The emergence of EVs in the last year has forced us to rethink our vehicle sizes and segment names. You can see that the 2022 Kia EV6, Hyundai IIoniq 5 & Ford Mustang Mach-E have dimensions that are similar to a crossover SUV. However, they don’t fit neatly in compact or mid-sized silos. Some dimensions can be indicative of one while others may indicate another. For example, the Kia EV6 boot space is more compact than an SUV but smaller. Maybe even midcompact, at most on paper.
I have luggage tested the Mach-E already, which has 29.7 cubic-feet cargo space. With just a little extra space, I was able to store all of my standard luggage tests bags. I haven’t yet tested the Ioniq 5 so let’s see how it compares to the EV6. According to the specs, it boasts 24.4 cubic-feet of space behind its back seat.
You can immediately see that loading heavy objects might be difficult due to the fastback. Although the Mach-E’s cargo and rear-most sections are taller, the EV6 is significantly longer.
Let’s first talk about the cargo cover. I always test the cargo cover cartridge with or without it. It is possible that you arrive at an airport to pick up friends who have more luggage than you anticipated and/or forget to remove the cargo cover.
The EV6 alleviates this problem by providing a place under the floor for it. This feature is provided by the Kia Telluride, as well other SUVs.
However,…
Like other SUVs, you can remove the cargo floor from the EV6 to maximize cargo space. Below left you can see the result with the cargo cover still in position. That stowed cargo cartridge can be seen above right.
Tire mobility kits are a problem. It will fit under the floor panel only if it is placed in the exact location shown above (shown below left) with a very small indentation. If you do this, the cartridge can’t go under the floor panel. Either you store the tire mobility system somewhere, or you have a slightly uneven floor that rests on top of it.
That’s what I did. I put the cargo cover cartridge under my floor and the tire mobility kits in the left-rear corners. I was going to test other configurations later, but I decided not to.
I use two medium-sized rolling suitcases to test luggage. They are 26 inches long, 16 by 11 and 11 feet deep. I also use two roll-aboard suitcases that fit easily in the overhead. My wife’s fancy overnight bag is also included to spice things up (21L x12W x12D).
It’s true, all bags fit. They could not all fit in the Mach-E if I placed the car’s adjustable cargo flooring in its lower position. All of them fit perfectly in the Kia’s upper position. You can see that there was still plenty of room.
Given that all of the bags and a bonus bag fit in the worst scenario, I didn’t feel the need to try it again without the cargo cover and low floor (as I have done in other test). It would have more space but not much else.
Besides passing the test with flying colors, the EV6 also beat the Mach-E despite having fewer cubes printed. I am curious to see what the Ioniq 5 does with its 27.2-foot cargo space. Keep checking back.
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