Preview: 2027 Kia EV3: A Stylish, Compact Electric SUV With a Long Range
Kia’s upcoming EV will add another more affordable choice for EV buyers
If you’ve been waiting for a small electric vehicle with a long range, tons of style, and optional all-wheel drive, you’ll be happy to know the Kia EV3 is coming to the U.S. as a 2027 model.
Its arrival wasn’t guaranteed. Sweeping policy changes, including ever-changing tariffs and rolled-back environmental regulations, have upended the EV market in the U.S., especially when it comes to smaller, less-expensive models. Volvo withdrew the EX30 after two model years, Nissan paused sales of the Ariya, the Hyundai Kona Electric is also taking a break, and Honda, Mini, Stellantis, and Volkswagen all canceled some planned new electric models. But the little EV3 is soldiering on, and the automaker says it should go on sale in 2026.
Size-wise, the EV3 is a little shorter than the current Kia Niro EV, which it effectively replaces. It has a range between 220 and 320 miles between charges depending on how it’s configured. All-wheel drive is optional, and it also looks pretty clever: A squared-off design maximizes space in the minimalist interior, and the infotainment system can be customized through an app store.
Photo: Kia Photo: Kia
Consumer Reports' Take
Most EVs on sale today have price tags that are out of reach for the average American consumer, so it’s good to see another less-expensive electric car on the way. The EV3 also appears to build on the success of prior electric models from Kia and Hyundai, including the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV9, mixing style and technology into a practical package. We look forward to testing it.
Outside
Kia says the EV3 was designed with the same “Opposites United” philosophy as the EV9, and it’s easy to see the family resemblance through the slim front and rear lights, creased fenders and beltline, and contrasting trim. Despite its relatively small size, the big, bold 19-inch wheels give it an illusion of height. As with other Kia models, an optional GT-Line trim will give the EV3 a more aggressive, sportier look.
Photo: Kia Photo: Kia
Inside
One benefit of vehicles designed to be electric from the ground up, as opposed to models originally designed around gas powertrains, is that they tend to have extremely roomy interiors. That’s thanks to the positioning of the battery and motors, and the lack of a gas engine and conventional transmission. Like other electric models from Kia, including the EV6, there’s an open storage space between the front seats, including a slide-out tray. The rear seats can recline. Kia says there’s 26.1 cubic feet of storage with the second row folded down, 26.1 cubic feet behind the rear seat, and just under a cubic foot of storage space in the “frunk” under the hood.
Topped by two 12.3-inch screens, the dashboard and controls appear very similar to those of the EV9 SUV. We weren’t fans of that model’s overly complicated design choices, including the twist-action gear selector with built-in start button, dashboard-embedded infotainment shortcut buttons, and climate information hidden behind the steering wheel rim.
Other features include adjustable lighting, recycled fabric and plastic trim, a smartphone-as-key feature, and an infotainment system that’s designed to entertain occupants with downloadable apps and games while the car is charging. Drivers can customize the infotainment system display with themes from Disney, Marvel, National Geographic, Pixar, Star Wars, FIFA, or the NBA. Unlike the Chevrolet Equinox EV, the EV3 gets standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Photo: Kia Photo: Kia
What Drives It
Kia says the EV3 will come in two variants. The standard model, called Light, gets a 58.3-kilowatt-hour battery, which is good for a 220-mile range between charges. Longer-range Wind, Land, GT-Line, and GT models get an 81.4-kWh battery, which can go up to 320 miles, according to Kia.
The EV3 has a NACS charging port on the front passenger side. According to the automaker, both standard and long-range versions can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent at a public DC fast charger in about a half hour. This is slower than we are used to seeing with other Kia models, which take about 20 minutes under ideal conditions, and it’s because the EV3 is built on a 400-volt version of the E-GMP platform that underpins other Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis EVs. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, Kia EV6 and EV9, and Genesis GV60 rely on a faster-charging 800-volt architecture. Still, Kia says the EV3 can take advantage of 350 kW fast chargers, and drivers can set the vehicle up for plug-and-charge capability.
The EV3 also features V2L—or vehicle-to-load—technology, which allows owners to power small appliances using the car’s battery at campsites or during power outages. When plugged into a compatible Wallbox charger, it also offers V2H (vehicle-to-home) tech, which can send power back to the home during power outages or peak energy usage times.
Front-wheel drive is standard on the single-motor Light, while dual-motor all-wheel drive is optional on the Wind and Land, and standard on the GT-Line and GT. We don’t yet know about performance figures from the lower trim levels, but Kia says that AWD models output 261 hp, while the EV3 GT is good for 288 hp and also gets sport-tuned steering and suspension tweaks. One-pedal driving is possible with adjustable regenerative braking technology.
Safety and Driver Assistance
Standard features include automatic emergency braking that works in intersections and while turning, reverse automatic emergency braking, lane centering assistance, adaptive cruise control, and Kia’s Highway Driving Assist 2 active driving assistance system.
