Kia EV6 77.4kwh AWD Gt-line

£48,195

THE KIA EV6 isn’t just our 2022 Car of the Year; it’s also our favourite electric tow car.

Both rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive versions of the EV6 share the same 1600kg towing limit, but the dual-motor AWD model has more power (321bhp). That makes it one of the quickest cars in this year’s test, sprinting from 30-60mph in just 5.5sec with a caravan in tow. It’s easy to make the most of any safe overtaking opportunity.

Stability is a much more important quality than speed, however, and the EV6 inspires confidence while towing. It bullied the caravan into doing as it was told in the lane change test and felt serene at all speeds on the test track’s mile-long straight.

The EV6’S biggest shortcoming as a tow car is one that’s shared to a greater or lesser extent by all the electric vehicles (EVS) we’ve tested: range. Using a route with a mix of high and low speeds, and some stops and starts, the EV6’S towing range was just 101.5 miles. You’ll need to be fully committed to running an EV to put up with the inconvenience of frequent recharging, unless you only ever tow for short distances.

Without a caravan, you can enjoy the EV6’S sharp handling. The trade-off is a firmer ride than you get in the closely related Hyundai Ioniq 5, but the EV6 is also less floaty and bouncy as a result.

There’s lots of space up front and even more in the back, so adults can travel in comfort. And the big boot kept our practicality judges happy, although the electrical socket could be less fiddly to access.

‘It’seasytomakethe most of anysafe overtaking opportunity in thepunchyev6’