Kia EV3 Earth review

Kia’s compact electric SUV the EV3 is the fourth battery electric model from the Korean car maker and also the smallest, slotting into its vehicle lineup below the EV9, EV6 and EV5.

The EV3 is priced and positioned to go head-to-head with the likes of the BYD Atto 3, Smart #1 and #3, MG4, Volvo EX30 and others.

How much does a Kia EV3 Earth Long range cost?

The four-variant range opens with the EV3 Air Standard Range which is the only variant to feature the smaller 58.3kWh battery and which at the time of writing was priced at $47,600 (MRLP).

Stepping up to the EV3 Air Long Range brings a larger 81.4kWh battery and hikes the price to $53,315 (MRLP) but improves range from the entry model’s 436km (WLTP) to an impressive 604km (WLTP).

Further up the range again come the EV3 Earth and EV3 GT-Line, both featuring the Long Range 81.4kWh battery and are priced at $58,600 ((MRLP) and $63,950 (MRLP) respectively. Both these variants have a claimed range of 563km (WLTP).

Kia EV3 Earth Long Range exterior design

Stylistically, the EV3 looks like a mini EV9 or EV5, with its chunky, angular styling clearly linking it to both these existing Kia EVs.

Its compact proportions arguably suit the look more than either of these larger vehicles.

Dimensionally, the EV3 measures 4,300mm long (GT-Line 4,310mm), 1,850mm wide and 1,560mm high (GT-Line 1,570mm), and rides on a 2,680mm wheelbase. This makes it a little smaller than both the BYD Atto 3 and the Hyundai Kona Electric.

The unusually shaped alloy wheel designs are optimised for aero performance, as are the wheelarches and vehicle side sill undercovers, while cladding covers up to up to 80% of the underfloor area, creating a smooth surface that enhances airflow and reduces drag.

Other notable aero enhancements include optimised headlamp and front bumper covers, wheel gap reducers, a shallow roof spoiler angle, aerodynamic strakes on the rear bumper cover and front wheel deflectors.

While you won’t necessarily notice it at first glance, the EV3’s body is narrower across the rear wheel arches than the front wheel arches, creating a boat-tail shape that improves aerodynamic efficiency which contributes to improved electric driving range.

The front-end design incorporates Kia’s Star Map lighting and Tiger Face family elements, with the GT-Line distinguished by stronger opposing diagonal elements and a larger, black lower grille for a sportier appearance.

The GT-Line also gets unique front and rear lighting elements and its own 19-inch alloy wheel designs, with the Earth riding on a different 19-inch design and the Air variants rolling on 17-inch alloys .
Another notable exterior design element of the EV3 is its flush front and hidden rear door handles.

Compare the Kia EV3 with rivals

What is the Kia EV3 Earth Long Range like inside?

The EV3 interior design is modern and attractive.

The design is minimalist but isn’t quite as denuded as a Tesla interior, with some switchgear retained for oft-used features such as climate control and audio volume.

The dash design features a large single screen that stretches from ahead of the driver to halfway across the cabin.

The screen is digitally segmented into three distinct zones, comprising a 12.3-inch driver cluster, 5.0-inch climate monitor, and a 12.3-inch Touch Screen Infotainment section.

There’s a lot of functionality embedded in the infotainment screen but it’s reasonably logical and easy to navigate at a basic level with swipe-screen activation to scroll through the various menus.

Going deeper into menus to find controls for things like setting battery charging time takes more familiarity.

There’s plenty of cabin stowage and storage, particularly in the Earth and Air variants, with the GT-Line losing a little of its centre console stowage to a sliding tray designed to hold laptops and the like.

It’s horses for courses and some may find this feature useful but we prefer the small open cubby used on the other models.

Interior materials and trims are Kia’s usual good quality with soft-touch plastics in key areas and an overall design that is attractive, robust and well-integrated.

The packaging benefits of the EV3’s dedicated EV platform deliver surprisingly good interior space given its reasonably compact exterior dimensions.

Front-seat accommodation is particularly roomy, thanks in part to a new compact HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system that provides extra room in the footwell.

Visibility is excellent as is seat comfort both front and rear, although the rear seat doesn’t feel as spacious as the front, with toe-room under the front seats at a premium. Headroom is adequate but not outstanding so occupants taller than 188cm may feel constrained.

Kia’s decision to equip the front seats with stylish looking hard-shell seat backs is a win for the designers and adds to the premium look and feel of the cabin but does make long-legged passengers more aware of having their knees up against the unyielding surface.

Cargo space is surprisingly generous for a small SUV, with 460 litres VDA area in the rear, expanding to 1251 litres VDA with the rear seats folded, and an additional 25 litres in the ‘frunk’ or front trunk.

By way of comparison the BYD Atto 3 offers 440 litres expanding to 1340 litres and has no frunk. The EV3 boot features an adjustable shelf that creates a two-tier luggage system, allowing for additional out-of-sight stowage below the boot floor.

The higher specified Earth and GT-Line trims are equipped with a Smart Power Tailgate.Comfort and convenience features include Kia Connect, Over the Air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and phone charging, and a column-type Shift-by-Wire gear selector.

Over and above this, the EV3 Earth and GT-Line variants feature heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel, while the GT-Line adds to this with a Head-Up Display (HUD), sunroof, and eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

What sort of technology does a Kia EV3 Earth Long Range have?

The EV3 is based on a dedicated E-GMP EV platform which underpins a range of Hyundai and Kia EVs.

This means it has been designed from the ground up to be an EV, which avoids some of the compromises that come with vehicles that are sold with both ICE and EV drivetrains.

The EV3’s liquid-cooled battery system allows for a maximum AC charging rate of 11kW and DC fast charging of up to 100kW on the Standard Range variant and up to 127kW on the Long-Range variants.

Kia’s official information on charging speed is a little misleading here, as it mentions charging times on 350kW DC fast chargers, which might suggest to some that the EV3 is capable of charging at this power, which it is not.

It’s true that the EV3 can be charged on a 350kW DC charger, but the vehicle is not equipped to draw power at that rate, so will only ever charge at the 100kW on the Standard Range variant and up to 127kW on the Long-Range variants, with the latter able to charge from 10-80% in 31 minutes.

The EV3 also comes standard with a handy Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) feature which enables the car to power and charge external devices such as a laptop or small fridge while ‘off-grid’ from electric infrastructure.

The system comes with an included connector kit and two outlets, one inside just below the rear seat base, another on the outside of the vehicle. Both outlets are rated at 3.6kW each and can be used simultaneously.

Is the Kia EV3 Earth Long Range good to drive?

All four EV3 variants feature the same single motor front-wheel drive powertrain, with identical outputs of 150kW/283Nm.

Kerb weights vary across the lineup according to battery size and trim levels, with the 1,845kg EV3 Air Standard Range the quickest, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 7.5 seconds.

The Air, Earth and GT-Line Long Range variants are all shown as tipping the scales at an identical 1,930kg but the former two cover the 0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds, with the GT-Line taking 7.9 seconds.

The lack of an all-wheel drive model is one of our few laments about the EV3, as it does mean that torque steer is evident when accelerating hard from an intersection or exiting a corner.

Kia has, however, indicated that a dual motor all-wheel drive variant will join the lineup in the future.

As is the case with most of Kia’s contemporary model range, the EV3 has benefitted from local ride and handling inputs, with Australian EV3s bosting unique springs, rollbars, shock absorbers and electronic steering maps.

The result is a small SUV that rides and handles with above-average finesse, and one that feels comfortable, easy and confident across a range of driving conditions.

Smooth, quiet and decently powerful, the EV3 feels solidly planted on the road with good grip and pleasingly predictable handling characteristics.

Tyre and road noise is kept well subdued for the most part, although the Earth Long Range and GT-Line both ride on lower profile 215/50R19 tyres that generate more noise on rough surfaces than the 215/60R17 tyres fitted to the other variants.

A steering wheel mounted multi-mode drive selector provides the choice of running in Normal, Eco, Sport, Snow, or custom My Drive modes, with the range estimate adjusting in real time as you change the drive selections.

In addition to sharpening accelerator response, the Sport mode adjusts the electric-power steering weight to its heaviest setting which is not particularly pleasant, highlighting the steering's artificial level of resistance without any other tangible benefit.

Ride quality is impressive on all variants, including the Earth Long Range and GT-Line on the 19-inch wheels, with a subtle improvement in ride quality on the variants with smaller tyres.

The EV3 also features Kia’s new i-Pedal 3.0 adjustable regenerative braking system, which separates regenerative braking from the regular braking system, allowing one-pedal driving to be used in all three regenerative braking modes.

In most vehicles one-pedal driving will only work in the strongest regeneration mode, so this is a useful addition for drivers who like to use the one-pedal model but don’t like the aggressiveness of the strongest level.

The system can also be used in reverse and remembers the previously selected level when the vehicle is turned off.

What safety features does a Kia EV3 Earth Long Range have?

The EV3 is equipped with seven standard SRS airbags, including driver, front passenger, centre, front side, and curtain airbags.

It carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating awarded in May 2025, scoring well in adult occupant protection (83%), child occupant protection (86%), and safety assist (81%).

ANCAP noted that the EV3 also performed particularly well in crash tests, demonstrating good protection in side impacts for both adults and children.

The EV3 is also equipped with a range of advanced safety technologies which are mostly well tuned so as to avoid being overly intrusive.

These include:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB): Detects other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists to help prevent collisions.
• Lane keep assist (LKA): Helps keep the vehicle centred in its lane.
• Lane following assist (LFA): Provides steering correction to prevent drifting.
• Driver monitoring system: Detects driver fatigue and distraction.
• Blind-spot collison avoidance assist (BCA): Warns the driver if another vehicle is in the blind spot.
• Safe exit warning: Alerts occupants to potential hazards if they are about to exit the vehicle.
• Rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist (RCCA): Helps prevent collisions when reversing.
• Intelligent speed limit assist (ISLA): Identifies speed limits and can help the driver maintain the appropriate speed.

How does the Kia EV3 Earth Long Range compare?

The Kia EV3 is priced and positioned to go head-to-head with the likes of the BYD Atto 3, Hyundai Kona EV, and Volvo EX30 among others.

It offers a good mix of price points and features to suit different budgets.

The interior design and features are up to date and competitive with key rivals, as is drivetrain performance and range.

Ride and handling are better than some rivals and its safety rating is excellent.

Kia’s seven-year warranty remains one of the best in the business and the EV3 is offered with a competitive fixed-price servicing schedule.

Should I buy a Kia EV3 Earth Long Range?

Many buyers looking at the Kia EV3 will also be considering rival offerings from the growing number of Chinese brands competing in the Australian marketplace.

By most measures the EV3 is highly competitive with these vehicles and it comes with the backing of a brand that is well established in Australia, with a large dealer network and an excellent warranty.

Comfortable, refined, spacious and with a good level of technologies and features, it is rightly regarded as one of the best compact electric SUVs on the market and should certainly be on the radar of anyone shopping in this segment.

What we liked

✓ Bold exterior and interior design

✓ Smooth, quiet and powerful

✓ Refined ride and handling

✓ Roomy interior

Room for improvement

✗ Top grade is expensive

✗ Front-wheel drive only

✗ Torque steer when accelerating hard out of turns

✗ No spare wheel (inflator kit)