Kia EV3 GT-Line review

“Love all-electric but hate the limited
range and excessive prices?
Then Kia’s new EV3 is the EV 4 U.
It will serve as your main wheels
without any range anxiety. And it
comes at a realistic price...”

THE NEW EV3 STARTS at Ł32,995. Admittedly not as cheap as chips, but still genuinely accessible for many. Ł33K buys you a base 'Air' version with a 58.3kWh 'standard range' battery pack that's good for 270 miles.

For an extra Ł3K you can have the 'long range' version with an 81.4kWh battery and an impressive 375-mile range.

The plusher GT-Line and GT-Line S trim versions both come with the long-range battery. Let's face it, 375 miles without the need to stop is enough for almost any journey within the UK.

Whichever version you go for, the power is the same: a single electric motor with 201bhp and front-wheel drive. The main difference is weight. The standard range model weighs 1,800kg and is a tad sprightlier with 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds, as opposed to 7.9 for the heavier long-range version. Frankly there's not a lot to choose between them.

“I love the way the EV3
looks with its modern,
almost brutalist
SUV styling. It draws
some inspiration
from Kia’s huge EV9
flagship but on a much
smaller scale.
At 4,300mm long, it’s
definitely a ‘compact’,
competing with the
likes of Volvo’s EX30
and the Alfa Romeo
Junior...”

So how does the EV3 drive? Very well indeed, as it happens. Zesty in a straight line, it's also very competent around corners even though the suspension is set quite softly.

It rides extremely smoothly, with only the occasional thump over potholes from the heavy wheels, but that soft springing also means the body leans quite a lot in corners and there's some pitch under braking. Overall, this feels like a car designed for a relaxed, comfortable experience rather than keen, sporty progress.

That relaxed feel is echoed by impressive levels of refinement. You can't hear the electric motor at all, while road and wind noise are equally well subdued. The feeling of effortlessness is enhanced by the super-simple, super-smooth single-speed gearbox. You can also adjust the level of regenerative braking for 'one-pedal' driving so that you hardly need to use the brake pedal at all.

I love the way the EV3 looks with its modern, almost brutalist SUV styling. It draws some inspiration from Kia's huge EV9 flagship but on a much smaller scale. At 4,300mm long, it's definitely a 'compact', competing with the likes of Volvo's EX30 and the Alfa Romeo Junior.

The EV3's cabin is very much inspired by that of the Kia EV9. It features the same 12.3-inch digital instrument display ahead of the driver, 12.3-inch central touchscreen and 5.3-inch climate control panel. The latter is a bit hidden from view but otherwise the screens are super-clear, easy to use and intuitive. The touchscreen even includes ChatGPT AI voice control! You can also — hooray! — adjust the climate settings using physical switchgear rather than having to dive into the touchscreen.

In terms of build quality and materials, Kia's EV3 is competitive for the price although there are some low-rent hard plastics in evidence and the 'eco-friendly' faux leather steering wheel feels a tad low-rent.

In terms of space, the EV3 beats almost every rival. There's tons of legroom and headroom both front and rear, and the 460-litre boot is huge. There's a height-adjustable boot floor and a 25-litre storage compartment under the bonnet that's ideal for the charging cable.

Speaking of which, when you do need to recharge, fast-charging capability (between 100kW and 135kW) means the EV3 can go from 10-80% in about 30 minutes — up to 125 miles can be added in an impressive 15 minutes.

Add in Kia's amazing warranty — seven-years/100,000 miles and servicing intervals of two years/20,000 miles — and this should prove to be a dependable, reliable machine. Electric motoring without the anxiety? The Kia EV3 is as close as it gets. ~ Chris Rees

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