Should you buy one?

Yes, absolutely. Given Kia’s other EVs are among the best electric cars you can buy, there should have never been any doubt that the smaller EV3 wouldn’t be just as good. Kia has managed to retain all the strengths of its more expensive EVs into a smaller package and the result is outstanding.

It’s the best compact electric SUV you can buy today, with a generous range, practical interior and comfortable ride being its stand-out attributes. It nails the brief for a smaller electric family car, and we can see it selling in significant volumes. It’s only the Skoda Elroq that could prove a challenger, and we’ve yet to drive that in the UK.

What we like

We like that Kia has distilled all of the great values from its more expensive electric cars into a smaller EV. This is a highly stylish and cool EV inside and out, and is genuinely desirable, which is rare in this class. It’s very spacious for its size, has a great electric range and offers a very comfortable ride with well-judged driving manners. The icing on the cake is its keen pricing that undercuts many worse rivals. 

What we don’t like

Very little. Rear visibility could be improved, but it wouldn’t stop you buying an EV3. Entry-level models do feel noticeably cheaper inside than their counterparts and we think the small climate screen in the cabin is pointless.