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What to check: Kia EV6

Ranked across all years of the Kia EV6, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 0.4% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 2.4%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 24.8% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 16.6%

Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this modelScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 5.5% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 1.7%

Pads and discsLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 3.3% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 7.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Ask for evidence the ICCU/12V recall (DVSA campaign 241041) has been carried out on 2022-2024 cars.If it hasn't been done, book it in before relying on the car; an unfixed ICCU can drain the 12V battery and cut power while driving.

On a very early car (built late 2021), run the heater from cold and let it run for 20-30 minutes.Heat that cuts out and won't restart, or no heat at all, points to the known early-build heating fault.

Wake the infotainment screen, run through a few menus and start navigation.Any freeze, black screen, or unprompted reboot suggests the reported software glitch, especially if a dealer update seems to be mid-way.

Check the MOT history for advisories on corroded discs or binding brakes, and listen for grinding on the test drive.Regen-braked EVs can rust their rear discs and seize caliper pins from underuse, worse on low-mileage or short-trip cars.

Walk up to each door with the fob in your pocket and try to unlock it, then try the remote button separately.A handle that won't unlock despite the mirrors folding out, or a remote that locks instead of unlocks, matches the reported keyless glitch.

Ask how the car has mostly been charged and driven (home AC charging vs frequent rapid charging, short hops vs longer runs).Heavy AC charging patterns are linked to ICCU stress, and short-trip-only use makes brake corrosion more likely.

Check the service history for any software update visits beyond routine servicing.Repeated unexplained software update entries can mean the car has a history of one of these electrical gremlins.

Full Kia EV6 reliability report