2025 Kia EV3 review

Say hello to Kia’s cheapest EV yet.

The 2025 Kia EV3 is due to arrive in Australia around March-April in 2025. While we don’t know final pricing and specifications just yet, the Korean brand will no doubt be gunning for the Chinese.

Similar in size to the combustion-powered Seltos and electrified Niro crossovers, the EV3 ushers in Kia’s latest corporate design which is less curvy and European, instead more digital and robotic.

With strong LED lighting signatures and boxy proportions, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s just an EV9 that shrunk in the wash. Expect it to land in Australia from around the $50,000 mark – maybe we’ll be pleasantly surprised.

It may be small, but there are some big numbers here. Despite being a similar size to the Volvo EX30 and BYD Atto 3, the EV3 offers segment-busting cargo capacity (460 litres) and a huge WLTP driving range of up to 605 kilometres.

There’s also features and tech filtered down from much larger, more expensive Hyundai and Kia models, which should help give this compact EV a leg up on the competition.

Is it any good? We joined the global media drive in Seoul, South Korea, to get a first taste.

How much does the Kia EV3 cost?

Pricing and specifications for the Australian market are still to be confirmed.

In the UK, there are three distinct trim levels with two battery options, with pricing starting from £32,995 (AUD $64,815), and topping out at £42,835 (AUD $84,145) for the top-spec GT-Line S with Heat Pump.

While direct conversions may make that sound ridiculously expensive, its positioning offers a more accurate indication of how the EV3 might be priced when it reaches Australia.

The base EV3 starts for less money than the most affordable auto-equipped Sportage in the UK, which is a mid-spec model that comes as standard with a 48V mild-hybrid system.

In Australia, the Sportage SX+ starts from $42,050 plus on-road costs with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and front-wheel drive, climbing to $47,450 with the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel with all-wheel drive.

If the EV3 is positioned similarly in the Australian market, we could see base pricing dip under $50,000 – or even approaching the mid-$40,000 mark which would be very competitive.

The updated BYD Atto 3 starts from $44,499 plus on-road costs for the Standard Range, and $47,499 for the Extended Range. The EV3 will be sourced from South Korea while the BYD is made in China.

To see how the Kia EV3 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

What is the Kia EV3 like on the inside?

The mini-EV9 theme continues into the cabin.

Kia’s interior design philosophy for its new EV models is focused on simplicity and space efficiency, in addition to sustainable materials and unique colours and textures.

Despite measuring just 4300mm long, the EV3 feels spacious inside, with an airy front cabin that’s amplified by the upright dashboard and door trims, and open centre console.

Material quality is also good considering its entry level positioning, with a nice mix of soft-touch and textured surfaces, many of which are recycled and eco-friendly.

There’s a QR code on the passenger’s side of the dash that can take you through the sustainable materials – which include recycled PET, fishing nets, and bio PU and paints.

The EV3 scores comfortable front seats that are electrically adjustable in higher grades like the ones we tested in Korea. It’s unclear whether we’ll get all of the available interior finishes, but CarExpert understands there might be multiple interior choices depending on variant.

While the GT-Line depicted above has a “demure and mindful” grey finish contrasted with a dark console and seat accent, the car I drove had a light grey interior with bright orange accents for the console, which I didn’t mind.

The open interior concept means the configurable base console has adjustable cupholders and an open cubby to hold bags or other large items, and there’s a sliding armrest table that can be a platform to stow things or act as a desk while the car is stationary.

High-spec models also offer the Premium Relaxation Seat that electrically slides and reclines like a lounge or armchair while you wait for the EV3 to charge or simply want to take a break. It’s has been offered across Hyundai and Kia’s range of E-GMP products, and we imagine this will be reserved for higher grades only – but it’s a pretty handy feature to have.

The shrunken large car theme continues with infotainment, as the EV3 lifts the dual-screen array with central touch panel from the larger EV9.

A 12.3-inch digital driver’s display and 12.3-inch central touchscreen feature, sandwiching a 5.3-inch touch panel for the climate controls. It’s the latest connected car navigation cockpit (ccNC) that we’ve seen rolling out across the latest Hyundai and Kia models – and as you’d expect, it’s very good.

With connected services and navigation, then Korean-spec cars did all the drive route planning. Korean market cars even have embedded payment functions for things like toll booths and carparks. The latter doesn’t have the infrastructure support in Australia, but we imagine it could become a future thing.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will feature on Australian models, as will a Kia Connect subscription with app-based remote services and functionality. As we’ve said in other cars running this system, it’s a benchmark among rivals and more expensive cars.

We didn’t spend a lot of time in the back seat, but the boxy proportions and long wheelbase for the class mean you can comfortably fit a 6’0 adult behind a 6’0 adult.

The flat bench and floor mean occasional middle seat use should be more manageable than in most vehicles this size, and you get cool amenities like an available vehicle-to-load (V2L) outlet under the rear seat to charge a laptop or another appliance.

Other features include rear air vents, a folding centre armrest with cupholders, as well as heated outer rear seats on higher models to complement the available heated and ventilated front seats.

There are the requisite ISOFIX and top tether points for child seats at the rear.

Luggage capacity is a big talking point here, with 460 litres of claimed volume available with the rear seats in place and 1250 litres with them folded.

That’s almost 30 litres more than most Seltos models; 20 litres more than a BYD Atto 3 which is larger in most dimensions and technically a size class up; and over 140 litres more than the Volvo EX30.

The rear seats fold 60:40 and lay almost flat, while the adjustable rear load floor includes an underfloor compartment that can be used to hide cables away or other items you want out of sight.

All told, the EV3 is shaping to be a very practical little thing.

To see how the Kia EV3 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

What’s under the bonnet?

At launch, the Kia EV3 is available with one single-motor electric drivetrain with the option of two battery sizes. There’s also a 25-litre frunk under the bonnet which is surrounded by plastic trim to hide the drivetrain gear.

Kia officially quote a charging time of ~31 minutes using a 350kW fast charger for the Long Range battery. The 400V architecture means it will max out at 128kW, unlike the EV9 which can hit 270kW on a DC fast charger.

Our charge figures are based on numbers shared with British media earlier this year; other figures provided by Kia global at the launch drive were vague or didn’t add up based on the vehicle’s battery size.

To see how the Kia EV3 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

How does the Kia EV3 drive?

Our drive loop covered nearly 200 kilometres around the South Korean capital of Seoul, including highway and city driving and varying traffic conditions.

We drove both a ‘standard’ or ‘base’ car – effectively the Air or Earth styling packages – as well as a GT-Line, both wearing larger 19-inch alloy wheels. All models were front-drive and Long Range.

Left-hand drive Korean examples we drove aren’t necessarily indicative of Australian specification and tune, given Kia Australia plans to give the new EV a local chassis tune.

But regardless, this drive gave us a good idea of what to expect when the EV3 lands in the early stages of next year. Long story short? It’s promising.

The 150kW/283Nm front electric motor has plenty of grunt for a vehicle of this size, and Kia’s 0-100km/h claim of 7.7 seconds for the heavier Long Range seems right by the seat of the pants.

Kia has dialled in a bit of doughiness to the initial throttle response to make acceleration smoother and less jumpy, given the immediacy of torque from electric motors. In normal driving, this is fine.

It effortlessly accelerates to city speeds and has plenty in reserve if you give it a boot-full when merging onto the freeway. We had plenty of opportunities to test this, and straight-line performance will only get better with the dual-motor AWD and GT AWD versions that will launch down the track.

The EV3 will very happily cruise along, with decent but not quite excellent insulation from road and wind noise on the 19-inch wheel and tyre package of the vehicles we drove. Tyre noise in particular picked up on rougher sections of highway at speed.

Our Korean vehicles were tuned on the softer side, as tends to be typical for the region. We anticipate European and Australian-spec models will have tighter body control and a slightly firmer ride and steering tune for better handling and engagement.

Speaking of the steering and handling, the Korean-spec EV3 offered accurate controls without a whole lot of feedback. The low centre of gravity courtesy of the floor-mounted battery pack kept it hunkered down in corners, but it didn’t really feel set up to properly tackle the twisties – not that we drove on those kinds of roads, anyway.

The light steering and compact dimensions make this a fun and zippy urban runabout, as I found driving through some tighter Korean city roads and alleyways. The squared-off design and big windows also make it really easy to place, given the corners of the EV3 are all in easy view.

Even better, there’s an available surround camera system which in typical Kia fashion offers an excellent high-definition view of the vehicle’s surroundings, making parking this box on wheels even easier again. The available kerb view function of the side mirrors means there’s no excuse for scraped wheels.

On the topic of cameras, the EV3 is also available with Hyundai and Kia’s handy Blind Spot View Monitor cameras which display a live side camera feed into the instrument cluster when you indicate left or right. Do you absolutely need it? Probably not, but it does make life that little bit easier and helps to make the EV3 feel more upmarket.

There’s a suite of available driver assists on hand too, most of which will likely be standard based on Kia’s existing product portfolio.

Adaptive cruise control and Lane Following Assist form the basis of Highway Driving Assist 2.0, a semi-autonomous assistant that will automatically activate on designated highways using navigation data. You can also independently control the aforementioned functions via the steering-mounted controls.

Like other Kias with similar systems, both worked well for the most part. The adaptive cruise function accurately and smoothly maintained the set speed and managed gaps without randomly slamming on the brakes or yo-yo-ing the speed.

There was the odd occasion where the lane centring function picked up the wrong marking or was perhaps a touch overzealous, and the driver sentiment towards this will largely be down to personal tastes. I didn’t mind it, but I know plenty of people would feel a little uneasy about the car yanking the steering wheel.

Further, the EV3 offers blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assists for added surety when navigating gaps in traffic or reversing out of blind parking spaces, and we didn’t find these to be too difficult to handle.

The annoying speed limit assist appears to have been dialled down in the EV3, as I don’t recall it incessantly beeping and bonging at me during our drive. You can quickly turn off the audible warnings by holding the mute button on the steering wheel.

It’s also pretty darn efficient. Often brands will quote WLTP driving ranges which are very hard to achieve in real-world driving, but the EV3 gave us confidence that the brand’s lofty range claims will actually be achievable.

Keeping in mind we were driving in 30-plus-degree weather and high humidity in Seoul, the trip computer was reading 6.7kWh/km across mixed driving conditions – that equates to 14.9kWh/100km which would see at least 550km of range on a full charge.

What do you get?

Final pricing and specifications for Australia will be communicated closer to the EV3’s local launch in the new year, but we can look to our friends in the UK for a guide.

UK-market standard equipment includes:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• Three-screen dashboard layout
  • 12.3-inch driver display
  • 5.3-inch climate control touchscreen
  • 12.3-inch touchscreen navigation system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Kia Connect with 7-year subscription
• Over-the-air updates
• Heated front seats, steering wheel
• Front, rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Automatic air conditioning
• Automatic headlight control
• LED daytime running lights, high mounted brake lights, rear lights and rear fog lights
• eCall system
• Electrically adjustable, folding, and heated door mirrors with LED indicators
• Electronic parking brake with auto hold
• 25-litre under-bonnet storage
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Smart key with motion sensor
• Keyless entry, start

EV3 GT-Line adds:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• GT-Line exterior styling
• Gloss black door mirrors
• Two-tone ‘GT-Line’ upholstery
• LED headlights with ‘small cube’ design
• Automatic flush door handles
• Gloss black side sills, wheel arches, and window surrounds
• Alloy pedals
• Rear privacy glass
• Electric driver’s seat lumbar support
• Sliding console
• Customisable ambient lighting
• Wireless mobile phone charger
• Digital key

Is the Kia EV3 safe?

The Kia EV3 is yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.

While Australian specifications are still to be detailed, the EV3 comes decked out with the brand’s latest safety systems in overseas markets like the UK.

UK-market standard safety equipment includes:

• Highway Driving Assist 2.0
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Lane centring assist
• Autonomous emergency braking
  • Pedestrian detection
  • Cyclist detection
  • Junction turning assist
  • Junction crossing assist
• Blind-spot assist
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Safe Exit Warning

How much does the Kia EV3 cost to run?

The new EV3 will be covered by Kia Australia’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Also expect seven-year cover (or 150,000km) for the high-voltage battery and electric motor.

Further details of the aftersales program are still to be finalised, but like other models in the range we can expect 12-month or 15,000km service intervals (whichever comes first) and seven years of capped-price servicing.

Like most rivals, Kia doesn’t offer a public charger subscription with its electric models, though brand representatives have told media the company is working on a “potential supplier” for public and home charging solutions – the former likely for dealers – with announcements to be made next year.

CarExpert’s Take on the Kia EV3

It’s hard to say whether the EV3 will be a standout success in Australia as we don’t have much local detail around pricing and specification as yet – but the early signs are promising based on this global drive.

The car we drove in South Korea was an impressive bit of kit, with good performance, efficiency, and range for an entry-level electric vehicle.

It’s also an easy car to drive in town and on the highway, and offers a gamut of tech features to keep you comfortable as well as on the straight and narrow.

It’s a city-friendly size while also boasting an impressively practical cabin, with more cargo and rear seat space than a number of vehicles with larger external dimensions in the same size class or the segment above.

The softer tune and on-road behaviour of the Korean-spec model will prove an interesting reference point once Kia Australia gets its hands dirty with a local ride and handling tune, but given previous form we expect improvement on what is already a fairly solid package.

Complaints? Road noise could be better, and we didn’t really get a gauge of what base models with smaller wheels and less kit will be like. That will all need to wait until the local launch in March or April 2025.

Some may also find the almost robotic design cues a polarising, and there’s a limited number of colours to go with the shades of grey and beige available.

Here’s hoping the Frost Blue, Aventurine Green and Terracotta Red all make it to Australia – same goes for the different interior options.

All told though, this is something to look forward to. Bring on 2025.

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