Kia EV3 UK price, specification and launch date confirmed
The Kia EV3 will cost from £32,995 when it goes on sale later this year, making it Kia’s cheapest all-electric model.
, which is set to rival the Volvo EX30, Smart #1 and Peugeot E-2008 will open for orders on Thursday, 1 August, with first customer deliveries due in late 2024.
As with the Kia EV6 and EV9 models, the EV3 comes in three trim levels, with prices ranging from just under £33,000 for the entry-level Air to £42,995 for the top-spec GT Line S. The compact family SUV also comes with two battery choices, depending on the specification level.
The standard range EV3 Air uses a 58.3kWh battery with a maximum range of 267 miles but an extra £3,000 brings a step up to the long-range battery. This 81.4kWh unit is the same that will be fitted to the updated EV6 (due out later this year) and offers up to 372 miles of range.
Higher-spec GT Line and GT Line S models come exclusively with the larger battery and both offer a maximum range of 347 due to their larger wheels and more extensive equipment list. All versions of the EV3 are powered by a front-mounted 201bhp/209lb ft motor.
Every version of the EV3 comes with LED lights, keyless entry/start, a three-screen digital dashboard with wireless Android and Apple connectivity and a seven-year Kia Connect subscription. Heated front seats and steering wheel, automatic air conditioning, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera are also standard across the range. Standard driver assistance ranges from highway assist 2 with adaptive cruise control and lane change assist, to rear-cross traffic collision avoidance assist and safe exit warning.
Stepping up from Air to the £39,495 GT Line grade automatically brings the larger battery. It also upgrades the Air’s 17-inch alloy wheels to 19-inch designs, adds an automatic power function to the flush-fit door handles and brings a more aggressive exterior design with ‘small cube’ headlights, high-gloss body trim and rear privacy glass. Inside, it adds two-tone upholstery, wireless phone charging, ambient lighting and a sliding centre console.
Top-spec GT Line S builds on this with a powered tailgate, front sunroof and electrically adjustable, cooled ‘premium relaxation’ front seats. It also adds heated rear seats, a head-up display, Harman Kardon sound system and vehicle-to-load charging, while expanding the assistance systems with remote parking and a 360-degree camera system.
There is no options list for the EV3. Buyers can choose between the free sunset orange paint or one of four £625 ‘premium’ shades, and can opt to add a heat pump on GT Line S models for £900.
At 4.3m by 1.85m, the EV3 slots into the Kia range between the Soul EV and the Niro but could easily act as a replacement for both as Kia’s electrification process accelerates.
The EV3 is part of Kia’s ‘Plan S’ strategy, which will see the brand launch 15 EVs by 2027, including passenger cars and vans. We’ll get nine of those in the UK, including the EV4 and EV5.
