Kia EV6 Owners Tell "The Next Best Thing" They Are Considering After Turning In Their Leases And Not Getting Another EV6

Key Takeaways Before You Read:

• EV6 lease holders are fragmenting sharply toward Tesla, Lucid, Rivian, and Kia's own larger EVs.
• Self-driving capability is emerging as a decisive factor for business owners choosing their next EV.
• One owner pivoted to a certified-used Lucid Grand Touring at $54,000, a car that stickered above $125,000 new.
• Scroll to see the comments or be the first.

Something significant is shifting inside the Kia EV6 community right now. A simple question posted in the Kia EV6 Owners USA Facebook group cracked open one of the most revealing conversations of the year. The responses expose exactly where EV loyalty breaks down, and where it holds. After tracking 15 years of automotive trends, I can tell you this kind of candid owner data is rare. It tells you more than any press release ever could. If you are approaching the end of your own EV6 lease right now, this article is for you. And if you are shopping for your first EV, the diversity of answers here will help you avoid the most common mistake first-time EV buyers make.

The original question came from a group member who laid out his dilemma clearly. He wrote: "For those turning in their leases: if you are not getting another EV6 what's the next best thing you are considering and why? Sticking to EVs only. I know this is an open ended question and each person's needs may vary. I'd love to know what you are considering and why. My lease has a little time, but I would love to narrow my choices."

That question detonated a thread full of real-world intelligence. The answers reveal that the EV6's biggest competition is not just one vehicle. It is an entire wave of new EVs reaching the market at the same time that EV6 leases are expiring.

What Kia EV6 Owners Are Gravitating Toward After Their Leases

The most surprising pivot came from Stewart Unsdorfer. His 2023 EV6 has 93,000 miles on it. He already had the ICCU replaced, a failure mode TorqueNews has documented extensively. He is now monetizing the car through Turo. And he is moving into a 2023 Lucid Grand Touring with 22,000 miles for $54,000. The original sticker on that car topped $125,000. That is the kind of value arbitrage that emerges when EV depreciation curves collide with lease-return timing.

That story connects directly to what we reported about owners who traded Tesla for the Lucid Air and discovered a quieter, more refined ride. The luxury EV used-market is opening a door that did not exist three years ago. If you are willing to absorb the risk of an out-of-warranty luxury EV, the value proposition today is extraordinary.

Jonathan Gifford made his choice simple. If he were forced to buy another EV, he said he would go with a Model S Plaid. No hesitation there. Aaron Stairs echoed the premium instinct, listing the Audi e-tron GT, Taycan 4S, and Tesla Model S as his candidates. This cluster of owners is moving up, not sideways.

Tesla Model Y Draws EV6 Owners Who Need Full Self-Driving

Steve Derden represents a category that deserves its own chapter. His lease ends in one year. He owns a courier company. He needs Full Self-Driving. He loves his EV6, but he is moving to a Tesla Model Y for productivity reasons. He wrote that he will be "more productive getting stuff done while the car drives itself."

This is not brand loyalty. This is a business decision. Full Self-Driving is becoming a legitimate operational asset for small business owners, and Tesla still leads that space. We have covered the EV range and charging debates across platforms, and range anxiety has faded as the primary concern. Now, autonomy is the differentiator for a growing segment of professional EV users.

Andrew Brown test drove several vehicles before settling on his EV6 originally. Looking ahead, he cited the BYD Seal and Polestar as candidates. He found the Tesla Model Y acceptable but a bit rattly. He liked the Skoda second, though its infotainment system frustrated him. His analysis mirrors what we see in owner forums consistently. The EV6's build quality sets a standard that many alternatives struggle to match, and buyers notice when they cross-shop.

Rivian R2, Kia EV9, and the SUV Switchers

Several owners are using the lease end as an opportunity to upsize. Dan Durocher is looking hard at the EV9, the Lucid Gravity, and the Hyundai Ioniq 9. He noted that even though the EV6 is technically classified as an SUV, he misses the presence of a real SUV. That sentiment drives a real segment of the market. The Rivian R2's positioning against the Tesla Model Y and Mustang Mach-E shows how fierce that compact EV SUV segment has become.

Kelly Hamlin just started a three-year lease on her first EV and named the Rivian R2 as an early candidate. That answer reveals exactly how long the EV product planning horizon has become for newer EV buyers. She is watching the market evolve in real time, and she intends to act when timing and product both align. Our earlier reporting on how drivers bridge the wait for the Rivian R2 covers exactly this challenge, and her instinct is smart.

Sparky McSparkface has a lease ending in a year and a half. He is also considering buying a used EV6 if prices stay low. His backup choice is the Cybertruck, which he said checks all his boxes on self-driving capability and onboard AC power. He tried the EV9 and found it too floaty for his taste. That kind of direct comparison feedback is what EV buyers rarely get in a showroom.

The Korean SUV Loyalists and the Next Generation Kia EVs

Dave Abernathy is watching the Kia EV3, expected to reach the US market for the 2027 model year. He is eyeing the AWD GT-Line trim. His patience is disciplined. He knows the Korean EV platform well, and he is willing to wait for the right product. The Kia and Hyundai affordable EV push has pointed toward exactly this moment, where sub-$35,000 Korean EVs finally arrive with full feature sets.

Keith Jones is moving from the EV6 GT to a Hyundai Ioniq 6N, which keeps him firmly inside the Hyundai Motor Group ecosystem. That is not a surprise. The EV6 and Ioniq 5 built a generation of loyal Korean EV buyers who understand the E-GMP platform, trust the 800-volt charging architecture, and are simply following the lineup upward in performance and technology.

Kevin Ribblett originally wanted the new Mercedes EV lineup when he leased his EV6. Mercedes was not ready. Now that his lease is approaching, he is circling back to the Mercedes electrified lineup again. His patience is not abandonment. It is strategic. And it is a pattern. Many EV6 lessees chose the car as a placeholder while other brands caught up. Now those brands are arriving.

Rich Roy is moving toward the Mustang Mach-E GT for its design and solid build quality. That is a credible choice in a market where the Mach-E has competed aggressively against Korean EVs for market share. The GT trim adds enough performance and presence to satisfy drivers coming out of the EV6's sharper handling envelope.

Jonathan Fournier is keeping his options wide open across Korean and Japanese offerings. He noted that Mitsubishi signaled a US arrival that did not materialize. That kind of supply-side uncertainty is real, and it forces buyers into contingency planning. Randy Hammons answered the simplest way of all. He got another EV6. Sometimes the answer is already in your driveway.

Rachel Nash Perlow shared something intriguing. She rode in a BYD-powered Uber during a trip to Mexico and found it very impressive. She noted it was a shame that BYD faced delays entering the US market. The curiosity around BYD is growing inside the EV community, even among drivers who have no direct path to purchase one today.

The Pressing Problem Every EV Lease Holder Faces Right Now

Here is the honest challenge. When your EV6 lease ends, the market you re-enter looks nothing like the market you left three years ago. Depreciation on 2022 and 2023 EV6s has been steep. The ICCU failures documented in the EV6 community have made some buyers hesitant to re-enter. And the new vehicles that seemed far off three years ago, the EV9, the Gravity, the Rivian R2, are now real and available or imminent.

The solution is a framework, not a brand. Ask yourself three questions before you sign anything. First, do you need autonomy for work or productivity reasons? If yes, Tesla wins that argument today. Second, are you moving up in size? If yes, the EV9, Gravity, and Ioniq 9 deserve serious test drives. Third, do you want to maximize value per dollar? A certified pre-owned Lucid or a used EV6 at today's depreciated prices may beat a new mid-range vehicle outright.

As leasing.com noted in their recent analysis, the EV6 represents a large maturing lease cohort alongside the Ioniq 5 and Mustang Mach-E, all of which will flood the used EV market through 2026 and 2027. That creates genuine opportunities for value-conscious EV buyers willing to go certified pre-owned.

What This Tells Us About the EV Market in 2025

The Kia EV6 did something important. It introduced tens of thousands of American drivers to EV ownership, fast charging, and the Korean E-GMP platform. Many of them are now educated, confident EV buyers shopping their second or third vehicle. They know what range anxiety feels like. They know what good software feels like. And they know what bad software feels like. They are no longer novices.

That maturity shows in the thread. Nobody is going back to gasoline. Not one person mentioned a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid as a fallback. The commitment to electric is total. The only question is which electric.

The moral here is straightforward. The best car decision is not the one that wins a comparison chart. It is the one that matches your actual life. Steve Derden did not pick the Tesla because it is flashier. He picked it because it runs his courier company more efficiently. Stewart Unsdorfer did not pick the Lucid because it is luxurious. He picked it because a $125,000 car at $54,000 is a rational financial decision. Every answer in that thread reflects a specific life, not a generic buyer profile.

TorqueNews Recommendation for EV6 Lessees Shopping Their Next Vehicle

Before you walk into any showroom or click any lease calculator, slow down and do one thing first. Audit your actual driving life for the past 12 months. Look at your longest single trip, your average daily mileage, whether you charge at home or rely on public infrastructure, and whether your job could benefit from hands-free highway driving. Those four data points will eliminate half the vehicles on your list before you ever sit in one. If your longest trip topped 250 miles regularly and you lack a home charger, the Lucid Grand Touring's 516-mile range and its rapid charging compatibility become genuinely relevant, not just impressive on paper. If you stayed under 60 miles per day and charge at home overnight, a used EV6 at today's depreciated prices may serve you better than any new vehicle at any price point. The market is flooded with off-lease EVs right now, and patience rewards the buyer who is not in a rush.

The second consideration most buyers skip is the total cost of ownership over 36 months, not just the monthly payment. Factor in charging costs, insurance on a higher-priced replacement vehicle, software subscription fees if any, and the realistic resale value at your next exit point. A Tesla Model Y carries a stronger residual than almost anything else in the segment right now, which matters if you plan to lease again in three years. A Rivian R2 or Kia EV3 may carry lower monthly payments, but their long-term residuals are still unproven at scale. And if you are even loosely considering the used luxury path that Stewart Unsdorfer took with his Lucid Grand Touring, get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent EV-certified technician. A $125,000 car at $54,000 is a great deal until it is not, and out-of-warranty repair costs on luxury EVs can be significant. Go in informed, not just excited.

Know your life. Then pick your EV.

What EV are you considering when your lease ends, and what single factor matters most to you in making that decision? And if you had to choose between moving up to a larger EV like the EV9 or Gravity versus moving to a more autonomous vehicle like the Tesla Model Y, which direction would you take and why? Share your experience in the comments section below.

About The Author

Armen Hareyan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Torque News and an automotive journalist with over 15 years of experience writing car reviews and industry news. Now based in the Charlotte region (Indian Land, SC, he founded Torque News in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News on X, Linkedin, Facebook, and Youtube. Armen holds three Masters Degrees, including an MBA, and has become one of the known voices in the industry, specializing in the landscape of electric vehicles and real-world stories of actual car owners. Armen focuses on providing readers with transparent, data-backed analysis bridging the gap of complex engineering and car buyer practicality. Armen frequently participates in automotive events throughout the United States, national and local car reveals and personally test-drives new vehicles every week. Armen has also been published as an automotive expert in publications like the Transit Tomorrow, discussing how will autonomous vehicles reshape the supply chain, and emerging technologies in vehicle maintenan