Kia EV3 GT-Line S review

Driving position 

It’s really quite difficult to fault the driving position in the Kia EV3.  

The second we hopped in it was easy to adjust every element of the seat, from the height (yes, it goes low enough for six-footers) to the distance from the steering wheel and even the lumbar support.  

Though with our test car being the top-spec GT-Line S, it was all electronic. Go for a lesser ‘Air’ spec and it’s back to manual levers we’re afraid, but even that still retains heated front seats. 

Once you’re set up in your ultimate seating position, we’re pleased to report that they’re some of the most comfortable seats we’ve ever experienced. Not just in this class, but even when compared to the Audis and Mercedes of this world. 

There’s support where there needs to be and cushioning too. Not to mention the headrests, which are like lying back on a fluffy cloud and remind us of the ones in a posh Range Rover Autobiography.

No, seriously. Ideal for a charge stop, not recommended while driving... 

The steering wheel is a little bit on the chunky side, as is a common trend with many new cars. Why? We’re not entirely sure.

It could be in part because of added safety features or heating element gubbins, but a slightly slimmer wheel at either side would stop our hands getting numb after several hours on the road. 

To help bring some more light into the cabin, the GT-Line S comes as standard with a sunroof (an optional extra on the Air). It would’ve been nice if it were a full panoramic glass panel, but we’re glad it had one regardless. 

While this piece of glass doesn’t help with visibility while driving, the other ones do. It’s a really easy car to see out of, especially at junctions or in a multi-storey car park.  

Even when changing lanes on the motorway, flick the indicator stalk and little cameras under the door mirrors display what’s on either side of you on the digital driver’s display. This really helps when it’s dark or when there’s a car lingering in your blind spot. 

Our GT-Line S car also gets a head-up display, an option on lower trims, but well worth adding to keep your eyes on the road at all times. 

Tech and features 

Kia EV3 trims 

– Air 

– GT-Line 

– GT-Line S 

Being a dedicated Kia EV3 GT-Line S review, we’ll touch on all the features you get on this top-spec model (and there’s a lot to get through), so you know what you’re getting for £43,000+. 

For starters, you get a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with Kia’s latest software, which works as you’d expect – smooth and crisp.  

But you’ll likely use it once, then connect your phone via wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and never look back. 

The screens are laid out much like the larger Kia EV9, with the aforementioned landscape display in the middle and a 12.3-inch driver’s display to the right.  

Between the two is a slim 5.3-inch screen for climate control functions only. It’s a little awkward to see with the steering wheel blocking it, but it’s there. 

Thankfully, there’s a much easier way to control everything, and that’s via some physical buttons below the screen to adjust the temperature, fan speed and position. 

Other important GT-Line S features include heated and ventilated memory seats, a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, a Harman/Kardon premium sound system (one of our favourites of any car), a wireless phone charger and four USB-C ports. 

While the base-spec Air still has plenty of kit on it, when you get a taste of the high life, it’s hard to turn back. 

And one feature we found especially useful in this car is the central armrest. Okay, it doesn’t go up and down like in most cars, but there’s plenty of storage space below.  

What it does do is slide outwards, creating a table, which you can use for your lunch or laptop while the vehicle is charging, or simply to rest your arms on. It's something so minor, but a feature we found very unique and surprisingly useful. 

Electric motors and power 

Kia EV3 performance stats 

– Power: 204hp 

– 0-62mph: 7.5-7.9 seconds 

– Top speed: 105mph 

– Driven wheels: Front-wheel drive 

The EV3 is far from being a performance car, but it doesn’t need to be, nor do we particularly want it to be. It’s great at being a car, and that’s the best thing it can possibly do. 

With 204hp, it’s certainly not brisk by modern standards, but its instant electric torque helps at junctions, so it rarely feels sluggish. It has a respectable 0-62mph time of as little as 7.5 seconds, which is plenty for most people and on par with many other cars in this segment. 

We spent a lot of time on the motorway driving up and down the A1, and the EV3 has plenty of get-up and go about it.

When you enter a town, it’s just the same, relying heavily on its three-stage regenerative braking to do the heavy lifting when you come to a stop at a set of lights. 

All versions of the EV3 are front-wheel drive (FWD), so there isn’t a performance variant on offer, but if you did want a fast, small electric SUV, you’d be better off with a smart #3 Brabus or a Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance. 

Handling and ride comfort 

We mentioned we’d spent a lot of time on the motorway – about 500 miles to be exact – so we feel well-placed to tell you about its ride quality and noises at speed. 

The EV3’s ride, even on big 19-inch alloy wheels, is really supple. We tested it on some speed bumps that are usually too harsh for most cars, and it did a smashing job (not literally). 

Cornering is a little floaty, but it’s no sports car, so is to be expected. We’d rather it rode nicely than cornered like a 911, and wouldn’t you too? 

Noise, Vibration and Harshness (otherwise known as NVH) is a hot topic for electric cars because there’s no noise from the engine, so other parts such as the tyres and wind noise are much more prevalent. 

In the EV3, we found there to be minimal noise from its Hankook tyres, but due to its chunky door mirrors, there is a fair bit of wind noise. But turn your tunes up a bit (and why wouldn’t you on Harman/Kardon’s finest?) and it soon gets drowned out.  

Boot space 

Kia EV3 boot space 

– Boot space: 460 litres 

– Incl. Rear seats folded: 1,250 litres 

– Front boot (froot): 25 litres 

Boot space is solid in the EV3 at 460 litres. This grows to 1,250 litres when you fold down the rear seats, which is handy if you’re moving house or buying furniture. 

For comparison, the Volvo EX30 gets 318 litres, and the Hyundai Kona Electric gets 466 litres, so the Kia sits comfortably in the middle. 

The Kia EV3 even has a 25-litre front boot (froot), which is enough for its charge cables or a rucksack. 

Rear seats 

With this being a family vehicle, rear-seat space is very important. You’ll likely find yourself with four or five people in the car at sometimes, and having enough space in the back is very important. 

Thankfully, the EV3 delivers. For starters, the GT-Line S gets USB-C ports in the sides of the front seats, so your kids can keep their devices topped up. 

Plus, there are three-stage heated seats back there, so your passengers feel warm and cosy, even when you want the air-con on – we’ve all been there. 

Headroom is good and is actually helped by the lack of panoramic sunroof, which would usually impede on cranium space. Then legroom is also good and there’s enough space under the front seats for your feet – even when in their lowest position. 

Middle seat passengers won’t have quite as much space, but there isn’t a transmission tunnel hump in the floor, so there’s a bit more foot space.

Three is fine, but we’d recommend sticking to two people back there if you can, especially on longer drives. 

Plus, you get a three-pin plug socket between the rear seats, meaning you can run household appliances off it, such as a laptop or even an air fryer.  

Storage solutions 

Aside from the decent storage space between the front two seats, the EV3 is well-equipped for hectic family life. 

There are substantial door bins in both the front and back, but storage is overall better in the front, as you’d expect. 

Rear-seat passengers get good-sized seat-back pockets and a small cubby in front of the middle seat for sweets and the like. 

Kia EV3 dimensions 

– Height: 1,570mm 

– Width: 1,850mm 

– Length: 4,310mm 

– Gross weight: 2,270-2,355kg 

Safety 

Kia, like all other car brands, is working hard on making the safest vehicle possible, especially considering this car is aimed so heavily at families. 

When tested by Euro NCAP in 2024, the EV3 scored four out of five stars, just missing out on the last one due to some missing driver safety aids. 

But overall occupant safety is strong, thanks to kit like 360-degree parking cameras and that clever blind-spot monitoring system we touched on in the driving position section. 

Kia EV3: electric range, battery and charging 

– Range: 270-375 miles 

– Battery size: 58kWh – 81kWh 

– Max charging speed: 128kW 

– Charge port location: Front right, under the driver’s mirror 

– Charge time (AC): 0-100% in 11 hours using a 7kW charger 

– Charge time (DC):  10-80% in 30 minutes using at least a 128kW rapid charger 

– Efficiency: 4.6mi/kWh (claimed) vs. 3.5mi/kWh (our testing) 

– Charging cost: From £4.06 (58kWh), £5.70 (81kWh) 

From the get-go, the EV3 has a lot to live up to. It promises 270 miles from the smaller 58kWh battery and up to 375 miles from the larger 81kWh battery you get in the GT-Line S model, but how did it perform in the real world? 

We’re glad to report, it stayed true to its claims, and we never experienced any ‘range anxiety’ over our 540 miles with the car.  

Kia claims the EV3 will return 4.6mi/kWh, but we saw a slightly lower 3.5mi/kWh average. This is slightly lower than we’d have hoped, but we would have been really shocked to see the full 4.6. 

When it comes to charging, the EV3 has a maximum charging rate of 128kW, which will get you 10-80% in around 30 minutes. It’s good but not great, especially when rivals such as the Volvo EX30 (153kW) and Škoda Elroq (175kW) can do it quicker. 

One gripe we have with Kia is the lack of a heat pump as standard. Most electric cars should come with one now because it helps with overall efficiency and range when you use the heating while driving, but in the EV3, it’s an optional extra at the eye-watering cost of £900. 

Our car had it, but if you forget to option it or buy a used car without one, you might kick yourself. Something to watch out for. 

Reliability 

Kia has a long history of making reliable cars, so we have no worries about the EV3. In fact, because it’s electric, you’ll have next to no issues. 

This is because there are fewer moving parts in an electric motor compared to an internal combustion engine, so wear and tear is reduced. 

Plus, Kia offers a very generous seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, which is far better than most of its competitors.