Kia EV6 Luggage Test | How big is the trunk?

The collection of EVs introduced in the past year-and-change has made us rethink vehicle sizes and segment names. If you look at the dimensions of the 2022 Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E, they sure seem to fall into line with a crossover SUV (as opposed to a wagon or hatchback), but they also don't fit into neat compact or midsize silos. Some dimensions are indicative of one, others are indicative of another. For instance, cargo capacity is not only more like a compact SUV, but a small one at that. Maybe even more midcompact ... well, at least on paper. 

I've already luggage tested the Mach-E, which is listed at 29.7 cubic-feet of cargo space. That was enough to stow all the standard luggage test bags, with just a bit of space remaining. I have yet to test the Ioniq 5, but let's see how the EV6 compares. Its specs say it has 24.4 cubic-feet behind its back seat.

Immediately, you can see that the fastback shape might make loading difficult, especially for bulkier objects. In fact, the Mach-E's cargo area and rear-most section IS taller, but the EV6 is notably longer.

But, first, a word about that cargo cover. Usually, I test with and without the cargo cover cartridge in place because of the chance you arrive at the airport to pick up some friends, they have way more bags than you expected and/or you forget to take out the damn cover.

Thankfully, the EV6 mitigates this problem by providing a space under the floor for it. The Kia Telluride and a few other SUVs provide this thoughtful feature.

However ...

Also like other SUVs, the EV6 lets you remove the cargo floor to maximize cargo space. Above left is what that looks like with the cargo cover still in place. Above right is that stowed cargo cover cartridge.

The trouble is that tire mobility kit. It can fit under the floor panel ONLY if you put it in that precise location (shown above left) within a small indentation. But, if you do that, the cartridge can't be stowed. So, either you put the tire mobility kit somewhere, or you live with a slightly askew floor resting atop the tire mobility kit. 

This is what I did: stored the cargo cover cartridge under the floor and tire mobility kit in the left-rear corner. I planned to try other configurations after, but ultimately, I didn't need to.

As in every luggage test I do, I use two midsize roller suitcases that would need to be checked in at the airport (26 inches long, 16 wide, 11 deep), two roll-aboard suitcases that just barely fit in the overhead (24L x 15W x 10D), and one smaller roll-aboard that fits easily (23L x 15W x 10D). I also include my wife's fancy overnight bag just to spruce things up a bit (21L x 12W x 12D).

There it is, all the bags fit. In the Mach-E, I could only fit them all if I put that car's adjustable cargo floor in its lower position. In the Kia, they all fit with the floor in the upper position. And, as you can see, there was plenty of space left over.

To round out the space, I added the small blue duffle bag.

So, considering that all the bags plus a bonus bag fit in the worst case scenario, I didn't really see a need to try it again with the low floor and cargo cover completely removed (as I often do in other tests). There would be more space, but nothing else substantial would be going in. 

Besides, the EV6 not only handedly passed this test, but it bested the perfectly functional Mach-E despite having fewer cubes on paper. Now I'm really curious to see how the Ioniq 5 and its 27.2-cubic-foot cargo area does. Stay tuned. 

____

Ha! Well, after this post was already written, edited and scheduled, I realized I totally forgot about the frunk! Honestly, it's easy to see why.

No, that isn't an engine under there. Just in case the "EV" written on it wasn't obvious enough, lifting that latch reveals this tiny little bin. It's decently long and wide, but there's really no functional depth. Maybe the charge cord goes in here, which wouldn't be a terrible place considering you're unlikely to use it much (assuming a proper home charger and fast chargers on the road). 

Does this uselessness really matter? Well, this area is so small and therefore densely packed with other componentry because of the EV6's extreme cab forward proportions, made possible by its electric architecture. This results in a massive amount of interior space relative its exterior dimensions. Would I rather have a gigantic back seat rather than a kinda-functional bonus frunk? Why yes, yes I would. 

OK, now I'm done. 

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