Aronus Posted November 15, 2024 Posted November 15, 2024 The EV3 is Kia’s first compact EV, a car that has excited observers in the design world for transferring the XXL EV9’s maximal Minecraft aesthetic onto a smaller platform. Its wheel arches are blocky, its sills are fashionably pinched, and even the wheels themselves have a square motif. It looks like the family transport the future promised us, and from where I’m currently sitting—the back seat on a four-up run to the airport—it feels big-car comfortable. Kia has worked hard to reduce the triple bugbears of noise, vibration, and harshness, and their absence is palpable. Concept-car-made-real design isn’t the only thing that’s generating major buzz. The EV3 claims the most substantial range of a smallish electric car, an impressive 375 miles (WLTP). It’s also packed with tech usually reserved for upper segment cars. And despite its relatively compact size (4.3 meters long, 1.85 meters wide), it’s roomy enough inside to support Kia’s claim that this could be the household’s main car. There’s a 25-liter frunk, and up to 1,250 liters of luggage space at the back. All told, a tipping point has been reached in the fast moving EV landscape. Did we mention that prices start from £32,995? US fans will have to wait, however, as it's expected to land stateside in 2026 for around $35,000. That’s for the entry-level Air model fitted with a 58.3-kWh battery, though you’ll need £10,000 on top of that for the Long Range GT-Line S version with the 81.4-kWh battery which delivers that eye-catching 375-mile figure. It arrives into a busy sector, the EV3 lining up alongside the likes of the Volkswagen I.D3 and Volvo EX30, although it’s a better equipped, more value-for-money proposition than those premium rivals. Old habits die hard. Kia EV3 Review: Price, Specs, Availability | WIRED
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