The boxy subcompact replaces the Niro EV and starts under $30,000, but a few compromises come with the low price.
DETROIT –
Kia has taken more than a year to bring its smallest electric SUV to America. The 2027 Kia EV3 has been on sale overseas for a while, but U.S. dealers are getting it now. It replaces the Niro EV and costs about $10,000 less. Of the electric rivals Kia compares it to, only the Chevy Bolt starts cheaper.
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Key Takeaways –
- Price: The 2027 Kia EV3 starts at $29,890, plus $1,495 destination.
- Range: The base Light trim gets a 58.3-kWh battery and 221 miles of range. Every other trim gets an 81.4-kWh pack, rated at 321 miles with front-wheel drive and 280 miles with all-wheel drive.
- Trade-off: Early drivers found the EV3 quiet, easy to drive and well equipped. They also found the ride gets bouncy on rough pavement.
Built for the “Early Majority” –
Kia says the timing helps. Higher gas prices have pushed more mainstream shoppers to look at EVs. Christine Bagnard, Kia America’s director of sales and field operations, says these buyers are pragmatic, not tech enthusiasts. She says they want an electric car that looks, drives and feels like the gas car they’re leaving. Kia expects entry-level EV sales to reach 400,000 units a year by 2030.
The EV3 is Kia’s answer to that group. It is a boxy subcompact SUV just 169.3 inches long, 4.7 inches shorter than the Niro EV it replaces. It still has about as much cabin space as some larger electric crossovers. Adaptive cruise control and navigation are standard, and the EV3 offers a true one-pedal driving mode that many rivals lack.
Five Trims, Three Power Levels –
The lineup starts with the Light and runs through the Wind, Land, GT-Line and GT. The Light is front-wheel drive only. Kia says it suits drivers who cover fewer than 100 miles a week.
- Front-wheel drive: A single motor makes 201 horsepower and 209 pound-feet of torque. Testers recorded 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds, which is quick for this class.
- All-wheel drive: Dual motors make 261 horsepower and 284 pound-feet. Testers recorded 6.5 seconds to 60 mph.
- GT: The top trim makes 288 horsepower and 345 pound-feet. Kia estimates it is about a second quicker than the GT-Line. It also gets styling cues borrowed from the EV6 GT.
The EV3 has more power than the Bolt and the Nissan Leaf. It also beats the lower trims of the Toyota C-HR and bZ.
Driving: Easy in Town, Rough on Bad Roads
Early drives took place on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and the EV3 felt most at home in city traffic. It is quiet and responsive at low speeds. The small footprint makes parking easy, and the steering gives better feedback than most EVs. On the highway, Kia’s adaptive cruise and lane-centering systems worked smoothly.
The updated i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking system has three levels. The strongest brings the car to a full stop when you lift off the accelerator. Regen now also works in reverse, so acceleration feels consistent in both directions. The EV3 also remembers your chosen setting after you shut it off. The one-pedal mode is gentler than Tesla’s.
The weak spot is ride quality. The EV3 has a short wheelbase, large wheels and a lot of weight. The GT-Line tested weighs more than 4,400 pounds. On bumpy roads the car bounces, even at moderate speeds. Adaptive dampers could help, but they would likely add $2,000 or more. Reviewers rated the Bolt, bZ and Leaf as smoother.
Range and Charging –
The EV3 uses a 400-volt electrical system, not the 800-volt setup in the EV6 and EV9. That means slower peak charging. Kia quotes a 10-80% charge in 29 minutes for the small battery and 31 minutes for the large one. Peak rates are 100 kW and 127 kW, which most public fast chargers can deliver. The EV3 has a NACS-style port, so it can use Tesla Superchargers.
Range estimates held up well in testing. The drag coefficient is a low 0.27, which helps at highway speeds. Testers averaged 28-29 kWh per 100 miles, better than the EPA’s estimates of 29 and 33 kWh per 100 miles.
Inside: Stylish and Practical
The cabin looks and feels more upscale than the Leaf, Bolt or bZ. A wide panoramic display, nearly 30 inches across, runs the same easy software as the K4 and Sportage. There are some hard plastics, but they are well hidden. Details such as the fabric dashboard trim and chrome accents add polish.
Space is good for the size. A 6-foot-4 tester fit comfortably in front, and rear legroom measures 37.4 inches. Cargo space is 26.1 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 56.5 cubic feet with them folded. There is also a small 0.9-cubic-foot front trunk, which none of its direct rivals offer.
How Does It Stack Up?
Kia’s value case depends on the trim.
- EV3 Light ($29,890): It is cheap, but the Bolt and Leaf offer similar range and performance for similar money.
- EV3 Wind ($34,990): This is the sweet spot. It has the same power as the Light but adds 321 miles of range and more equipment. It beats the Bolt, Leaf and front-drive Subaru Uncharted, and it undercuts comparable versions of the Toyota bZ, C-HR and Subaru Solterra.
- Tesla Model Y (base): The stripped-down version costs about $4,000 more than the EV3 Wind. It has more cargo space and faster charging, but the same range and similar performance.
- Higher trims: The GT-Line costs $43,490 and the GT costs $45,890. At those prices, the EV3 gets close to larger rivals such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Toyota bZ Woodland.
The EV3 also competes with small gas and hybrid crossovers, including other Kias. For shoppers new to EVs, it makes the switch easy. Just be careful with the options list.
How Much and When?
The 2027 Kia EV3 is on sale now at U.S. dealers. It starts at $29,890, plus $1,495 destination. The EV3 is built in Mexico.
