Kia is adding to its family of numbered EV models. The lineup started with the slick-looking EV6 hatchback and then moved onto the massive but stylish EV9 three-row SUV. Now, a smaller, more affordable family member is here, the Kia EV3, and it certainly takes after its largest sibling.
Right away, you can see the EV3’s resemblance to the EV9, with its boxy wheel arches, upright front end, floating C-pillar, and funky headlights. However, it’s a bit rounder than the EV9 and less aggressive on the whole. It looks like the mutant love child of the EV9 and Volvo EX30, and that’s actually a compliment. Kia is clearly leaning into the futuristic aesthetic, as the EV3 looks like something from Starfield.
Hopefully, you aren’t bored of the EV9 comparisons just yet, because the EV3’s interior is almost identical. The dash is simpler, as are the door panels, but the cantilevered center console, dual-screen layout, and overall design are clearly inspired by the brand’s biggest EV. The two-spoke steering wheel is slightly different, too, with an upward-swooping bottom section that gives it a sort of goofy, dead-eyed smile. A three-spoke wheel is available, which looks much different from the EV9’s, but the rest of it is mostly the same—which isn’t a bad thing.
Under the skin lies a familiar chassis for anyone who knows their Hyundai group speak: the E-GMP. Sandwiched in that platform is one of two battery packs, rated at either 58.3 kWh or 81.4 kWh. Regardless of battery choice, the Kia EV3 makes do with just a single electric motor, making 201 horsepower and 208 lb-ft of torque. According to Kia, the EV3 hits 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, and will travel up to 372 miles on a full charge, based on testing under the WLTP criteria. WLTP trends to deliver optimistic efficiency predictions, to say the least, so 300 miles might be a safer bet.
Most customers aren’t buying an EV3 for stop-light drag races, so what’s more important is practicality and range. For the former, the Kia EV3 has 16 cubic feet of rear cargo space and just under a cubic foot under the frunk.
There’s some snazzy cabin tech to go with it, too. Hyundai’s full suite of advanced autonomous safety features is available, and it even comes with something called I-Pedal 3.0, which helps the driver choose their level of regenerative braking.
Kia has been on a roll lately with its all-electric offerings, and this EV3 indicates it’s not slowing down. The company took its best design, the EV9, made it smaller and added tech that competitors are lacking. Customers in Korea will see the EV3 in showrooms first, in July, before the brand begins rolling it out to Europe and North America. No pricing has been announced, but the EV3 will assuredly be cheaper than both of its siblings, and the EV6 starts at $43,975 including destination.
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