WOW! Kia’s EV3 is a Lot of Car with A Lot of Stuff in it

Kia has several electric offerings, but EV3 gives electric ownership real class to the compact buyer. EV3 mirrors styling seen in EV9, the bigger brother. It is a brutalist take on modernist automotive architecture, and a master-class study in the way humans move through the environment.

Despite the monumental appearance, EV3 is fairly slippery with a drag coefficient of 0.263 Cd.

The sexy flush door handles are fast becoming an industry must-have, and EV3 takes it a step further with high-mounted rear door handles giving the faintest hint of coupé. EV3’s overall look is far more successful than Niro, don’t you think?

Kia says the signature Tiger Nose “Grille” has been reinvented but it is now so subtle as to be irrelevant. GT-Line remains the range topper, but final Australian details are yet to be nutted out.

EV3 is up against gorgeous EVs such as Volvo’s EX30 and XC40, and even Tesla Model Y which now looks to have come from a museum. Despite the diminutive impression the compact SUV makes, its dimensions (4,300mm long, 1,850mm wide, 1,560mm, wheelbase 2,680mm) suggest a capacious cabin.

The meat and potatoes comes thanks to a single front mounted 150kW/283Nm electric motor with a relatively decent 0-100kph of 7.5 seconds. Kia has taken the view that a balance between performance and range allows owners a good driving experience without having to stop every few hundred kilometres.

ABOVE: 2024 Kia EV3

Range of up to 600km comes after a full battery charge, however punters can top up from 10 to 80% in 31minutes. Kia says that is fast charging but their bigger batteried buddies boost the volts in much less time.

2 battery sizes are: EV3 Standard – 58.3kWh battery, EV3 Long Range 81.4kWh battery.

EV3 has been lavished with all of the Hyundai Group’s latest whiz-bangery including driver and safety aids, and an AI assistant which promises to actually be intelligent. It is able to interpret natural voice commands, but that remains to be seen. Our experience with smart voice assistants has been patchy at best. The only thing smart about them, is the name.

“Cars are no longer just a means of transportation but an extension of our ‘life space.’ Developed with numerous customer-centric innovations, the EV3 offers our customers an immersive content consumption experience with our premium streaming services and class-leading sound system,” commented Chang Sung Ryu, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Brand & CX. “Providing the ability to digitally customise the EV3’s interior through the Kia Connect Store in the same way one would personalise a smartphone, alongside the introduction of Kia’s AI Assistant these examples further highlight how the EV3 responds to customers’ ever-evolving needs.”

The cabin is full of the smart design Kia is now renowned for. It is modern and comfortable, and the fact that the platform isn’t shared with an internal combustion engine means more room for humans and their stuff.

A cool 12” HUD projects data at eye level onto the windscreen to augment the twin LCD dashboard. There is a smart configurable centre armrest/bin, and recycled material used on some of the fabric upholstery.

Some of the gadgets are ubiquitous. Lane control, cruise control, Blind Spot Monitor hardly rate a mention, but the driverless parking system and LG entertainment streaming are certainly worth a shoutout. Owners can also personalise their dashboard with a “theme” such as NBA, and that uses colour, graphics, and movement to make the EV3 an extension of the driver’s personality, for better or for worse.

There is a smart card key, in car gaming (UGH!) and a host of tasty treats to keep the Kia moving, or the driver entertained when stopped. The Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) allows scalable vehicles, fast charging, good handling, spacious cabins, and the ability for VTL (a household socket for appliances etc).

Perhaps people will change the way they interact with their cars, and interconnectivity will bring other advantages in due course. While it is limited to over-the-air updates, live navigation, and concierge services for now, there is no reason why cars won’t be talking directly to each other in the very near future.

Kia has moved from providing the bare minimum at a bargain price, to being a market leader and design master.

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