Kia Ev3 Reviews

The Kia EV3 GT-Line Long Range is the most expensive variant in the EV3 line-up, but for its price it might start to borderline being a bit too expensive for the benefits over the mid-spec Earth.At $63,950 before on-roads, the GT-Line comes with one drivetrain option - an 81.4kWh battery allows for a driving range of 563km under WLTP testing. The EV3 is two-wheel drive in all its variants, a single motor at the front wheels produces 150kW and 283Nm. The EV3 charges (with a 350kW DC fast charger) as quickly as 31 minutes.The EV3 comes standard with features like dusk-sensing LED headlights, daytime running lights (DRLs) and partial LED tail-lights, two 12.3-inch screens (one a touchscreen for multimedia) and a 5.0-inch touchscreen for climate controls plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker sound system, a wireless phone charger and USB-C ports in both the front and rear rows, a 12-volt outlet in the front and a household-style power outlet in the second row.The mid-spec Earth adds onto that 19-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather seats with heating and ventilation, the driver’s side being 10-way electrically adjustable, a heated steering wheel, an electro-chromatic (or glare-dimming) mirror and a power tailgate.For the extra cost of the GT-Line, there’s a series of exterior design changes, cubed projection headlights, the tail-lights are fully LED, a three-spoke GT-Line steering wheel, alloy pedals, specific two-tone GT-line seats with the passenger side seat also becoming 10-way electrically adjustable, ambient LED mood lighting, a head-up display and the central upper storage compartment under the armrest becomes a slide-out tabletop.There’s no ANCAP score just yet, but plenty of safety equipment is standard across the range including seven airbags (one in the front-centre), smart cruise control, forward collision avoidance, lane-keep, rear occupant alert, multi-collision braking, blind-spot and rear-cross traffic alert, driver attention warning and a tyre pressure monitor.The EV3 doesn’t have a surround-view camera, but it does have front and rear sensors and a rear parking camera.Kia’s seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty applies to the EV3, and Kia offers prepaid plans of three ($674), five ($1285) or seven years ($1897) when it comes to servicing.

The Kia EV3 Earth is the mid-spec variant in the EV3 line-up, but for its price and features it comes with it’s probably the best pick for anyone looking for a premium small SUV.At $58,600 before on-roads, the Earth is available with just one battery and drivetrain option - an 81.4kWh battery allowing for a driving range of 563km under WLTP testing. The EV3 is two-wheel drive only - with a single motor at the front wheels putting out 150kW and 283Nm for all versions of the car. The EV3 charges (with a 350kW DC fast charger) as quickly as 31 minutes.While the EV3 comes standard with features like dusk-sensing LED headlights, daytime running lights (DRLs) and partial LED tail-lights, two 12.3-inch screens (one a touchscreen for multimedia) and a 5.0-inch touchscreen for climate controls plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker sound system, a wireless phone charger and USB-C ports in both the front and rear rows, a 12-volt outlet in the front and a household-style power outlet in the second row.The Earth adds onto that 19-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather seats with heating and ventilation, the driver’s side being 10-way electrically adjustable, a heated steering wheel, an electro-chromatic (or glare-dimming) mirror and a power tailgate.There’s no ANCAP score just yet, but plenty of safety equipment is standard across the range including seven airbags (one in the front-centre), smart cruise control, forward collision avoidance, lane-keep, rear occupant alert, multi-collision braking, blind-spot and rear-cross traffic alert, driver attention warning and a tyre pressure monitor.The EV3 doesn’t have a surround-view camera, but it does have front and rear sensors and a rear parking camera.Kia’s seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty applies to the EV3, and Kia offers prepaid plans of three ($674), five ($1285) or seven years ($1897) when it comes to servicing.

The Kia EV3 Air is both the cheapest EV the South Korean brand offers, but also one of the most impressive.It comes in two versions, Standard and Long Range, from $47,600 before on-road costs to $53,315 respectively. The main difference between the two is, as you’d expect, battery size and driving range.The 58.3kWh unit for the Air Standard Range allows for a decent 436km, but the  81.4kWh battery in the Long Range brings an impressive driving range of 604km under WLTP testing.The EV3 is two-wheel drive only - with a single motor at the front wheels putting out 150kW and 283Nm for all versions of the car.The EV3 charges (with a 350kW DC fast charger) as quickly as 29 minutes from 10 to 80 per cent in Standard Range, or 31 minutes in Long Range.Both versions of the Air boast the same extensive list of standard features, including 17-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing LED headlights, daytime running lights (DRLs) and partial LED tail-lights, two 12.3-inch screens (one a touchscreen for multimedia) and a 5.0-inch touchscreen for climate controls plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a six-speaker sound system.The EV3 also has a wireless phone charger and USB-C ports in both the front and rear rows, a 12-volt outlet in the front and a household-style power outlet in the second row.There’s no ANCAP score just yet, but plenty of safety equipment is standard across the range including seven airbags (one in the front-centre), smart cruise control, forward collision avoidance, lane-keep, rear occupant alert, multi-collision braking, blind-spot and rear-cross traffic alert, driver attention warning and a tyre pressure monitor.The EV3 doesn’t have a surround-view camera, but it does have front and rear sensors and a rear parking camera.Kia’s seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty applies to the EV3, and Kia offers prepaid plans of three ($674), five ($1285) or seven years ($1897) when it comes to servicing.

Kia's smallest EV has landed in Australia and while it's not trying to be the cheapest electric car on the market, it's bringing perceived quality and features to take on the influx of affordable EVs built in China. Does it have what it takes to succeed?

We test drive the new Kia EV3 in the built-up, smooth-road urban environment it was made for. But we're hoping a day behind the wheel will reveal whether this EV has the chops to make it in the harsher environment Australia presents.