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Within the fast-paced transition to electrical autos (EVs), many automakers are racing to maintain tempo—not solely with know-how but additionally with the service expectations of recent EV house owners. Kia, with its modern and futuristic EV6, has been applauded for engineering innovation, however suggestions on dealership service and assist reveals a blended bag. A current dialog within the KIA EV6 House owners USA Fb group lays naked these divided experiences.
Jay Inexperienced’s Story: A Mannequin of Excellent Assist
Jay Inexperienced, a Kia EV6 proprietor, posted a glowing account that exhibits what EV possession ought to seem like when supported by a responsive dealership. He wrote:
“My dealership that is 2 hours away despatched an individual to choose up my EV6 when my brake rotor had an enormous gouge in it. I received a GT-line with 300ish miles on it for a loaner. In addition they drove my automotive again and picked up the loaner, and simply requested me to cost it as much as 100% so the porter may make it again with out being nervous. Finest service expertise I’ve ever had (Shout out to Seeyle Kia of Kalamazoo!)”
Jay’s story stands out as a result of it immediately contrasts with many different possession experiences we’ve seen shared on-line. Not solely did Seeyle Kia of Kalamazoo resolve his situation rapidly, however in addition they eliminated the logistical headache altogether, delivering a nearly new GT-line loaner to his door and retrieving it afterward.
Not Everybody Feels the Identical About Kia Assist
This expertise was in response to a different put up in the identical group from Alfred Shum, who voiced his frustrations with the automaker’s assist infrastructure:
“I’ve owned my Kia EV6 GT-line 2 for one 12 months and one month with 22,510km. No actual troubles aside from a lifeless 12v battery. The most important drawback is Kia assist. Hyundai will get the whole lot first and has higher after-sales assist. I don’t assume I’m ever gonna purchase from Kia once more.”
That sentiment struck a nerve with others. For instance, Ceit Geva chimed in:
“Yep I’m proper there with you in by no means shopping for a Kia once more. The way in which they’ve dealt with the ICCU failures is terrible. I’ve no confidence in them. I perceive that failures occur, however the way in which Kia treats affected clients is abhorrent.”
Sadly, Ceit is way from alone. In an in depth possession log, one EV6 driver describes how they had been left stranded whereas awaiting directions for what to do with their automobile, writing: “Right here We Go: third Battery and 4,500 Miles in My 2024 EV6. I am Ready for Kia to Inform Me The place to Dump It”. It’s a grim title that claims lots.
Kia’s Service: Why It Varies So Wildly
The wide selection of dealership assist high quality has raised necessary questions. Why can some house owners, like Jay, obtain white-glove therapy whereas others wrestle simply to get a recall dealt with?
This inconsistency is partly a operate of Kia’s dealership community—dealerships are independently owned and operated, and whereas Kia supplies insurance policies and assist, execution can range dramatically. Sadly, this makes EV6 possession a little bit of a lottery relying on the place you reside.
For instance, one other EV6 proprietor shared that their automotive sat at a dealership for 55 days because of a recall earlier than they had been lastly capable of retrieve it: “I Lastly Received Again My Kia EV6 From the Native Dealership After 55 Days Because of a Recall”.
When Service Goes Proper—And Why It Issues
What makes Jay Inexperienced’s story much more significant is that his dealership is 2 hours away. They didn’t simply meet expectations—they exceeded them with belief, proactive service, and transparency.
As extra first-time EV consumers tackle the Kia EV6—a lot of whom usually are not accustomed to the quirks of EV upkeep—dealership responsiveness turns into much more vital. A current first-time EV6 proprietor evaluation factors out that whereas the automotive is partaking and enjoyable to drive, there are “a number of nits to choose,” a lot of which stem from service expectations that aren’t but aligned with the realities of EV possession.
Understanding the ICCU Downside
On the coronary heart of a lot of the frustration is the Built-in Charging Management Unit (ICCU)—a part that manages charging and the 12V battery. Failures could cause the automotive to close down, stranding drivers. Kia has acknowledged the difficulty and issued recollects, however the uneven dealing with of those issues by dealerships has left some house owners deeply dissatisfied.
And but, some house owners say they wouldn’t drive anything. One long-term evaluation titled “After 8 Months, This Kia EV6 Proprietor Says It is Excellent” showcases how rewarding the automotive could be when the whole lot goes proper. From software program to vary and luxury, the EV6 ticks lots of packing containers. However that solely makes the service expertise that rather more necessary—it must sustain with the automotive itself.
Setting Expectations: Find out how to Work With Your Dealership
Listed here are some suggestions to assist guarantee your dealership expertise goes extra like Jay Inexperienced’s and fewer like Alfred Shum’s:
1. Construct a Relationship Early
Whenever you buy the automotive, get to know the service crew. Change direct contacts—typically having one go-to particular person makes all of the distinction.
2. Be Thorough and Clear
Clarify signs intimately. Take movies or images when attainable. The extra info your service crew has, the quicker they will isolate and repair the difficulty.
3. Know Your Rights
Familiarize your self with the phrases of your Kia guarantee. Don’t be afraid to escalate politely in case your situation isn’t resolved.
4. Ask for a Loaner Upfront
If the restore may take greater than a day or two, request a loaner automobile. In Jay’s case, receiving an almost brand-new GT-line was a part of what made the expertise memorable.
5. Request Documentation
All the time get a written abstract of the prognosis and restore. It may very well be helpful in case of repeat points or if escalation turns into essential.
Kia’s EV6: Is the Automobile Itself Nonetheless Price It?
The service dialog shouldn’t overshadow the automotive. The EV6 GT-line and GT trims stay a number of the most compelling electrical crossovers available on the market at this time. If you happen to’re questioning what actually units these trims aside, take a look at this in-depth piece: “What Makes the 2023 EV6 GT Particular”.
Equally, the newer fashions are pushing the envelope. As an illustration, the 2024 EV6 GT builds on an already strong basis. Be taught the way it’s evolving in our article: “2024 Kia EV6 GT Assessment: Energy, Type, and Substance”.
Because the EV6 continues to impress on the highway, the stakes rise for Kia to streamline its service expertise throughout the board. A automobile this good deserves persistently nice assist—all over the place.
Jay Inexperienced’s story is a reminder that some Kia dealerships are getting it proper. However for each Seeyle Kia of Kalamazoo, there appears to be one other retailer nonetheless taking part in catch-up.
As EVs just like the EV6 change into mainstream, the service expertise should evolve simply as quick because the know-how. And till there’s consistency, house owners will proceed to depend on one another—by means of boards, teams, and articles like this—to share what’s working and what isn’t.
Now We Need to Hear From You:
💬 Have you ever skilled a dealership that went above and past like Jay Inexperienced’s?
💬 Or have you ever struggled with service delays, guarantee protection, or communication breakdowns?
Share your story within the feedback under. Your perception may assist different EV6 house owners—and possibly even catch Kia’s consideration the place it issues most.
Picture supply: ChatGPT.
Armen Hareyan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Torque Information. He based TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing professional information and evaluation in regards to the automotive business. He could be reached at Torque Information Twitter, Fb, Linkedin, and Youtube. He has greater than a decade of experience within the automotive business with a particular curiosity in Tesla and electrical autos.
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