Kia is continuing to evolve into a major player within the electric vehicle space with the introduction of the EV3, a strikingly stocky SUV that ticks all of the right boxes.
So, it came as no surprise to see from the latest new car sales figures that Kia sold almost 500 units of the EV3 during the first two months of 2025. The Korean brand certainly has a winner on its hands.
Building on last year's successful arrival of Kia's flagship EV9, the EV3 offers a more affordable and compact package with prices starting from €36,790 (after grants ) for the 'Earth 2' trim with the 58.3 kWh battery, or €40,350 (after grants ) with an 81.4 kWh battery. Standard specification here includes 17-inch alloy wheels, dual 12.3-inch display screens, LED headlights, heated front seats and steering wheel, wireless phone charging and android auto/ apple car play.
The 'Earth 3' trim is available exclusively with the 81.4 kWh battery from €42,840 (after grants ) and features include 19-inch alloy wheels, vegan leather seats, power adjustable front seats and blind-spot collision avoidance. Tested here was the range topping 'GT-line' which is available from €47,190 (after grants ) and adds GT-line styling, vehicle-2-load (V2L ) capabilities, power adjustable sunroof and a smart power tailgate. If you don't care for those extras then the Earth 3 trim is probably the sweet spot in the range.
Both battery units are paired with a 150kW/283Nm electric motor which enables a 0-100km/h sprint of 7.5 seconds and a quoted top speed of 170km/h. Range from the larger battery felt very honest, comfortably returning just under 500km from full.
Throughout my week with the EV3, the car consistently pulled in charging speeds of well over 100kW from public fast chargers thanks to its vehicle-to-grid abilities. The EV3 is only offered as front-wheel drive, carrying itself well around bends. Suspension is good and the cabin is well insulated from outside noise, even on motorways. There's two 'flappy panels' behind the steering wheel which are used to determine the level of regenerative breaking used.
Kia has really smashed it out of the park when it comes to looks, particularly at the rear where a sleek and futuristic roofline seamlessly transitions into a hatchback-style tailgate. This opens up to reveal a generous 460-litre boot, with decent legroom just in front for rear passengers.
There are nine body colours available, including the exclusive 'Aventurine Green' that adorned my press model (as pictured ).
Despite the stocky silhouette, Kia hasn't compromised on interior space. Inside feels very much like a scaled-down version of the EV9, making it a great option for smaller families. A near-30-inch widescreen display comprises a 12.3-inch cluster, a five-inch air-conditioning panel, and another 12.3-inch infotainment display.
And just like in the bigger EV9, the EV3 also has a number of physical buttons for quick controls – minimising driver distraction. The centre console incorporates a sliding table and storage area, while the lower area has two cup holders, a wireless charging pad and a larger flat space for something like a small bag. There's also bottle holders in the doorbins.
Overall, the Kia EV3 presents one of the most complete electric vehicle packages on the market, with a sensible pricing structure to match. You can expect to see a lot more of these on the roads over the coming months.
