Kia EV3 review

Kia is losing its soul – but not in the way you might be fearing. You see, this is the new Kia EV3 and it’s here to replace the Soul EV as the South Korean brand's smallest electric car. 

The new EV3 sits below the Kia Niro EV, the Kia EV6 and the seven-seat Kia EV9 in the car maker's electric SUV line-up. In fact, you can see a family resemblance between the EV3 and the EV9 both inside and out.

Things only get better when you look at the vital statistics. The EV3's list price compares well with that of other similar-sized electric SUVs, and the version with the longest official range can, officially at least, go even further than a Tesla Model Y.

Kia EV3 vs Skoda Elroq vs Mini Aceman triple test video

The competition is hardly a walkover though, with rivals ranging from the Hyundai Kona Electric and Volvo EX30 to the slightly larger Skoda Elroq. Read on to find out how the Kia EV3 stacks up against the best rival electric SUVs...

There are two battery options available for the Kia EV3: the Standard Range has a usable capacity of 55kWh, and the Long Range 78kWh. The big difference between the two is, as the names suggest, how far you can travel between charges.

The EV3 Standard Range can officially do 270 miles on a charge, while the Long Range can manage up to 375 miles (depending on trim level). That's further even than the longest-range version of the Tesla Model Y, let alone direct rivals such as the Hyundai Kona Electric and Mini Aceman.

Of course, as with any other electric cars, official ranges are almost impossible to match in real-world driving. Expect 250 to 320 miles in the EV3 Long Range, depending on the weather and the types of road you're driving on.

Whichever version of the EV3 you choose it will have a 201bhp motor driving the front wheels, and that's enough for a 0-62mph time of around 7.5 seconds. It's all the performance most buyers will want or need, even if some versions of the Smart #1 and Mini Aceman are even faster.

The EV3 has fairly soft suspension and that helps deliver a largely smooth ride – particularly on the motorway. Don't expect luxury limo-style comfort, but compared with similarly priced electric SUVs, such as the Aceman, the #1 and the Skoda Elroq, the EV3 deals with road imperfections really quite well.

However, that soft suspension means the EV3 isn't especially agile. There's more body lean through corners than in an Elroq or Aceman, and a noticeable amount of nosedive under braking. In short, the EV3 doesn't appreciate being asked to push on when you're driving along a windy country road. Take it easy, though, and you'll find this an easy and relaxing car to drive.

Refinement is impressive too, with little in the way of road and wind noise, and no audible electric motor whine. In short, it's even quieter at a cruise than an Elroq, let alone a Mini Aceman or Smart #1.

"If you pull and hold a paddle behind the steering wheel, you can put the Kia EV3 into one-pedal driving mode so the car can bring itself to a stop without you using the brakes at all. I found it made driving around town even easier." – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

As with its exterior, the Kia EV3’s interior takes inspiration from the Kia EV9. In fact, both cars have the same arrangement of screens on their dashboards.

That means there's a 12.3in digital display behind the steering wheel, a 5.3in climate-control panel and a 12.3in infotainment touchscreen (with ChatGPT AI voice control, so you can ask it questions).

Annoyingly, as in the EV9, your view of the EV3's climate-control panel is blocked by the steering wheel – although there are some rocker switches lower down on the dashboard for adjusting the interior temperature.

Things are better when it comes to the main touchscreen. The graphics are sharp and the system responds quickly to prods. There are also plenty of features, including wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring.

If you read our Kia EV9 review you'll see we weren't that impressed with the interior. The EV3 offers virtually the same layout and material quality, but is not far off half the price. So, compared with similar-priced electric cars, interior quality is actually a strong suit of the EV3.

Indeed, there's an appealing mix of materials throughout and even the harder plastics don't feel cheap or flimsy. GT-Line versions have some fabric on the dashboard and insides of the dashboard to help them feel a little more luxurious.

You sit fairly high up by small electric SUV standards – higher up from the road than in a Mini Aceman or, for that matter, a Renault Scenic E-Tech or Skoda Elroq. There's also a good amount of driver’s seat and steering-wheel adjustment. It’s a shame, though, that entry-level Air versions don't have adjustable lumbar support, although lower-back support is still adequate.

The EV3’s elevated driving position means you have a good view out over the front of the car and diagonally at junctions. Large rear pillar means your view out of the back is slightly impeded, although no more so than in a Hyundai Kona Electric or Smart #1. 

Luckily, you won’t have any struggles when it comes to parking, because every EV3 comes with front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera. To make things even easier, going for top-spec GT-Line S trim adds a 360-degree camera.

"The interior in Kia EV3 Air models is nice enough, but I think the fabric-wrapped dashboard makes the GT-Line feel noticeably more upmarket inside." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Two six-footers will have no issues fitting into the front of the Kia EV3, with plenty of head and leg room on offer. The interior is pretty wide so even a pair of broad adults won’t find that their shoulders are close to rubbing.

In terms of front storage, the door bins are fairly small, but the various trays, cupholders and partitioned within the centre console largely make up for that. GT-Line versions have a tray that slides out from the central armrest and acts as a laptop table, which is handy, but means you don't get any storage under the armrest, as you do on cheaper Air versions.

The EV3 is fairly small for an electric SUV but it's far roomier in the back than a Jeep Avenger Electric or Mini Aceman. A couple of six-footers will fit just fine, with plenty of knee room and just about enough head room. It's worth noting, though, that the Skoda Elroq costs similar money and is roomier in the back.

The rear seats in the EV3 don’t do anything particularly clever – such as sliding back and forth (as they do in the Smart #1) – but you can recline the angle of the seatbacks on the range-topping GT-Line S.

The rear seatbacks can be folded down in a 60/40 split, and the sections lie flat. That's par for the course in this class, although the larger Elroq has a ski hatch in its seatback for extra flexibility.

The EV3 has 460 litres of boot space. That's a match for the Hyundai Kona Electric and much more generous than the Jeep Avenger Electric, Mini Aceman and Smart #1. We managed to fit six carry-on suitcases below the load cover – the same number as in a Skoda Elroq.

All EV3s have a height-adjustable boot floor, plus a 25-litre storage area under the bonnet – a handy spot for stowing the charging cable.

"There's no shortage of space in the rear of the Kia EV3, although I found the seating position less comfortable than in the closely priced Skoda Elroq." – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

The starting price of the Kia EV3 is higher than that of a Hyundai Kona Electric, Jeep Avenger Electric or Mini Aceman – but it still represents good value for money when you factor in the range and how much standard equipment you get.

Indeed, Air trim gets you  heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, automatic LED headlights, automatic air conditioning, keyless entry and start and adaptive cruise control. All things considered, it's our recommended trim. 

Air trim in also available in combination with the Long Range battery, whereas you're forced to go for the Long Range if you want GT-Line or GT-Line S trim. 

GT-Line adds larger 19in alloy wheels, sportier styling, wireless phone-charging, rear privacy glass and the adjustable lumbar support for the driver.

Range-topping GT-Line S brings an upgraded eight-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, a customisable head-up display, electrically adjustable front seats with a heating and ventilating function, heated outer rear seats and a powered tailgate. It's too pricey for us to recommend, though.

Kia EV3 video review

It’s worth noting that PCP finance deals on the EV3, at the time of writing at least, are not particularly attractive. Indeed, you could have an equivalent Skoda Elroq or even a Renault Scenic E-Tech for a smaller monthly outlay.

However, like all electric cars, the EV3 is a seriously tempting company car proposition thanks to much lower BIK tax rates than on any petrol, diesel or even plug-in hybrid alternatives.

The maximum charging rate in the EV3 depends which battery you go for. The Standard Range can charge at up to 100kW, matching the Hyundai Kona Electric, so in ideal conditions you'll be waiting around half an hour for a 10-80% charge.

The EV3 Long Range can accept a faster charging rate of up to 135kW, although because it has a bigger battery to fill, a 10-80% charge will actually take slightly longer – around 33 minutes.

We don’t have reliability data for the EV3 yet but Kia as a brand finished in 11th place out of 31 car makers in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey. Better still, Kia’s seven-year standard warranty is one of the best you can get. 

Likewise, the EV3 has yet to be tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP. Even so, you can take peace of mind from the fact that every EV3 comes with automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot collision avoidance, a driver attention warning system and lots of airbags.

Top-Spec GT-Line S cars add more equipment to that list, including blind-spot monitoring cameras and parking collision avoidance.  

"I'm disappointed Kia doesn't offer a heat pump on most versions of the EV3. You have to go for range-topping GT-Line S and then pay extra." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

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