clearance make it the natural choice.

For a value-focused first EV, the Solterra is the stronger buy. It starts well over $10,000 below the EV6, uses less energy at 146Wh/km, and its 22kW home AC charging is the quickest and cheapest way to keep an EV topped up if you have three-phase power. It also covers the battery for eight years against Kia's seven, and throws in all-wheel drive as standard. You give up the EV6's faster public DC charging and plusher cabin, but on cost of entry and running it, the Subaru wins.

For regular long-distance driving the EV6 is the pick. Its 800-volt platform recharges from 10 to 80 per cent in about 18 minutes on a 350kW charger, roughly the length of a coffee stop and around 12 minutes quicker than the Solterra on DC. The rear-drive Air's 582km range is also the longest here. The Solterra is no slouch and its efficiency helps, but its 150kW DC ceiling means longer stops on a big drive, so the Kia is the more relaxed motorway companion.