Kia Ev3 vs Iveco Daily
What's the difference?

Kia Ev3

$41,888 - $71,548

2025 price

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Iveco Daily

$58,700 - $102,748

2026 price

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Summary

2025 Kia Ev3

2026 Iveco Daily

By Chris Thompson

By David Morley

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Not Applicable, 0.0L

Fuel Type

Electric

Fuel Efficiency

0.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Impressive range
Fun but not tacky styling
Useful standard features

Tough as nails
Huge service intervals and warranty
Car-license legal

Dislikes

Steering feels heavier than necessary
GT-Line is pricey, less convenient
Better than EV5 but won’t outsell it

No driver's foot-rest
Clumsy transmission shifting
More challenging to drive than a ute

2025 Kia Ev3 Summary

Kia Australia has big expectations for its littlest EV.

Not only is the small SUV priced to take on some of the very popular offerings from China, but it’s also packed with enough features to make a Euro buyer think twice. In fact, it starts from less than $50,000 drive-away.

We drove it at its global launch in South Korea and came away pretty impressed, so now the big question is - does it hold up now that its rubber is on the road here in Australia?

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2026 Iveco Daily Summary

There’s a school of thought that says you should always use the biggest hammer available. That’s the view of more than one van and truck manufacturer, who will point at the dual-cab utes Aussies are currently consuming at a frightening rate, and politely suggest a light truck or full-sized van might just be more appropriate.

It’s a hard argument to ignore, and for those who use their commercial vehicles to the max, perhaps a committed truck or van might make sense. After all, having the ability to tow 3.5 tonnes AND still have some payload left over for passengers and fuel is a hard argument to ignore. It’s also a line European maker Iveco is keen to push, along the lines of never taking a knife to a gunfight.

Iveco’s volume-selling light van offerings are the 42S and 50C models; vans that cross from recreational to professional user thanks to their overall size, capacity and the fact they can be driven on a normal car license in Australia.

Now revised for greater buyer reach, the 42S gains a 350kg payload boost over the 35S model it replaces, as well as more power and torque from its engine. It also boasts improved safety credentials with the addition of a range of driver aids which we take for granted in passenger cars, but are increasingly important in the commercial vehicle world thanks to a renewed focus on OH&S.

So, what else is new? Starting in the cabin, there’s now a 10-inch digital driver display unit, improved wireless and wired charging rates, changes to the chassis rails for better crash performance, an improved warranty and a pair of feature packages designed to target the end user market.

In Europe, the Daily van has plenty of competition, while in Australia, the major opponents are the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, VW Crafter, Fiat Ducato and the emerging Chinese van threat, the LDV Deliver 9.

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Deep dive comparison

2025 Kia Ev3 2026 Iveco Daily

Verdict

The GT-Line is relatively expensive, yes. The Air Standard Range isn’t groundbreaking even at under $50,000, no. But the sweet spot in the EV3 line-up is being able to pay $53,315 for the Air Long Range and come away with a roomy small SUV that can realistically cover almost 600km in the real world.

And it does everything properly, no big red flags or dealbreakers.

Its steering weight at speed on winding roads being the biggest complaint isn’t the end of the world for how otherwise comfortable the EV3 feels on-road.

Put it this way - I recently spent a few days in a Mini Aceman, a five-door electric SUV not too far from the EV3 in size. It is about as fast, and costs a little more, but it doesn’t have a lot more to offer in terms of features and it’s nowhere near as good on range with about 400km to its longer-ranged versions.

The EV3 might still have a bit of ‘sensible’ about it compared to some other electric small SUVS, but when it looks this cute and can get you an extra round trip out of the city compared to ‘Euro’ brands at the same price, it’s hard not to be impressed.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Verdict

The Iveco Daily van’s light-truck genetics mean it’s not as immediately familiar to the end-user as some of the competition. It’s a fair climb to get inside, for instance, and once you’re there, the cabin lacks the ambience of a more passenger-oriented machine. Its wheelbase and external dimensions, too, mean it requires plenty of parking skill and real estate, and the dynamics are surefooted but hardly athletic.

Of course, fleet managers won’t care too much about any of that, and the flip-side is those truck underpinnings point to a low maintenance, high-mileage lifespan with good warranty as a promise of less time lost in the service bay when the van could be on the road earning its keep.

Right at the moment, the Daily van appears to be forming some kind of bridge between the car and truck world in terms of safety equipment and driver assistance gear, too. And that’s got to be a good thing.

But equally, it remains a pretty specialised piece of equipment that won’t work for everybody, nor does it have a lot of cross-over appeal between the car and truck worlds. None of which, of course, will prevent it being a valuable tool of the trade in the right hands.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Kia Ev3 vs Iveco Daily What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Kia Ev3 vs Iveco Daily
What's the difference?