2023 Kia EV6 Axes Base Light Trim: Here's How Much The EV Costs Now

Kia will be bumping up the 2023 EV6 base trim and starting price, but will it still be a good deal? Our first drive of the 2022 Kia EV6 left us with a lasting impression of a roomy crossover SUV that's just as high-tech as it looks. The previous year's model was offered in various trims, with the Light RWD being the base variant followed by the higher-end Wind and GT-Line trims. Compared to the Wind RWD variant, which has a 255-horsepower electric motor and a 310-mile range, the entry-level trim drops those figures down to 167 and 232, respectively (via Kia).

Having less power and range aren't the only things worth griping about with the base variant, as it also lacked a handful of features that come standard in higher trims. Of course, fewer features also meant a cheaper price tag: the base Light RWD pricing started at $41,400, while the Wind RWD went for $47,500 — an over $6,000 difference. With the 2023 Kia EV6, however, buyers will no longer have to choose between the two now that Kia made the Wind RWD its new entry-level trim. Will the newer model be worth paying more for, though?

Kia will be offering the Wind RWD in lieu of the previous year's model's Light RWD variant due to the higher trim's favorable sales and customer reception (per InsideEVs). The 2023 Kia EV6 starting price now sits at $48,500 — $1,000 more than the previous model's Wind RWD pricing. Despite the slight bump in pricing, the base model will now come with most standard features that used to be missing from this trim level. This includes ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, and a power inverter, among others. 

Opting for the Wind AWD version will cost an additional $3,900. As far as changes go, the 2023 Kia EV6 Wind features are pretty much similar to the Wind variant of last year's model. That said, does the higher price of admission make the latest Kia EV6 any less enticing? Given how our 2022 Kia EV6 review pointed out the base trim's smaller battery as one of this EV range's few downsides, perhaps the discontinuation of the cheaper yet under-powered Light RWD was for the best.