Kia has revealed detailed UK pricing and specifications of its new all-electric SUV, the Kia EV3, with entry-level models starting from £32,995 and a range of up to 372 miles. This means the EV3 undercuts one of its key rivals – the Volvo EX30 – by around £2,000, and is cheaper than the Cupra Born (more of a hatchback than a crossover) by a similar amount. Crucially, it also means the EV3 is cheaper than the similarly sized electric version of the Kona crossover SUV from sister company Hyundai.
The boldly styled SUV apes the look of the much larger seven-seater Kia EV9 SUV, which has been warmly received by the public and critics alike in 2024, winning World Car of the Year. But The EV9’s imposing bulk and high price make it impractical for many – the EV3 follows the same striking and blocky styling themes, but in a more compact body and at a more affordable price.
2024 Kia EV3: Price, specs and release date
- 2024 Kia EV3: styling and dimensions
- 2024 Kia EV3: interior design and practicality
- 2024 Kia EV3: motors, batteries and dynamics
- 2024 Kia EV3: price and release date
2024 Kia EV3: styling and dimensions
Coming in at 4,300mm long, 1,850mm wide and 1,560mm tall, the EV3 is around the same length as a Volkswagen Golf, although it’s both a little taller and a little wider than the VW family hatch, in keeping with its SUV bodystyle.
It’s also a little smaller than the Kia Niro SUV, the electric version of which the cheapest EV3 beats on price by around £4,000.
Overall, the EV3 has almost a sci-fi look to its styling, with slim LED headlights and a bluff nose with no traditional grille to speak of – being an EV, its power unit doesn’t require cooling in the same way as an internal combustion engine.
Down the sides, the dramatic geometric styling treatment continues, with squared-off wheel arches and prominent trim lines helping to create an overall impression of muscular bulk – despite the fact that this is still a compact family SUV. In keeping with the minimalist, clean look, the front doors feature flush-fitting door handles while the rears are hidden in the trailing edge of the door by the vehicle’s C-pillar.
At the rear, there’s a sloping roof which gives the EV3 a more ‘hunkered down’ appearance and provides a more rakish profile. There are nine choices of paint colours available, with four exclusive to the EV3: Terracotta, Shale Grey, Frost Blue and Aventurine Green.
There are three trim levels available: entry-level ‘Air’, mid-spec ‘GT-Line and top-of-the-range ‘GT Line S’.
2024 Kia EV3: interior design and practicality
Inside, the front part of the interior is dominated by a broad sweep of TFT screen that covers two thirds of the dashboard. This is actually three screens: a 12.3-inch touchscreen navigation and infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display and, sandwiched between the two, a 5.3-inch touchscreen.
We’d probably have preferred more traditional physical climate control dials, but at least these do seem to be separate from the main infotainment screen. Other notable aspects of the EV3’s interior technology include embedded ChatGPT as part of the Kia AI Assistant for voice recognition on various elements of the infotainment system, plus a selection of mini games – presumably to keep you from getting bored while charging up on the run.
All models also get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats, front and rear parking sensors along with a reversing camera, and automatic headlights.
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GT Line cars also get a wireless phone charger, two-tone upholstery and a digital key – so you can unlock and drive the car via an app on your phone. Top-spec GT Line S cars add to this with even more kit: A premium Harman Kardon sound system, electrically adjustable front seats, heated rear seats, 360-degree surround-view cameras and an electrically powered tailgate are among the highlights of the spec list.
The top-spec EV3s also get Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology, which allows owners to run electrical appliances such as refrigerators or electrical gardening equipment from power stored in the car’s battery. This system can even be used to charge up other electric vehicles.
In terms of boot space, the Kia EV3 offers a 460-litre boot at the rear, plus a 25-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet, which will be ideal for storing charging cables.
2024 Kia EV3: motors, batteries and dynamics
From launch, the EV3 will only be available with a single choice of powertrain: an electric motor driving the front wheels only. That’s great for energy efficiency, but not so brilliant for those hoping for the extra traction of four-wheel drive or the power of twin electric motors. That being said, a GT version with twin motors is in the works. For now, though, the 201bhp power unit should provide ample performance, with the 0-62mph sprint dealt with in 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 106mph.
As with most electric cars, there is a single-speed automatic transmission, but the EV3 does come with paddles behind the steering wheel to adjust the level of regenerative braking, and there is the ability for i-pedal-style single-pedal driving, so you should rarely need to use the brake pedal if you choose that mode. The regenerative braking system also has a new smart adaptive element, that can read the road ahead using the car's sensors and navigation data, and automatically slow the car to a safe speed, and it can even bring the car to a complete stop if necessary.
And while buyers don’t yet get a choice of power outputs, there is a choice of battery sizes, with the entry-level ‘Air’ model available with either a standard-range 58.3kWh battery pack, giving an electric range of up to 267 miles according to the official WLTP cycle, or an 81.4kWh battery pack, which can manage a claimed 372 miles of range on a charge. It should be said, of course, that the real-world driving range of any EV will depend to a certain extent on your driving style. To help in that regard, the instrument cluster features a 'Driving Range Guide', which shows the driver how efficiently they're driving and encourages improvement.
GT Line and GT Line S models are available only with the long-range battery pack, and the larger wheels and extra equipment of these models limit the range a little to 347 miles. The top spec model is also available with an optional heat pump, which can significantly improve energy efficiency during the colder months.
Charging speeds at rapid DC public charging points are a maximum of 102kW for the smaller battery and 128kW for the larger one. These aren’t the fastest charging speeds, it still means you should be able to get to a 10-80% charge in just over half an hour.
2024 Kia EV3: price and release date
Order books have been open for the EV3 since August, with first deliveries expected towards the end of 2024.
A basic Kia EV3 Air with the smaller battery is priced at £32,995, a figure which rises to £35,995 for the version with the larger battery. The EV3 GT Line, meanwhile, is £39,495, while the range-topping GT Line S is £42,995.