Kia EV3 Review & Prices

Kia’s EV6 and EV9 are some of the best electric cars you can buy, but they’re not particularly affordable - that’s where the EV3 comes in. It’s an electric compact SUV that’s just as accomplished as its bigger siblings, offers even more range on a full charge, and yet costs about the same as many of its petrol or diesel-powered alternatives. It’s like the prodigal youngest child of an already very successful family.

While the EV3 isn’t a proper budget EV in the same vein as an MG4 or Hyundai Inster, it certainly has the chops to take on cars such as the VW ID3, Hyundai Kona Electric, Peugeot E-2008 and the former Carwow Car of the Year-winning Volvo EX30.

It’ll certainly turn heads with its styling. While it doesn’t have the eye-catching silhouette of the EV6 or the sheer intimidating bulk of the EV9, the EV3 is a smart-looking car. It’s upright and quite square, with Kia’s distinctive vertical headlight design and plenty of glossy black trim. Interestingly squared-off wheel designs and blocky plastic cladding give it a bit of a rugged edge, too, even though it’s strictly front-wheel drive for now with no particular off-roading capabilities.

Kia EV3: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 270 - 375 miles
Efficiency: 4.6mi/kWh
Battery size: 58kWh - 81kWh
Max charge speed: 128kW
Charge time AC: 8hrs 20 - 11hrs 30 (0-100%, 7kW)
Charge time DC: 29 - 31mins (10-80%, 128kW)
Charge port location: Right front wing
Power outputs: 204hp

It’s a little bit smaller than the Kia Niro EV, which it’s something of an indirect replacement for, but very similar in size to the Volvo EX30. Interior space makes the EX30 look cramped, though - the EV3 has plenty of room in its back seats and a generous 460-litre boot, putting it among the best cars of this size for practicality.

It’s practically designed in the front, too. Kia’s listened to customers and retained physical controls for the air-conditioning, meaning you don’t have to dive into the touchscreen to adjust the temperature or fan speed. When you do, you’ll find twin 12.3-inch screens flanking a smaller 5.3-inch display - they show infotainment, driver information and supplemental climate control details respectively. It’s a little busy, but generally works well and has all the functionality you could want.

Swathes of interesting materials and some unconventional touches - like a flat, featureless centre console that doubles up as a dining table - keep the interior feeling fresh and interesting, though it’s not as futuristic as something like a Tesla Model Y.

One of the EV3’s headline features is the range on offer, though. The basic model has a 58kWh battery that provides up to 270 miles of range on a full charge - that alone would be enough for it to be competitive with its closest alternatives. But there’s a bigger, 81kWh battery available which gives the EV3 up to 375 miles of range - a figure that’s among the best on sale and even higher than the flagship EV6 and EV9.

And on top of being able to drive for a long time, you’ll be comfortable doing so. The EV3 isn’t as sporty as some alternatives, nor is it crazily fast off the line. But it’s powerful enough, quiet and handles bumpy roads well - it’s the electric car you’d be happy driving every day, rather than the one you want to show off at the traffic lights.

If this practical EV sounds like one you’re interested in, check out our best Kia EV3 deals here on Carwow. You can also get a great deal on other Kia models, or find a used Kia for sale here. And remember Carwow can help with the other end of your car-changing journey too, helping you sell your old car through our network of trusted dealers.

The Kia EV3 starts from just under £33,000 for an entry level ‘Air’ variant with the smaller of the two batteries. That’s within a few hundred pounds of the Volvo EX30, but with around 60 miles more range. It is undercut by the MG4 Long Range and the Smart #1, but outside of those two cars there’s very little that comes close in terms of range and price.

Add in the long-range battery and the EV3 becomes even more of a compelling option - its 375-mile official range is up there with some of the best and most premium EVs you can buy, but costs from just under £36,000 in the Air trim.

Speaking of trims, all EV3s get a good level of kit. The triple-screen dashboard is standard, as are heated front seats, a reversing camera, all-round parking sensors and a suite of safety aids. Stepping up to GT-Line nets you a slightly sportier-looking body with bigger wheels, artificial leather seats, wireless phone charging and posh flush door handles, while the range-topping GT-Line S adds a 360-degree camera, power tailgate, head-up display, sunroof and premium audio system.

Not exciting to drive, but quiet, refined and comfortable all the same

In town

The EV3 has the same benefits when it comes to driving around town as all electric cars do. The silent powertrain is smooth as butter when it comes to accelerating, and there’s plenty of power available low-down to allow you to nip out of junctions smartly and exploit tight gaps when you need to. There’s no gearbox to worry about either, so your left leg gets a welcome rest - and it's even smoother than a good automatic in this regard.

Kia also gives you loads of different options for regenerative braking, which is nice considering the Volvo EX30 and Peugeot E-2008 only give you the option to turn it off or on. You can select three levels of strength, and toggle ‘i-Pedal’ mode, which takes the car down to a full stop just by lifting off the accelerator, so you don’t have to touch the brake at all. There’s also an auto mode, which chooses the level of regen based on what’s in front of you - but we didn’t find this mode particularly reassuring.

No matter what mode you’re in, the EV3 deals quite well with lumps and bumps around town. It’s quite a heavy vehicle and has fairly soft suspension, so it can feel a little lumbering when you get lots of bumps one after the other. But the payoff is that it’s fairly smooth over rough surfaces. Visibility is pretty good, too, with nice square dimensions that make parking easy - and all-round sensors as standard make it easier still.

On the motorway

The Kia EV3 doesn’t have the ballistic performance of something like a Volvo EX30 Twin Motor or a Tesla Model 3, and so you have to put your foot down a little more than those cars when it comes to joining a faster road. But with 204hp on tap, it’s hardly slow, and you can get up to speed without any drama.

Once you’re cruising, there’s a little more wind noise than you get in some alternatives, but it’s not obtrusive. The automated driving features work quite well, and adaptive cruise control helps take the sting out of long journeys - especially as Kia’s system detects the presence of your hand on the wheel, not just the pressure, so you don’t have to worry about giving the helm an occasional wiggle.

On a twisty road

This is where the EV3 feels like it loses some ground to its best alternatives. It’s not bad in any way, with plenty of grip and responsive enough steering. But it’s front-wheel drive and set up for comfort rather than cornering, so compared to rear-wheel drive alternatives with more power it just doesn’t feel as lively or as much fun.

A Volvo EX30, MG4 or Volkswagen ID3 are all more enjoyable to drive, though the Kia is on a par with something like a Renault Megane E-Tech or Peugeot E-2008. There are driving modes you can switch into, but even in Sport you won’t really feel the need to ‘send it’ into corners. It’s better to just ease off and make the most of the EV3’s relaxing nature instead.

Lots of room in the back seats and boot, though storage for smaller items could be better

The Kia EV3 is quite an upright, square car, so it’s no surprise passenger room is excellent. Front-seat occupants get plenty of space, helped by Kia shrinking down the climate control systems so they fit into a smaller dashboard - freeing up legroom.

The front seats and steering wheel have loads of adjustment, and are pretty comfy - even if they’re a bit flatter and less supportive than the very sculpted items in the Volkswagen ID3.

The glovebox and door bins are large, but the centre console isn’t very clever. The cupholders are practically on the floor, making it tricky to reach for drinks while you’re on the move. The front part of the central armrest, meanwhile, is a flat slab that can extend outwards. It’s a handy place to rest a laptop if you’re using the EV3 as a mobile office, or perhaps a Happy Meal if you’re dining in your car - but it’s pretty useless when you’re on the move, as there’s no grip to the surface.

Space in the back seats

There’s space in the back of the EV3 for two six-foot adults to get comfy, with plenty of leg and head room - it’s notably roomier than a Volvo EX30. There’s also a totally flat floor so no obstructions to sliding all the way over from one side, and even the centre passenger has somewhere to put their feet - though the cabin is a little narrow to squeeze three adults in for long periods.

Rear-seat occupants get a central armrest and handy USB-C ports on the front seatbacks are perfect for charging gadgets. It’s a shame that the seatbacks themselves are made of hard plastic, so it’s not the most forgiving to have your knees pressed up against them. The rear seats also don’t do anything clever like slide or recline.

Boot space

The EV3’s 460-litre boot is a really good size, easily beating the 318-litre Volvo EX30, 323-litre Smart #1, and even the 440-litre Renault Megane E-Tech. It’s on a par with the forthcoming Skoda Elroq, which has 470 litres of space.

It’s worth noting that the Kia’s boot is only that big when you have the adjustable floor in its lowest position, whereupon you get quite a lip at the load sill and a big hump in the floor when you fold the rear seats down. Raise the floor up and it’s still roomy, but a bit less capacious - though it’s worth it for the totally flat loading area you get as a result.

The EV3 even has a frunk - though at just 25 litres, it’s barely big enough to fit a charging cable in. Still, that’s not really any less roomy than the Smart #1 or Volvo EX30, and the MG4 and Renault Megane E-Tech don’t even get one at all.

A great infotainment system and nicely built cabin - it’s a shame some of the materials are on the cheaper side

The EV3’s interior is interestingly designed and quite practical, with design touches that make it feel like a more expensive car. The highlight is the huge curved display on top of the dash, which is actually three screens in one. From right to left (or left to right in our European test cars, pictured) there’s a 12.3-inch driver display, a 5.3-inch screen that shows your climate controls, and another 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment.

The driver’s screen is big and clear, and for the most part mimics the same setup as a pair of traditional dials, with speed on one side and the power/charge meter replacing a rev counter on the other. The climate screen is, we reckon, a bit useless - it’s mostly blocked by the steering wheel and is quite a distance from the physical climate buttons lower on the dash. It would make more sense to display them on the main screen, immediately above the switches, or perhaps in a smaller, separate display elsewhere.

The infotainment screen has dozens of menus and can be a bit intimidating at first. However, all the functions you use regularly are quite simple to get to grips with and the screen is big, clear and responsive enough to make interacting with it easy. There’s also standard, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto if you want to bypass Kia’s own system, with a wireless smartphone charging pad standard from the mid-spec model - and plenty of USB-C ports if you prefer to use them instead.

Material choices are interesting. Kia’s mostly shied away from using the piano-black plastics favoured by a lot of European manufacturers in favour of silver and grey tones. The door cards feature a sort of beige shade that really helps the cabin feel brighter. There are some interesting textures too, though these are often used to disguise the fact that some of the plastics aren’t the highest quality. The central 'table' for instance, feels quite rough, and the door cards on lower-spec models are made of cheaper, harder plastics than those higher up the range.

We’ve already mentioned the Kia EV3’s exceptional driving range but it bears repeating. Even the small-battery version, with its 270-mile official range, would be good enough to give the Renault Megane E-Tech or VW ID3 a run for their money. It’s not just that the battery’s a good size, either - the EV3 uses it very efficiently, with an official rating of 4.6mi/kWh.

The larger battery is just as efficient but with its greater size it gives a maximum range of 375 miles for the entry-level Air model. Even top spec cars only drop this to 361 miles, which is still on par with the longest-range VW ID3 you can buy. We look forward to testing both of these cars in the UK and over longer distances to see if they can measure up to their official claims, but Kia has good form in this regard, with all of its previous EVs getting closer than most alternatives to their claimed figures.

Charge rates are decent but not outstanding - the EV3 can top up at 128kW, which is around half the speed of the larger EV6. It means a 10-80% charge should take around 30 minutes, which is still quick enough to make the EV3 a viable companion for longer road trips - it’s just a shame it can’t make the most of the increasing number of high-powered charging stations across the UK and Europe.

It’s also a bit annoying that a heat pump isn’t standard equipment. Fitting one can improve range in the winter by making the car’s heating system more efficient, and it comes as standard on an increasing number of new EVs - notably budget offerings such as the BYD Dolphin or Hyundai Inster. For the EV3, it’s an optional extra and only available on the range-topping GT-Line S model, so for the others you may find that winter range is reduced a little more than you’d hope for. However, with so much range to play with in the first place, it might not be a problem for you.

With zero emissions, the EV3 pays the lowest available road tax, and company car Benefit-in-Kind rates are competitive too. Better yet, even the big-battery versions can be had for well below £40,000, so they avoid the Expensive Car supplement to your yearly tax bill.

The EV3 has yet to be tested by safety organisation Euro NCAP, but past Kias have performed very well. Apart from the Niro, which scored four stars, every Kia tested since 2020 has achieved the full five-star rating, most recently the EV9 SUV.

Every EV3 comes with the full suite of mandated safety aids, while higher trim levels also get some additions like an all-round parking camera and a clever blind-spot monitoring system that flashes up a camera image in the instrument cluster when you signal.

Kia’s added a handy shortcut to turn off the particularly annoying overspeed warning beep, which is welcome - you just have to hold down the steering wheel’s mute button. However, even with this off, you’ll want to supplement it by turning off a few more notifications. If you don’t, the EV3 has an almost infuriating cacophony of beeps the entire time you’re driving, including one every time the speed limit changes.

The EV3 is brand new so hasn’t featured in any reliability surveys yet. However, in the 2024 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey the brand as a whole came an encouraging third place, and had two cars - the Picanto and the Sportage - just outside the top ten.

Electric cars generally have less to go wrong than combustion-engined models, though the amount of software involved in keeping one running is eye-watering so that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be flawless. However, Kia’s standard warranty is a really generous seven years or 100,000 miles, much longer than the three years of cover you get with a Volvo EX30 or VW ID.3.