The Kia EV3 electric compact SUV is arriving in showrooms later this month, wearing a base price of $47,600 before on-road costs.
That makes the Korean-built SUV around $9000 less than the most affordable Chinese-built Kia EV5, which starts at $56,770 before on-road costs.
In all jurisdictions bar Western Australia, the gap in drive-away pricing is $7780, with the EV3 lineup opening at $48,990 drive-away ($49,990 in Western Australia).
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It’s also around $20,000 less than the existing Niro EV S, priced at $66,590 before on-roads or over $70,000 drive-away regardless of state or territory.
Outside of the Niro EV found in its own showroom, other rivals include the BYD Atto 3, Chery Omoda E5, Hyundai Kona Electric, Renault Megane E-Tech, and the upcoming MG S5 EV.
The EV3 can’t match the Atto 3 with its sub-$40k base price, but it undercuts the Kona Electric which starts at $54,000 before on-roads.
Unlike the Kona, which uses a platform shared with combustion-powered vehicles, the EV3 is underpinned by a version the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform which can also be found under the larger EV6 and EV9.
It features a 400V electrical architecture however, instead of the 800V system used in those models.
The EV3 will be offered in Australia with a choice of three trim levels – Air, Earth and GT-Line – and two different batteries.
Both batteries are lithium-ion, unlike the EV5 that uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) packs, with the Standard Range unit rated at 58.3kWh and the Long Range at 81.4kWh.
The Air can be had with either battery, while the Earth and GT-Line are offered exclusively with the larger battery.
Regardless of battery, all EV3s feature a single, front-mounted electric motor with 150kW of power and 283Nm of torque.
With a 604km WLTP driving range in the Air Long Range, riding on 17-inch alloy wheels, the EV3 has the highest range of any vehicle in its segment.
Range drops down to 563km in Earth and GT-Line guise with their 19s, while the Air Standard Range is rated at 436km.
Confirmed standard equipment on all models includes:
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 5.3-inch climate control touch panel
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality
- Highway Driving Assist 2
Earth and GT-Line models also feature a power tailgate, with the latter also gaining a head-up display, sunroof, and eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
It might not be 50 Shades of Grey, but there are three different shades for the EV3’s interior. The Air and Earth have a Subtle Grey interior with a blue console tray, with the latter also offered with a Light Warm Grey with a bright tangerine console tray.
Finally, the GT-Line has a Medium Grey interior with more of a two-tone appearance and a grey console tray. Only the Air has cloth upholstery, with the other trim levels coming with leatherette trim.
Measuring 4300mm long, 1850mm wide and 1560mm tall on a 2680mm wheelbase, the Kia EV3 has a similar footprint to a Kia Seltos, though it’s shorter in length and wider than its combustion-powered stablemate.
It has 460L of boot space, plus an additional 25L compartment under the bonnet.
| Model | Price before on-roads | Drive-away price (except WA) | Drive-away price (WA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Kia EV3 Air Standard Range | $47,600 | $48,990 | $49,990 |
| 2025 Kia EV3 Air Long Range | $53,315 | $56,490 | $57,490 |
| 2025 Kia EV3 Earth Long Range | $58,600 | $62,690 | $63,690 |
| 2025 Kia EV3 GT-Line Long Range | $63,950 | $68,490 | $70,490 |
Kia notes that in the ACT, drive-away pricing is available only for the Air Standard Range.
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