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Battery size: 58 - 81 kWh
Battery warranty: 7 years/100,000 miles
Range: 254 - 373 miles
Charging speed: 128kW
One of its strong points will be its driving range and efficiency, as the EV3 gets two batteries - a 58.3kWh battery with a WLTP range of 254 miles, or an 81.4kWh option with a WLTP range of up to 373 miles. When we saw the EV3 it's noticeable how small it is - cars normally make me feel tiny and this one didn't - so it's impressive that they've managed to get such a large battery into such a compact car. The EV3 will be fairly affordable too; the smaller battery EV3 will cost from around £33,000 when it arrives later in 2024. Given the range, the big car tech that it offers and those funky EV9-inspired looks, I think that's a lot of car for the money.
The EV3 sits on a modified version of the E-GMP platform that also underpins the EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, and it's front wheel drive with a single motor - there may possibly be a fast, dual-motor, four-wheel drive version arriving at a later date.
Styling and dimensions
The Kia EV3 is 4.3-metres long and 1.56m tall, and gets the unmistakable ‘Tiger Face’ that has graced the Korean company’s recent models. Looking a bit like an EV9 that got shrunk in the wash is no bad thing, given that we love the big, brash seven-seater (which won World Car of the Year of which I'm a juror). Spending time with it in a studio impressed me and I think the styling has translated well to the funky-looking EV3, but it's no EV9 mini-me, as it has a sportier look than its big brother thanks to that dynamic roof line that slopes away to the back - this also helps with the all important aerodynamics and efficiency.
Recycled plastics feature heavily on the EV3, there's around 30 kg of recycled plastics in every car reclaimed from automotive and industrial waste and repurposed in areas like the side sills and bumper cover. You can get also get the EV3 in a variety of colourful shades, which have been designed especially for it, too, including the Aventurine Green in the pictures above that I'm a little bit in love with. Go for the GT-Line model and you also get contrasting lower body trim, which I think looks pretty cool.
Interior
The EV3 draws on the EV9 for a lot of its interior design and tech, too. The first thing you notice are the huge screens; two 12.3-inch screens and a smaller, 5-inch display all together in one slim housing on top of the dash. They're straight out of the Kia EV9 - so you get big car tech at a more affordable price - and just like the EV9 there are also buttons, which we know a lot of you want to see in your car and I admit to being a fan of too. Touch-sensitive switches beneath the screen make it easy to hop between the home menu and the key functions in the screen, and there are also physical switches for the air-con and audio volume, which I always find better for making adjustments when you’re driving.
Of course, you get sat-nav with charger search function, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, not to mention ChatGPT voice control in the ‘Kia AI assistant’, which learns how you speak and the common requests you make. Given that the buttons and touchscreen infotainment are all pretty easy to use, I’m not sure how much you really need the voice control. But, it could still be useful, and if this is finally in-car voice control that knows what you’re asking it to do and routinely understands you, we’re all for it. We need a bit more time to try it out, so watch this space for our full review on the Kia EV3 coming later this year.
Over-the-air software updates keep the touchscreen and voice assistant software on point, as the years pass, and there’s also a store of optional apps on the Kia Connect Store that users can choose to download and use at extra cost. Kia told me that they will never charge extra for upgrades on things like electrically heated seats or steering wheel and that any downloads will be options to personalise your EV3.
That’s not the only smart feature in the EV3; the centre armrest and storage area in the front is really clever. The top section slides out so that you can turn it into a laptop table for getting your emails done while the car is charging; my large MacBook fitted on it comfortably and the table feels solid and robust, as does the rest of the interior. Underneath the centre console is a large storage area for your snacks - I think it also makes a great handbag cubby - and one of my favourite features from the EV9, the super-comfy mesh headrests, also make an appearance on the EV3. They look great but are also extremely comfortable and add to the 'lounge' style vibe I got from the interior, it's a nice place to spend time.
Space in the back seats is good, too, so you’ll get a couple of average-sized adults back there no problem, plus there’s a centre rear armrest (actually quite rare on this class of car). No transmission tunnel means that the middle passenger has plenty of leg room, but one down side is that the rear doors don't open that wide so you may need to reach it at an angle to get small children in and out of cars seats - on that note there are ISOFIX points on each of the outer seats.
Boot space
There’s 460-litres of space in the EV3’s hatchback boot, which is usefully more than you get in the Volkswagen ID.3 and Volvo EX30, although the Renault Megane E-Tech gets close. Those rear seats in the EV3 fold flat in a 60/40 split, and you also get a small frunk that will take a charging cable without you having to learn Ninja-level cable-tidying skills. Drop the seats and you get 1,250 litres of space, on a par with the VW ID.3 and Cupra Born, but the Renault Megane E-Tech does have slightly more storage with the seats down.
Battery, charging and efficiency
The Kia EV3 gets two batteries - a 58.3kWh battery with a WLTP range of 254 miles, or an 81.4kWh option with a WLTP range of up to 373 miles.
Charging is up to 120kW, or that rises a fraction up to 128kW for the bigger battery car. That means a 10-80% charge in around 30 minutes for the 58kWh EV3, although it's worth pointing out that rivals like the VW ID.3 charge more quickly.
Vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging is standard on the EV3, too, so you can run any normal electrical device from the EV3’s domestic three-pin socket. Great for keeping those drinks cool in the fridge, when you’re camping and it's something I use a lot when I'm out and about filming car reviews for Electrifying.com.
A normal 7kW home charger will fully charge the Kia EV3 in between nine- and thirteen hours.
The EV3 should be efficient, too as we've found that Kia's often get very close to the WLTP claimed range figures, and since the EV3 has active air flaps that open and close depending on the speed of the car, and is very aerodynamic thanks to a nearly flat floor underneath the car - it should be really efficient, which makes it cheaper to run. We'll let you know when we've driven it, which is happening in the Summer.
Price and equipment
The EV3 specialises in offering lots of big car tech. Some of it will be optional, but you’ll be able to have heated and ventilated front seats and a head-up display. Kia’s semi-autonomous drive system, which will stop-and-start the car with the flow of the traffic, beam the speed limit onto the dash and keep the car in its lane, will be standard across the range.
It’s the first Kia to get some new nifty regenerative braking technology which means you can opt for different levels of one-pedal driving so if full regeneration isn’t your thing you can calm it down a little - although I always opt for the maximum possible as its a feature on electric cars that I really enjoy. The EV3 will also feature vehicle to load and vehicle to grid increasingly common on electric cars, but still not available on VW Group models.
Full pricing and equipment levels haven’t been confirmed, but expect the EV3 to start from around £33,000 and run right up to over £40,000.
Verdict
From my first look in a studio I think the Kia EV3 is a brilliant package. It’s got style, comfort, space, tech to spare and is also – potentially – going to offer great value for money. If Kia gets the pricing and monthly finance deals right, this is a definite winner and will be the one to beat in its class. We'll have to drive the car and see confirmed pricing before we can give our final verdict, but if Kia gets all of that right then the EV3 may well end up being a five star car.
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