Though Kia was previously viewed as a fairly run-of-the-mill manufacturer, the Korean marque is using its shift to a fully-electric lineup in rebrand itself with a much sleeker and more modern design language and identity. Over the last two years alone, Kia has rolled out some of the best-looking electric vehicles on the market, and it’s now continuing that trend by adding a crossover SUV model to its EV lineup.
Introducing the all-new, all-electric 2025 Kia EV3.
Looking like a smaller, scaled-down version of Kia’s EV9, the all-new EV3 is compact SUV that stands at 61.4” tall, 72.83” wide, spans 169.3” in length, and boasts a 105.5-inch wheelbase. Sporting Kia’s iconic Tiger Face design, the EV3 boasts a thoroughly modern appearance complete with the Korean carmaker’s vertically-oriented LED daytime running lights and a grille-less front-end design. Brimming with tech, this forthcoming crossover benefits from numerous best-in-class specs. Right out of the gate, the EV3 will be offered in a base model version, a Long Range-spec, and a GT-line variant.
Utilizing a state-of-the-art front-wheel drive all-electric powertrain based on the Electric Global Modular Platform, the both the regular and Long Range versions of the all-new EV3 are kicked along by a single 150-kW motor that generates 201hp and 208.7ft-lbs of torque. These figures allow the compact SUV to reach 60mph from a complete standstill in 7.5 seconds, and ultimately achieve a top speed of 105mph.
Equipped with Kia’s fourth-generation battery technology, the EV3 features a 58.3kWh cell that comes standard on the crossover, though the model is also offered in a Long Range variant that gains an 81.4kWh battery. This larger cell is not only able to receive a 10% to 80% charge in as little as half-an-hour, but it can also deliver 372.8 miles of autonomy per charge — ultimately earning it a best-in-class all-electric range.
Trimmed in fabric derived from recycled PET, the EV3’s cabin is a sleek and thoroughly modern affair that offers spacious seating for five. The inside of the crossover also gets a nearly-30-inch widescreen display that’s supplemented via a 12.3” cluster, a 5” climate control panel, and a second 12.3” AVN display. The cabin also comes in a slew of available color and trim options, from Subtle Grey to Warm Grey to Blue to Onyx Black — the latter of which iis available exclusively on the GT-line EV3.
Other interior highlights include a Harman Kardon audio system, a customizable dash and infotainment system, multi-adjustable ambient lighting, a flat-bottom steering wheel, ultra-plush seats, a center console with an integrated sliding table and storage area, the ability to stream a myriad of different content via LG’s webOS-powered Automotive Content Platform, and an adjustable two-tier luggage board provides over 5.5” of load height flexibility, and a 25-liter trunk and a collective rear load capacity of 460 liters — another best-in-class figures.
As a cutting-edge electric vehicle, it probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that Kia’s new EV3 comes loaded with generous slew of advanced tech. This includes Kia’s Advanced Driving Assistance Systems technology which includes the eDTVC Electric Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control feature, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Highway Driving Assist, and Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist. It doesn’t end there though, not even close, as the EV3 also boasts Kia’s Remote Smart Parking Assist a 12” Head-up Display, the marque’s new i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking technology, Vehicle-to-Load charging, Kia’s smartwatch-enabled Digital Key 2.0, and a Kia’s first-ever onboard AI assistant to appear on an EV — just to name a few.
Using Kia’s established EV design language, the EV3 is a great-looking crossover, though the reality is it doesn’t possess any particularly innovative or envelop-pushing capabilities or specs — save for its storage space and range. Having said that, it’s not the EV3’s 0-60mph time or power output that makes it so incredibly noteworthy, but rather its combination of being both affordable and tech and feature-laden. The thing is loaded with cutting-edge tech and amenities — including best-in-class range — all while costing roughly the same amount as most petrol-powered entry-level crossovers. This ultimately makes the EV3 something of a standout, watershed model in the rapidly-emerging EV sector.
Brand: Kia
Model: EV3
Model Year: 2025
Genre: Crossover
Powertrain: Single Electric Motor
Power: 201HP & 208.7FT-LBs
0-60MPH Time: 7.5 Seconds
Top-Speed: 105MPH
Max Range: 372.8 Miles
10% to 80% Recharge Time: 31 Minutes
Storage Space: 485 Liters
Estimated Starting MSRP: $30,000 – $35,000
Scheduled Release Date: July 2024 (Korea Only)
The 2025 Kia EV3 is scheduled to roll into showrooms in the marque’s native Korean market in July, though European and North American releases are slated to follow shortly after sometime in the second half of this year. Pricing for the new electric crossover has yet to be revealed, though we anticipate a starting price of around $30,000 to $35,000 — slotting it just below Kia’s approximately $44,000 EV6. Additionally, this would also make the EV3 one of the most affordable electric SUVs or crossovers currently on the market.
The all-new Kia EV3 is a compact crossover counterpart to the EV9 that borrows much of the full-size eSUV’s design language and advanced suite of tech.
