Compare the2026 Subaru Solterra VS 2026 Kia EV6

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Solterra have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Kia EV6 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Subaru Solterra has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help 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.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Subaru Solterra achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, outperforming the Kia EV6, which scored only an “Acceptable” in these critical safety features.

The Solterra has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Solterra. But it costs extra on the EV6.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Solterra’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The EV6 doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The Subaru Solterra’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Kia EV6 does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the Solterra and the EV6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Solterra is safer than the Kia EV6:

	Solterra	EV6
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Compression	25 lbs.	89 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	223/195 lbs.	524/92 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Solterra is safer than the EV6:

	Solterra	EV6
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	POOR

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Subaru Solterra is safer than the Kia EV6:

	Solterra	EV6
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.4 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	86 lbs.	294 lbs.
Hip Force	237 lbs.	294 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	53 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	9 inches	10 inches
HIC	315	362
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	58 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Solterra’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the EV6 runs out after 100,000 miles.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Solterra’s reliability 22 points higher than the EV6.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 10th.

The Solterra has more powerful engines than the EV6:

	Horsepower
Solterra electric motors	233 HP
Solterra XT electric motors	338 HP
EV6 Light Standard Range electric motor	167 HP
EV6 Long Range electric motor	225 HP
EV6 Long Range electric motors	320 HP

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

			MPGe
Solterra
	AWD	Premium Electric Motors	131 city/109 hwy
		Limited Electric Motors	128 city/105 hwy
		XT Electric Motors	128 city/105 hwy
EV6
	RWD	Light Standard Range Electric Motor	128 city/103 hwy
		Long Range Electric Motor	128 city/101 hwy
	AWD	19" Wheels Electric Motors	117 city/95 hwy
		20" Wheels Electric Motors	106 city/89 hwy

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

			Miles
Solterra
	AWD	Premium Electric Motors	288 miles
		Limited Electric Motors	278 miles
		XT Electric Motors	278 miles
EV6
	RWD	Light Standard Range Electric Motor	237 miles
	AWD	20" Wheels Electric Motors	270 miles

The Solterra’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.

For better maneuverability, the Solterra’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the EV6’s (36.7 feet vs. 38.2 feet).

The Solterra has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the EV6 with its rear seat folded (63.5 vs. 46.7 cubic feet).

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

	Solterra	EV6
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	47”/75”	37.6”/75.6”
Max Width	50.4”	46.3”
Min Width	38.1”	40.7”
Height	36.5”	28.6”

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Subaru third in service department satisfaction. With a 56% lower rating, Kia is ranked 27th.

The Solterra’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 standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the EV6 GT-Line’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Solterra the driver can close all of them at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Subaru service department.) The driver of the EV6 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Solterra has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The EV6 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Subaru Solterra stands out above the Kia EV6 by offering not one, but two Qi-compatible phone chargers. This convenience helps travelers with multiple devices to keep powered up on-the-go. Wireless charging eliminates lost or cluttered charging cables and two of them provide more flexibility.