2022 Kia EV6 vs 2022 Honda Passport

The 2022 Kia EV6 was a striking vehicle, reminiscent of a Ford Mustang Mach-E with its sporty and svelte design. It featured a lower and wider stance, visually enhanced by its highback tail with a lip spoiler that doubled as a lightbar. The wheels were pushed to the furthest corners of the chassis, giving the car a hip-like appearance similar to the wide fenders of a Porsche 911. The headlights had an aggressive squint, tracing a V-shaped pattern that mirrored the black trim below the bumper. The EV6's wedgy profile, with its angled roofline and twin ducts in the rear spoiler, combined with a smooth lower body, especially in matte silver paint, made it a head-turner.

In contrast, the 2022 Honda Passport shared its platform with the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck, Odyssey minivan, and Pilot three-row SUV. The Passport was essentially a shorter Pilot without a third-row seat, featuring a new nose design aimed at giving it a tougher look. Available in three trim levels—EX-L, TrailSport, and Elite—the Passport had new wheel designs for 2022. The TrailSport trim, in particular, aimed to appeal to off-road enthusiasts with its standard all-wheel drive, 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and traction management driving modes for snowy, muddy, and sandy conditions. Despite its rugged appearance, the Passport was more about looks than actual off-road capability.

The 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line e-AWD, with its dual electric motors producing 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque, was a powerhouse. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in a claimed 4.6 seconds, thanks to its 77-kilowatt-hour battery mounted low in the chassis. The EV6's handling was impressive, with torque routed quickly and effectively, making it feel like a getaway car. The regenerative braking system offered more than eight settings, allowing for one-pedal driving in the maximum I-Pedal setting. However, the EV6's driving range was disappointing in cold weather, delivering only 65 percent of Kia's 274-mile EPA estimate. Charging times varied, with the car accepting up to 240 kW but often limited by the charging stations' output.

The 2022 Honda Passport, powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, offered a smooth and strong performance. Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Passport was available in front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The TrailSport trim, with its standard AWD system, provided mechanical torque vectoring and could deliver up to 70 percent of the engine's power to a single rear wheel when necessary. The Passport's handling was surprisingly athletic, with a firm and communicative ride. However, the brakes could heat up and vibrate during mountain descents, which was a concern given the SUV's 5,000-pound towing capacity.

The 2022 Kia EV6 featured innovative design elements, such as door handles that popped out when the key was near, paddle shifters, and a twisting rotary shifter. The climate controls and stereo shortcuts were combined in a thin touchscreen, which could be frustrating to use while driving. The interior offered generous legroom and headroom, with reclining rear seats and optional heated cushions. However, the cargo space was limited, with only 24 cubic feet behind the seats and 50 cubic feet when folded. The EV6 had a towing capacity of 2,300 pounds and an onboard power generator for 120-volt equipment.

The 2022 Honda Passport boasted large, comfortable seats with leather upholstery and heated front seats as standard. The Elite trim added ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. The rear passengers enjoyed ample room and a slightly elevated seating position, with large side windows creating an open and airy feel. The Passport offered plenty of storage, including a massive center console storage bin and various door panel shelves. The cargo space was generous, with 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 77.7 cubic feet with the back seat folded down.

The 2022 Kia EV6's infotainment system was user-friendly, with dual 12-inch screens, wireless charging, and a 14-speaker Meridian stereo on higher trims. However, it lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, requiring a wired connection. The EV6 featured a 360-degree surround-view camera, customizable "engine" sounds, and an augmented reality head-up display. The Highway Driving Assist (HDA) system included lane-keeping, cyclist and pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control. However, Kia Connect features were disabled for Massachusetts residents due to compliance issues with state laws.

The 2022 Honda Passport's infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. The TrailSport trim added a navigation system, while the Elite trim featured a 10-speaker premium sound system and HondaLink connected services. The system had shortcut buttons for the Home menu, screen brightness, and stereo volume, but lacked a tuning knob. The Passport's navigation system was clunky, making Apple CarPlay a preferred option. Wireless smartphone charging was standard, but the overall technology felt dated compared to competitors.

The 2022 Kia EV6 had no published test results from U.S. agencies, but it came equipped with impressive safety tech. The HDA system included lane-keeping, cyclist and pedestrian detection, front and rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention monitor, rear parking sensors, safe exit warning, and rear occupant alert. Higher trims added front parking sensors, automatic rear braking, 360 cameras, evasive steering assist, and adaptive cruise control with "machine learning."

The 2022 Honda Passport featured the Honda Sensing suite, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beam headlights, rear-seat reminder, and seatbelt reminder. However, the lane-departure warning and lane-centering assist functions were intrusive, and the adaptive cruise control was not smooth in heavy traffic. The Passport received five-star ratings from the NHTSA in most categories but had a four-star rating for front passenger protection and rollover resistance. The IIHS gave it top ratings in most respects, with an Acceptable rating for front-passenger protection in a small overlap collision.