2024 Kia EV3 electric car tested
An Aussie favourite returns serve to cut-price Chinese rivals with an affordable new EV set to arrive next year.
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The Kia EV3 blends the rugged good looks of the large EV9 with small SUV thinking and a price tag set to take the electric car fight to Chinese newcomers.
Expected to be priced below $50,000 when it arrives around April 2025, the EV3 is the hard charging Korean brand’s most affordable EV.
With up to 605km of claimed range for Long Range models with an 81.4kWh battery, it’s also one of the most road trip-ready electric cars on the market (more affordable variants are limited to 436km from a 58.3kWh battery as part of the value focus for a car with big sales aspirations).
While it will naturally compete with compact electric SUVs such as the BYD Atto 3 and Volvo EX30, the EV3’s bigger target includes petrol-powered rivals such as the Toyota Corolla Cross, Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona.
Despite its diminutive exterior dimensions – it’s slightly shorter but wider than a Kia Seltos – the EV3 dishes up decent cabin space.
Those up front have a large storage console on the floor and available sliding arm rest (it gets rid of the covered centre console).
The front seats are nicely bolstered and mesh headrests are a luxurious touch.
There’s faux leather for those who want as well as powered front seats, a head-up display and Harman Kardon audio.
Some features will be reserved for more expensive variants; as with the EV6 and EV9 expect multiple grades, including Air, Earth and GT-Line, the latter adopting unique bumpers for a sportier look.
The flat floor makes foot space generous in the rear while headroom is also adequate for adults.
Three across the back seat will be limited to smaller frames, the EV3 better suited to four people.
The boot is useful by small SUV standards, something helped by 60/40 spit-folding back seats and sizeable underfloor cubby.
There’s also a charge cable-swallowing 25 litres under the bonnet.
In line with its environmental focus, the EV3 is bursting with recycled materials, from the dash plastics and seat trim to carpet and headrests. Some interior finishes are coated in bio paint.
All of which ticks the sustainability box, although some of those plastics feel built to a price rather than reinforcing the upmarket flavour on display elsewhere.
Along with a wide choice of exterior colours – the matt hue won’t make it to Australia – there will be various interior themes.
Dual 12.5-inch screens interspersed by a 5-inch ventilation display add up to 30 inches of pixels sprawling across the dash. Like the upcoming EV5, the EV3 runs a 400V electrical architecture – rather than the 800V system on the EV6 and EV9 – that limits the peak charge rate to 102kW, or 128kW with the bigger battery.
A 10-80 per cent charge takes 31 minutes.
That’s thoroughly acceptable, especially with the immediacy of an electric motor that makes zipping through traffic a snip.
Regenerative braking can be adjusted by paddles on the wheel and an intelligent mode responds to other vehicles, even bringing the car to a complete stop without having to touch the brake pedal.
While the EV3 will be available with a dual motor all-wheel drive set-up – including a high-performance GT model – it’s the more affordable front-drive models likely to do the heavy lifting on the sales front.
The single motor makes 150kW and 283Nm, enough to get to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds.
Our first taste of the EV3 on Korean roads – mostly freeways – was in cars on 19-inch wheels, which provided a suitably plush ride.
Entry-level cars will get 17-inch wheels that should build on that, plus we’ll have suspension adapted to Aussie roads and tastes.
Light steering is responsive and the nuggety SUV feels nicely planted, although we’ll reserve final judgement to when we experience it in more varied conditions.
While limited, our drive was enough to learn there’s ample substance in what will be Kia’s most affordable electric car.
The rugged good looks won’t hurt, either, especially when it comes to luring buyers from the petrol propulsion that still dominates at the smaller end of the SUV market.
Kia hopes the EV3 can change that.
Originally published as 2024 Kia EV3 electric car tested
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