The Kia EV3 is the fourth E-GMP based model after the EV5, EV6 and EV9
The Kia EV3 has been an electric SUV in the works for quite some time now, debuting as a concept in October 2023. Well, Kia have finally revealed their production-spec version and, fortunately, it’s retained most of the concept’s quirky nature and boasts some interesting kit for a compact SUV.
As is the case with modern Kia models, the EV3 follows the marque’s “Opposites United” design philosophy. If we go by the EV5, EV6 and EV9, that tends to be a fairly clean design, and the same can be said for the EV3. However, what makes it quirky is that the overall silhouette is boxy while also boasting a fine balance of sharp edges and soft curves. That alongside its upright nose gives it a high stance.
Getting up close and personal with how it looks, the trademark digital ‘Tiger Grille’ is connected by an angular LED DRL setup. This is flanked by sleek vertical headlights. Towards the side, the wheels are certainly unique and give off a futuristic theme with its dual-tone colours. The rear of the EV3 is the most eye-catching as aside from the swanky LED tail light setup, the rear quarter area has a hatchback-like upright design, before the rear windshield slopes down and the design goes upright again with the tailgate.
As was the case with the concept, the cabin too is quite minimalist, which is especially apparent with the sleek, horizontal AC vents running along the dashboard. That being said, the steering wheel is more conventional and there are a fair amount of physical controls for things like climate control. Kia have given some niceties in other areas like the seats which get a ‘Relaxation’ function when the EV3 is in charge as well as a spacious centre console area. The practical centre console is thanks to the floor being flat, which allows for plenty of storage places as well as accommodating a retractable floating table. Of course, how can we forget the 460-litre boot capacity and the 25-litre frunk.
Other than the customisable ambient lighting and the Harman Kardon sound system, the other big highlight of the cabin is the whopping 30-inch wide panoramic digital screen, comprising the driver instrumentation as well as the touchscreen infotainment system. It is loaded to the gills with streaming, in-car gaming and as a first for a Kia model, the Kia AI Assistant. As the name suggests, it can provide assistance for scenarios such as navigating to a nearest restaurant or establishment, recommend music according to the genre you ask and more. Now, this will be updated via constant over-the-air updates.
To further sweeten the deal, you’ll soon be able to customise your interior theme on the digital screen through the Kia Connect Store. Being an electric vehicle, a sustainable theme is commonplace, and the EV3 utilises recycled PET bottles and bioelements for the cabin. Interestingly, the body cladding is made out of recycled plastic from older Kia models. Rounding off the bonkers feature list is a 12-inch head-up display as well as ADAS functionality.
Under the hood, while the EV3 is based on the E-GMP platform, it actually runs on a 400-volt architecture instead of the 800-volt setup present on other Kia EVs. It will be available with a single electric motor, producing 150 kW (204 hp) and 283 Nm with the option of a 58.3kWh or 81.4-kWh battery pack. 0-100 km/h is achieved in 7.5 seconds with a top speed of 170 km/h. The single-motor Long Range variant is able to run up to a WLTP-claimed 600 km on a single charge. Speaking of charging, a 10-80 per cent charge can be achieved in 31 minutes via fast charging. It also gets the Vehicle-2-Load feature where it can act as a power source to appliances inside and out. There’s also a cool i-Pedal 3.0 feature where you can adjust the level of regenerative braking to enable one-pedal driving.
Kia will have the EV3 go on sale in their home market in South Korea by July with Europe getting the electric SUV later this year. While Kia have confirmed an early-2025 launch in Asian markets, they haven’t confirmed an India launch. That being said, they have confirmed two EV launches in the country for 2025 which will likely be the EV9 which was showcased at Auto Expo 2023, and the facelifted EV6.
