Car of the Year Awards 2026: Best small electric SUV of the Year
Small electric SUVs should provide everyday usability and the capability to travel far on a single charge. But the best need to up the game with a great interior and user friendly tech, too...
Kia EV3 Standard Range Air
Kia has considerable form when it comes to electric SUVs. In 2019, it became the first brand to win our overall Car of the Year award with a fully electric car: the brilliant e-Niro. Then it took our top prize again in 2022 with the plusher EV6. And just last year it introduced an electric SUV that offered similar strengths in a smaller, more affordable package. That new model was the EV3.
Since then, the Kia EV3 has faced a tranche of talented new rivals, but none has managed to dethrone it as the pick of the small electric SUV class. So, let’s drill into just what it offers.
For starters, it’s remarkably practical. There’s more space in the back than you’ll find in the Renault 4 (R4) and Smart #1. In fact, the EV3 is within a spit of matching the bigger, pricier Skoda Elroq for interior room.
The EV3’s boot is just as impressive; at 460 litres, it handily beats the carrying capacity of the Jeep Avenger, R4 and #1. In fact, it’s not a lot smaller than that of its bigger, pricier sibling, the Kia EV6; that car can swallow seven carry-on suitcases, and we managed to fit six in the EV3.
On top of the big boot, there’s a handy compartment under the bonnet for storing charging cables; surprisingly few rivals offer such a feature.
Not only is the EV3 roomy inside, but getting comfy is easy, because there’s lots of driver’s seat and steering wheel adjustment. Plus, it places you in a more convincingly SUV-like driving position than most of its rivals; you sit upright and a long way from the road, providing great visibility.
The EV3 continues to feel like an SUV when you move off. Okay, the more nimble handling that comes with the Renault 4’s shorter stature is to that rival’s credit, but we much prefer the way the EV3 rides; it soaks up bumps and potholes effortlessly, and if you take it easy (for which your passengers will be grateful), it’s a relaxing car to guide along an undulating, twisty road.
Something else to celebrate is that our favourite version of the EV3 just happens to be the cheapest, namely entry-level Air trim with a 55kWh (usable capacity) battery. This version’s 270-mile official range will fit most folks’ daily routines, and you get more standard kit than you might expect of a bottom-rung car; the list includes heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and keyless entry. It’s great value at just over £30k.
Alternatively, for those who need to make regular long trips, there’s a larger, 78kWh (usable) battery option that promises up to 375 miles of range. That’s farther than any of its rivals (including the related Hyundai Kona Electric) can go, and not far off what the bigger, much pricier Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD can officially manage.
And if you fancy a bit more flash, you can combine that bigger battery with GT-Line trim, which brings bigger alloy wheels and gloss black exterior details. But that takes the price closer to cars from the class above. For us, the entry-level trim is the sweet spot.
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