Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: it scores well across the board with no single weak engine.
Owners have filed 136 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Kia EV6, and it carries 4 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 55 | 40% |
| Power train | 9 | 7% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 7 | 5% |
| Power train | 7 | 5% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 4 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 2% |
| Tires | 3 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I was driving in heavy rain on a busy highway (I4) and the lane assist pulled me off the road to the road hand side and then cut across all lanes of traffic to the left hand side. It also engaged emergency braking going
NHTSA complaint: Lane departure
ICCU failure. I charged overnight at my home L2 charging as usual. I backed out of my garage and heard a loud pop. Almost immediately an “check electrical” warning came up. The car went to turtle mode and then completely
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I charged my car at a level 3 fast charger on a road trip. After completing my charge, the AC stopped working. The fan worked but it was only blowing hot air. Normally this would be a nuisance, but the day was about 114
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
While driving southbound on the [XXX] in a rented 2023 Kia EV6 from The Hertz Corporation, picked up in [XXX] on XXX, the vehicle entered "Power Limited" mode without warning. The vehicle lost normal propulsion and decel
NHTSA complaint: Power train
While driving a rented 2023 Kia EV6 on the freeway, the vehicle lost power and shut down completely, without warning, on multiple separate occasions during a single trip. This occurred at highway speed in live traffic, c
NHTSA complaint: Power train
First ICCU the power completely went out on 2/23/26. Power went out again April, 2026. Currently car is immobile and unreliable and not safe for driving due to power failures. Towed car to Kia Cerritos. Car supposedly "f
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Iccu failure with Kia ev6. Unreal that this car has not had a recall yet. It is totally unacceptable that this car can at any time fail. Car will not start and shut down while I was driving. Luckily I was beginning to pa
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The ICCU unit failed. The message "Check Electrical System" appeared on the instrument cluster. Low-voltage battery voltage was 12.0V and vehicle speed was limited to 60 mph. Maximum speed was gradually reduced to 30 mph
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2023 Kia EV6. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Niro EV and 2023 EV6 vehicles. One of the drive shafts may have been improperly heat-treated, allowing it to break under load and resulting in a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the drive shaft, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2024 EV6 vehicles. The Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) may become damaged and stop charging the 12-Volt battery, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the ICCU and its fuse, as necessary. In addition, dealers will update the ICCU software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters ar
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2024 EV6 vehicles. The Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) may become damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the ICCU and its fuse, as necessary. In addition, dealers will update the ICCU software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters we
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2024 EV6 and 2024 EV9 vehicles. The high voltage battery cells may contain misaligned electrodes, which can lead to a fire while parked or driving.
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures and limit their charge to a maximum of 80% until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the high voltage battery system assembl
| Reliability raw | 85 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 81 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 88 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 43 | below average |
| Performance | 85 | excellent |
| Efficiency | 82 | excellent |
| Safety | 100 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other wagons in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 136 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 55 of them (40%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 85/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 81/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2023 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: buy, because it scores well across the board with no single weak engine. Its overall ownership score is 80/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.