Kia EV3 review

Kia has lost its soul – but not in the way you might be thinking. You see, this is the Kia EV3, which replaced the Soul EV as the South Korean brand's smallest electric car.

That means the EV3 sits below the Kia Niro EV, EV6 and EV9 in the brand's electric SUV line-up, and you can see a strong family resemblance – particularly between the EV3 and EV9.

On paper, things looks good for the EV3. Its starting price is competitive, and the version with the longest range can officially travel up to 375 miles on a charge – way farther than any Renault 4.

Kia EV3 video review

That said, the Kia EV3 faces some tough competition, not only from the cheaper Renault 4 but also the similarly priced Hyundai Kona Electric and Volvo EX30. Slightly larger alternatives, including the Renault Scenic and Skoda Elroq, are likely to be on the shortlists of potential buyers, too.

How fast is it and which motor is best?

Every Kia EV3 has a 201bhp motor that powers the front wheels (there's no four-wheel-drive option), and that's enough for 0-62mph in around 7.5sec. On a cold, damp day at our private test track, we recorded an EV3 Long Range scampering from 0-60mph in 7.4sec. 

It's all the performance most buyers will need, even if some versions of the Smart #3 and Volvo EX30 are even quicker.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

The EV3 has fairly soft suspension and that helps most versions deliver a plush ride around town and a wonderfully smooth experience on motorways. It's roughly on a par with the larger Renault Scenic and Skoda Elroq, and copes better with road imperfections than the Kona Electric, Mini Aceman, Smart #1 and EX30.

Only the Long Range version of the EV3 in entry-level Air spec disappoints slightly; this has a bouncier, less settled ride than other variants, probably due to its combination of a big, heavy battery and tyres with tall sidewalls.

It's also worth noting that no EV3 is particularly agile. There's more body lean through corners than in an Elroq or EX30, 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 twisty country road. Take it easy, though, and you'll find it an easy and relaxing car to drive.

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

The EV3 has adjustable levels of regenerative braking (for harvesting energy when slowing down). In its strongest setting, this allows one-pedal driving, meaning the EV3 can bring itself to a stop slowing without you using the brake pedal at al

If you'd rather do the braking yourself, you’ll be relieved to hear that the regular 'friction' brakes also offer a smooth and predictable response. Indeed, refinement is impressive across the board, with the EV3 generating no audible electric motor whine under acceleration. Plus, there's little in the way of road and wind noise at a cruise – the EV3 is fractionally quieter on motorways than a Skoda Elroq.

What’s the range and efficiency like, and how quickly can it charge?

The Standard Range version has a battery with a usable capacity of 55kWh, while the Long Range gets a bigger 78kWh battery. The big difference between the two is, as the names suggest, how far you can travel between charges.

The Standard Range can officially manage 270 miles, while the Long Range can do up to 375 miles (depending on trim level). That beats the Hyundai Kona Electric (319 miles), Mini Aceman (251 miles), Smart #3 (283 miles) and Volvo EX30 (295 miles).

As with other electric cars, the EV3's official WLTP range is hard 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.

The EV3's maximum charging speed depends on which battery you go for. The Standard Range can charge at speeds of 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 charge at up to 135kW, although because it has a bigger battery to fill, a 10-80% charge will actually take a couple of minutes longer.

“I liked the EV3's one-pedal driving mode – particularly around town, where I found it made life easier.” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

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

That means there's a 12.3in digital driver's display behind the steering wheel, adjacent to a 5.3in climate-control touchscreen and a 12.3in infotainment touchscreen (more on those later).

If you’ve read our Kia EV9 review, you’ll know we weren’t overly impressed with its interior quality, and things are no better here. However, with the EV3 costing almost half as much as its larger sibling, its interior quality stacks up well against similar-priced small electric SUVs. Harder plastics are used in places, but they feel robust rather than flimsy, and GT-Line and GT-Line S models add fabric inserts on the dashboard and door trims for a more luxurious feel.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

The EV3's driving position places you higher up than most rivals', including the Hyundai Kona Electric and Smart #3 (and even the larger Renault Scenic and Skoda Elroq). It’s certainly enough to remind you that you’re driving an SUV rather than a hatchback.

Better yet, the EV3's driver’s seat and steering wheel offer plenty of adjustment. Our only minor grumble is that entry-level Air models miss out on adjustable lumbar support – although lower back support is adequate without this.

None of our testers had any issues seeing the digital driver display directly behind the steering wheel, but the smaller climate control panel to the right of this is largely blocked by the steering wheel. It's exactly the same problem that blights the EV9.

The EV3's elevated driving position gives you a good view down the road ahead, though, and diagonally at junctions – although the wide rear window pillars mean the view out to the back is slightly restricted. Still, it’s no worse than in a Kona Electric or #3, and every EV3 comes with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard. Range-topping GT-Line S trim adds a 360-degree camera to make parking even easier.

Is the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

We moaned about the small climate touchscreen being largely obscured by the steering wheel, but thankfully there are physical buttons on the dashboard for tweaking the interior temperature and fan speed. This gives the EV3 a clear advantage over rivals such as the Skoda Elroq and Volvo EX30, in which climate controls are accessed exclusively using the touchscreen or voice commands.

The touchscreen has ChatGPT AI (artificial intelligence) voice control, allowing you to plan journeys, search for your favourite band, or even get restaurant recommendations in a more natural way than older voice assistant systems could manage. It's far from perfect, though – and sometimes leaves you thinking 'why did I bother trying to use it in the first place.'

The EV3's infotainment touchscreen isn’t the largest or flashiest in its class, but it features sharp graphics and an intuitive layout. It’s also quicker to respond to prods than the system in the Elroq and far more user-friendly the infotainment system in a Mini Aceman.

Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come as standard across the range, but you'll need to go for at least GT-Line trim if you want a wireless phone charging pad. Meanwhile, range-topping GT-Line S trim brings an upgraded eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

“The interior of Air models is attractive enough, but I think the GT-Line version, with its fabric-wrapped dashboard, feels noticeably more upmarket.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

How much space does it have for people?

Two six-footers will have no trouble fitting into the front of the Kia EV3, because there's plenty of head and leg room on offer. What's more, the interior is pretty wide, so even a pair of broad adults won’t find their shoulders close to rubbing.

The front door bins aren't huge, but the various trays, cupholders and partitioned sections in the centre console largely make up for that. GT-Line and GT-Line S 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; you do in cheaper Air versions.

In the back you’ll find more space than in a Jeep Avenger Electric, Mini Aceman or Volvo EX30. As a result, two six-footers will fit just fine, with plenty of knee room and enough head room. USB-C sockets are usefully positioned on the backs of the front seats – ideal for rear passengers wanting to keep their devices topped up. If you need even more rear space, its worth looking at the Renault Scenic or Skoda Elroq from the class above.

The rear seats in the EV3 don’t do anything clever, such as sliding back and forth (as they do in the Smart #1). They simply fold down in a 60/40 split, and the sections lie flat, which is par for the course among small electric SUVs. The larger Scenic gets a more practical 40/20/40 split seatback for extra flexibility.

How much room does it have for luggage?

The EV3 has a 460-litre boot. That means there's far more space for luggage than in a Jeep Avenger Electric, Aceman or #1, and roughly the same as in a Hyundai Kona Electric. We managed to fit six carry-on suitcases below the load cover – the same as in the larger Elroq. 

All EV3s have a height-adjustable boot floor, plus 25 litres of extra storage under the bonnet, which is a handy spot for stowing the charging cable. It's a shame you need to go for the range-topping GT-Line S to get a powered tailgate, though.

“Because the EV3 was built from the ground up as an electric vehicle, it has a flat floor, which I found gave me more room for my feet when travelling three-up in the back.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The £33,005 starting price of the Kia EV3 is higher than that of a Jeep Avenger Electric or Mini Aceman and roughly on a par with the Volvo EX30 – but it still represents good value for money when you factor in its range and how much standard equipment you get.

Indeed, even if you go for entry-level Air trim you get heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, automatic LED headlights, climate control, keyless entry and adaptive cruise control. Plus, you can have Air trim with either battery size, whereas GT-Line and GT-Line S are available exclusively in combination with the Long Range battery.

GT-Line brings larger 19in alloy wheels, sportier styling, wireless phone-charging and rear privacy glass. Meanwhile, range-topping GT-Line S adds the upgraded eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a head-up display, heated rear seats, ventilated front seats and a powered tailgate. It's too pricey for us to recommend, though.

It’s worth noting that PCP finance deals on the EV3 – at the time of writing at least – aren't particularly attractive. Indeed, you could have a Skoda Elroq or Renault Scenic 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.

Is it reliable, and how long is the warranty?

Good news: the Kia EV3 was rated as the most reliable electric car in the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, while Kia as a whole finished 8th (out of 20 brands) in the overall manufacture league table.

Better still, Kia EV3 is backed by a seven-year (100,000-mile) warranty on most components, with extended eight-year cover for the battery (also capped at 100,000 miles).

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

The EV3 achieved the full five-star safety rating after it was crash-tested by safety experts Euro NCAP. Every versions comes with lots of airbags, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot collision avoidance, a driver attention monitoring system and automatic emergency braking (AEB). The AEB system can detect both pedestrians and cyclists, and look out for vehicles at junction crossings.

Top-Spec GT-Line S cars add more safety equipment, including blind-spot monitoring cameras and parking collision avoidance. To help guard against thieves, all versions of the EV3 come with a Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser.

"I suspect some customers will be disappointed that Kia doesn't fit a heat pump as standard to improve efficiency in cold weather. You can have one, but you'll need to go for range-topping GT-Line S trim and then pay extra." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Buy it if...

- You need a small electric SUV that's big on interior space

- You want to feel as though you're sitting in something taller than a regular hatchback

- You'd like a long warranty

Don’t buy it if…

- You want the cheapest electric SUV around

- You want a car that's fun to drive

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