The 2025 Kia EV6 GT Gets Ioniq 5 N-Style 'Virtual Gear Shift'

Simulated gear shifts will pair well with 641 horsepower, don't you think?

• The Kia EV6 GT hasn't been fully revealed yet, but Kia gave some details about it at the 2025 EV6's debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
• The EV6 GT now packs 601 hp and 545 lb.-ft. of torque, or up to 641 hp and 568 lb.-ft. of torque with overboost.
• Most notably, it gets a "Virtual Gear Shift feature" that sounds similar to the Ioniq 5 N.

Just admit it: you love the idea of simulated gear shifting in electric vehicles. Oh, you may act like you hate the anachronistic idea of changing "gears" in a car that technically only has a one-speed transmission because it ruins the "purity" of the smooth and efficient EV experience. Or maybe you're a gas car purist and the idea of trying to simulate a transmission is, at best, like watching a clip of your favorite band on someone's Instagram reel when you could have had a front-row seat to the show instead.

But deep down, you know you're wrong. And you wish every EV could do that. How do I know this? Because every single person who drives the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, whether they're a die-hard EV person or the most hardcore electro-skeptic, absolutely loves it. And they love the fake shifting most of all.

Even Jeremy Clarkson calls the Ioniq 5 N "as much fun as is humanly possible." Jeremy Clarkson! A man who made an entire career out of being very mad that it's not 1968 anymore. Shut up and embrace the fake EV shifting, you nerds. Find some joy in your life for once.

And joy will definitely be on order with the new 2025 Kia EV6 GT. The U.S.-spec version of Kia's updated crossover made its debut today at the LA Auto Show. And while there's still a lot we don't know about it, we have power specs and one key detail: the EV6 GT now gets a simulated gear shift feature.

"The GT’s new Virtual Gear Shift feature enhances driving immersion by simulating gear shifts with visuals, engine sound effects, and a tactile sensation through motor torque adjustments," Kia officials said in a news release. And that's all they have to say for now, but we'll try and get more at the show itself if we can.

Since Kia and Hyundai are owned by the same parent company but are technically separate entities, the news release does not mention the Ioniq 5 N. Yet it's clear that something similar will now be added to the Ioniq 5's platform-mate, the EV6. And on the Hyundai, the "N e-Shift" feature really goes the distance.

That car simulates an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission using the paddles normally used to adjust regenerative braking intensity on other Hyundai Motor Group cars. When activated—and it has a normal "drive" setting as any DCT would—it works much the same way: left paddle to go down a "gear," right to go up. Of course, the EVs do not have multiple forward gears. They have so much instant torque that gears are not necessary to achieve different speeds as they would be on a gas engine, which puts power to the wheels far less efficiently.

But the Ioniq 5 N is also special for how it simulates the "feel" of gear shifting, including the jolt and brief interruption in power that happens and the mechanical resistance that's normal upon downshifting. The Ioniq 5 N also simulates engine sounds through the speakers, will let you rev the "engine" while parked and has a "redline" you'll hit before you need to shift again. It's all great fun.

Based on Kia's statement, we can expect some version of that for the EV6, but I'm eager to see Kia's spin on things. I'm sure engineers will find some way to make it fairly unique to this car.

Beyond that, we know a few other specs, including power. The GT delivers 601 hp and 545 lb.-ft. of torque, up from 576 hp before. With GT Mode activated, you get a full 641 hp and 568 lb.-ft. of torque. Unlike the rest of the EV6 line, the GT will still be made in South Korea, not Kia's Georgia factory, so it won't qualify for U.S. EV tax credits at purchase. Pricing has not been released yet, nor have official photos: what you see above is the European-spec Kia EV6 GT-Line, which is visually similar.

So now we're all wondering the same thing, right? The new Kia EV6 GT, or the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N? We have reason to believe the Kia is a hotted-up version of the existing model with a ton of extra power and some new tricks, while the Hyundai is a top-to-bottom performance car rework that's meant for track day duty. But the EV6 GT may still be no slouch. This a showdown we'll have to take to the track in 2025 so we can find out.

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