Kia has officially unveiled the all-new EV3. The South Korean brand’s latest electric vehicle (EV) joins the EV5, EV6 and EV9 as a compact SUV that will go on sale in its home country in July, with Europe and other regions set to follow from the second half of this year. First previewed by an identically named concept last October, the EV3 is built on the E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform) but doesn’t get an 800V architecture like the EV6 and EV9. Instead, it follows the EV5 by using a 400V architecture, which enables a DC fast charging that can get the 81.4-kWh battery from a 10-80% state of charge in about 31 minutes. Fully charged, the EV3 delivers up to 600 km of range following the WLTP standard, but bear in mind the figures mentioned so far only apply to the Long Range variant. There’s also a Standard Range model with a 58.3-kWh battery which gets less range.

In a media briefing prior to the debut, Kia said the company went with a nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) chemistry for the battery instead of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) because the former offered better power outputs and had a longer lifespan. Full charging details weren’t provided but the EV3 is said to come with a vehicle-to-load (V2L) system and will definitely support AC charging. Regardless of the battery chosen, both variants share the same electric motor, which is mounted at the front instead of the rear. Outputs are 204 PS and 283 Nm of torque, enabling a 0-100 km/h time of 7.5 seconds and top speed of 170 km/h. The EV3 gets eDTVC (Electric Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control) to ensure optimum traction on the move, while a new piece of Kia tech to debut here is i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking, essentially one-pedal driving with different levels of adjustment available to the driver.

 

In terms of dimensions, the EV3 measures 4,300 mm long, 1,850 mm wide, 1,560 mm tall and packs a wheelbase of 2,680 mm. For context, that’s about the size of a Volvo EX30 and the current Honda HR-V we have back home. The SUV also has a 25-litre frunk and a 460-litre boot, the latter said to be best in its class and with an adjustable two-tier luggage board with 140 mm of load height flexibility. If you found the EV5 and EV9 appealing to look at, the EV3 will likely be in your good books as well. Appearing as a sort of “baby EV9”, Kia’s latest adopts the Opposites United design philosophy and features boxy rear fenders, a sloping roofline as well as a robust stance. Despite the chunky shape, the drag coefficient (Cd) is quoted at just 0.263. Meanwhile, the ‘Tiger Face Star Map’ carries a daytime running light signature reminiscent of constellations that has light bars wrapping around the main headlamp clusters that carry several individual diodes.

A closed-off grille is also part of the front end, which gets two bumper designs. The base version has its lower intake large covered up and is joined by black trim with an array of vertical slats. Go with the GT-Line and it’s a design that looks to be inspired by the EV6, with “tusk-like” elements on either side of a large black section with small cutouts. The prominent bookends are replicated at the rear of the GT-Line to frame the number plate, while the base model is less expressive. Both get the same taillights which mimic the DRLs seen up front. For the EV3, Kia is offering nine body colours, including two exclusive ones called Aventurine Green and Terracotta.

 

Moving inside, we find a minimalistic dashboard design that doesn’t stray too far from what we saw in the concept. The air vents are positioned in a single file to simulate a full-width look and act to separate the dash into two sections, with the bottom having physical controls for the air-conditioning system while between the central air vents is a simple media volume control. Above that is almost 30 inches of screen real estate, including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a five-inch air-conditioning touch panel. This setup is like what you would find in the EV9 and is meant to promote ergonomics and ease of use along with the multi-button steering wheel that is lifted straight from the latest EV6. Buyers can also option a 12-inch head-up display that projects information on the windshield to minimise driver distraction.

Recycled materials are used for many parts of the cabin, which comes with Air, Earth and Water trim finishes. There are also several colour themes to choose from, including Subtle Grey, Warm Grey, Blue and Onyx Black, the last of which is a GT-Line exclusive. For practicality, the centre console incorporates a sliding table and storage area in addition to a few driving-related controls. There’s also storage under the console for items as large as a small backpack, while other notable features include ambient lighting and seats that come with a fold-back relaxation mode. As for the infotainment system, it integrates LG’s Automotive Content Platform (ACP) powered by webOS to enable in-car gaming and content consumption, complemented by a Harman Kardon sound system. The infotainment also has configurable themes (purchasable through the Kia Connect Store) and another first for a Kia EV, an AI assistant. No shortage of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) with the EV3 either, with available features being Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Highway Driving Assist, Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist and Remote Smart Parking Assist.