Compare the2023 Kia EV6VS 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the EV6 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the EV6 and the XC40 Recharge have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The EV6 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The XC40 Recharge’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the EV6 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC40 Recharge. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the XC40 Recharge ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the EV6’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 100 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 33rd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 111 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 30th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 3 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

The EV6 GT’s standard electric motors produces 174 more horsepower (576 vs. 402) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (545 vs. 486) than the XC40 Recharge’s electric motors.

As tested in Car and Driver the EV6 GT electric motors is faster than the Volvo XC40 Recharge:

On the EPA test cycle the EV6 gets better mileage than the XC40 Recharge:

The EV6 can travel longer on a full charge than the XC40 Recharge on a full charge:

For better stopping power the EV6 GT’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the XC40 Recharge:

The EV6 GT’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the XC40 Recharge are solid, not vented.

The EV6 stops much shorter than the XC40 Recharge:

For better traction, the EV6 GT’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XC40 Recharge (255/40R21 vs. 235/50R19).

The EV6 GT’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XC40 Recharge’s optional 45 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the EV6 GT has standard 21-inch wheels. The XC40 Recharge’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The EV6 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The XC40 Recharge’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the EV6’s wheelbase is 7.8 inches longer than on the XC40 Recharge (114.2 inches vs. 106.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the EV6 is 1.1 inches wider in the front and .9 inches wider in the rear than the track on the XC40 Recharge.

The EV6 GT handles at .92 G’s, while the XC40 Recharge pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Kia EV6 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 750 pounds less than the Volvo XC40 Recharge.

The front grille of the EV6 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The EV6 has 5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XC40 Recharge (103 vs. 98).

The EV6 has 1.4 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room and 2.9 inches more rear legroom than the XC40 Recharge.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the EV6’s rear seats recline. The XC40 Recharge’s rear seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the EV6 is 1.1 inches lower than the XC40 Recharge (16.6” vs. 17.7”). The EV6’s rear step up height is 1.4 inches lower than the XC40 Recharge’s (16.8” vs. 18.2”).

The EV6 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XC40 Recharge with its rear seat up (24.4 vs. 16 cubic feet). The EV6 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XC40 Recharge with its rear seat folded (50.2 vs. 46.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the EV6 easier. The EV6’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.6 inches, while the XC40 Recharge’s liftover is 29.7 inches.

The EV6’s cargo area is larger than the XC40 Recharge’s in almost every dimension:

Maximum trailer towing in the Volvo XC40 Recharge is limited to 2000 pounds. The EV6 offers up to a 2300 lbs. towing capacity.

The EV6 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The EV6’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The EV6 GT-Line has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the EV6 has standard extendable sun visors. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the EV6 Wind/GT-Line keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia EV6 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the XC40 Recharge.

The EV6 Wind/GT-Line/GT has a 115-volt a/c outlet, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The EV6 (except Light)’s optional Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The EV6 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the EV6 first among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The XC40 Recharge was rated second in its category.