Compare the2024 BMW i7VS 2023 Kia EV6

The i7’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The EV6 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The BMW i7 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The EV6 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The i7 has standard Active Front Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Front Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The EV6 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The i7 has standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The EV6 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the i7 and the EV6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 BMW i7 weighs 1122 to 2207 pounds more than the Kia EV6. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The i7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years and unlimited miles longer than the EV6’s (12/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the i7 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the EV6.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW third in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

The i7 has more powerful engines than the EV6:

As tested in Car and Driver the i7 xDrive60 electric motors is faster than the Kia EV6 electric motors:

On the EPA test cycle the i7 gets better mileage than the EV6:

The i7 can travel longer on a full charge than the EV6 on a full charge:

The i7’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The EV6 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the i7’s brake rotors are larger than those on the EV6:

The i7’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the EV6 are solid, not vented.

The i7 stops much shorter than the EV6:

For better traction, the i7 has larger standard tires than the EV6 (245/50R19 vs. 235/45R20).

The i7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the EV6’s standard 55 series tires. The i7’s optional 285/35R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the EV6 GT’s 40 series tires.

The i7 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The EV6 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the i7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the EV6, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The i7 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Kia doesn’t offer an active suspension on the EV6.

The i7 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The i7’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The EV6 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the i7’s wheelbase is 12.4 inches longer than on the EV6 (126.6 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the i7 is 1.5 inches wider in the front and .4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the EV6.

The i7 xDrive60 handles at .93 G’s, while the EV6 Wind e-AWD pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The i7 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The EV6 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The i7 has 9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the EV6 (112 vs. 103).

The i7 has .8 inches more front headroom, 3.2 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 3.8 inches more rear legroom and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the EV6.

With its sedan body style and remote trunk release lockout, the i7 offers cargo security. The EV6’s sport utility bodystyle defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the i7. The EV6 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 32% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the EV6, the i7 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The i7’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The EV6’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the i7 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the EV6 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the i7 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The EV6 doesn’t offer cornering lights. The i7 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

A power rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are standard in the i7 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The EV6 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The i7’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The EV6 has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The i7 has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The EV6 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The i7 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the EV6.

The i7 offers optional massaging front and rear seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the EV6.