EV3 first drive: is this Kia’s next bestseller?

The Chinese ‘EV supremacy’ in rolling out new electric cars is making headlines nearly daily, but don’t underestimate the South Koreans with the Hyundai-Kia conglomerate. Kia is launching its fully EV3 compact ‘B-SUV’ in Europe in the ‘more affordable’ range, a warning for the Volvo EX30, Smart #1, Renault Mégane e-tech, or the Volkswagen ID.3.

It is compact yet comfortable, seating five with its 2,680 mm wheelbase and offering ample luggage space. It inherits all the good things from its big brothers, EV9 and EV6. It can calm people’s range anxiety with up to 604 km on one charge, the best in its class. Kia hopes this will be its next bestseller. First impression driving it: it indeed delivers.

Attract private buyers

Joris Peeters, Head of Marketing and PR at Kia Belux, is convinced that this EV3, a similar-sized SUV as the classic Sportage with the same wheelbase but fully electric, is likely to attract private family buyers who have until now preferred to wait and see which way the cat jumps.

Peeters says the presales of the first 500 EV3s in Belgium are a good indicator, with up to 36% private buyers, and this is not only in Flanders but also in Brussels and Wallonia. So far, Kia – like all other electric brands – has seen its EV sales go by 90% to companies and leasing.

Range from 436 up to 605 km

A base price of €36,890, getting as low as 31,890 for those quick enough to order before November 22nd to grab the Flemish EV premium that is to expire, could be that extra boost to buy one as the primary family car.

That basic version offers a range of 436 km with a smaller 58.3 kWh battery. However, even in that base version, you can get a long-range 81.4 kWh battery offering a 605 km range for € 41,190. That’s quite exceptional in this segment, as the only one matching that in this segment is the Volkswagen ID.3 GTX (604 km), starting at €49,990.

All other competitors Kia’s marketing manager likes the EV3 to compare with, offer only up to 475 km for higher prices, like the Volvo EX30 (475 km – €45,860), the Smart #1 (440 km – €44,495) or the Renault Mégane e-tech (470 km – €43,500).

Like coming home

Okay, let’s see what you’ll get for that money. We only had the opportunity of a short drive, following a ‘lead car’ like ducklings behind their mother, to get a first impression. But being familiar with Kia’s other EVs, it’s like coming home behind the steering wheel of the EV3.

The double 12.3-inch screens span half of the dashboard, with a 5.3-inch smaller one in between for handling ventilation and heating. It is the same setup as in the bigger EV9, offering all thinkable settings at the touch of the finger. Likewise, the ‘gear lever’ sits behind the wheel, rather than a rotary knob on the middle console of the EV6.

Kia still offers many physical buttons as an alternative to accessing the car’s most used features, such as the air/heat pump, driving modes, or regenerative braking settings. For the latter, the EV3 also has paddles behind the wheel, offering four ‘iPedal’ settings. These allow the use of only the throttle to have the car brake on the engine to a complete stop if desired.

Four trim versions

The EV3 is offered in four trim versions, each (except the GT Line) with the option of the standard battery or a long-range one. The basic version is called ‘Business’ (Standard Range € 36,890 and
Long Range €41,190), but offers quite a lot as standard.

Expect things like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto via Bluetooth, in-car navigation with road sign recognition, ADAS systems like adaptive cruise control with navigational aid, which will have the car reduce speed automatically when approaching a curve in the road, or lane keeping and highway assistant.

The ‘Earth’ version (€ 39,490- €44,290) adds things like heated front seats and steering wheels, an inductive charge pad for your phone, or a Digital Key. This allows up to seven family members to share the car, using only their smartphone to access and start it.

Retractable center console

If you want electrically adjustable seats covered with vegan leather, heated seats in the back, more ADAS, like automatic near-collision braking, an electric trunk lid, a heat pump, and a retractable center console that can hold your laptop for some in-car work while charging, for instance, go for the Business Plus (€42,790 – €47,590).

Suppose your budget allows for even more elasticity. In that case, the top-version ‘GT Line’ (only in Long Range €50,390) adds nice-to-haves like 19″ rims, anti-collision assistant in front, 360°-camera or more importantly, elaborate parking assistance, including having your car park itself while you’re standing outside controlling it remotely with the key fob.

Even more luxury with a sizeable head-up display (HUD), Harman Kardon Audio System, or ventilated front seats, in addition to heating, will cost you an extra €2.200 as a ‘Premium Pack’ option on the GT Line.

For people looking to keep this Kia EV for a longer time in the future, it’s good to know that—like the EV9—this one has all the hardware built-in already to allow not only vehicle-to-load (V2L) powering 230V appliances with your car but also vehicle-to-home (V2H) using your car’s battery to power your entire house or vehicle-to-grid (V2G).

This allows you to sell back electricity to the grid operator when demand is high, earning a buck instead of paying it. It is not officially available in Belgium yet, as it requires special legislation and extra equipment to connect your house to the grid, but Kia Belux is already working with a partner to prepare.

Paying off already

Kia’s efforts to deliver a ‘more affordable’ fully electric SUV family car seem to pay off already. Beginning this month, the EV3 received the Golden Steering Wheel award as the first to put in its trophy cabinet.

The latter is one of the best-known German awards for new car models. It has been awarded since 1976 by the Axel Springer SE-owned tabloid BILD am Sonntag (BamS) and, since 2009, in cooperation with the well-known car magazine Auto Bild.

And it made it into the shortlist to become the next Car Of The Year (COTY), like its bigger brother EV6 in 2022. That’s Europe’s most prestigious car award. We’re looking forward to test-driving the EV3 without Mother-the-Goose in front of us to see if that award is really deserved.