Kia EV3 first drive: The $30k EV that finally delivers

Electrek drove the Kia EV3 on Vancouver Island and came away impressed. The compact SUV starts at $29,890, undercuts the Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf on price, and offers up to 321 miles of range, two battery packs, and optional all-wheel drive. That’s a lot more choice than anything else in this price bracket.

The EV3 has been a hit in Europe since 2024 and won the 2025 World Car of the Year award. Kia finally brought it to the US in mid-August, and Electrek reports about 1,300 units are already in dealer stock. Kia sees it competing with the Bolt and Leaf, and it slots right between them on price: $29,890 plus a $1,495 destination fee.

The base Light FWD uses a 58.3 kWh pack good for 221 miles. Step up to the $34,990 Wind FWD with the 81.4 kWh pack and you get the full 321 miles. Add all-wheel drive and range drops to 280 miles, or go for the $45,890 GT with 288 hp and a 5.4-second 0-60 time. Both the Chevy and Nissan lack AWD, so Kia has a clear advantage there.

Inside, Electrek reports 26 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 56 cubic feet folded. A small 0.9-cubic-foot frunk is included. Passenger volume is 99.7 cubic feet, which Kia claims leads the segment. At 6 feet tall, Electrek’s driver found plenty of legroom but headroom within 3 inches of the ceiling.

Tech includes over-the-air updates, Apple CarPlay, streaming apps, and standard Highway Driving Assist. A head-up display is available on the GT trim. Vehicle-to-load is limited to the GT-Line and above, and Kia includes the adapter.

On the road, Electrek says the driving experience is impressive for an entry-level EV. The 201-hp front-drive version felt strong, and the 261-hp all-wheel drive was planted even on rough logging roads. Four-wheel independent suspension and acoustic laminated glass (from Wind trim up) help. Kia’s i-Pedal 3.0 now remembers your regen setting between drives a long-overdue fix for anyone who’s owned a Hyundai or Kia EV.

Now for the catch. Electrek notes that the cheapest test car was $41,000, and the GT-Line AWD starts at $43,490. The base and mid-range trims are the real value. The $34,990 Wind FWD looks like the sweet spot: max range without the AWD price premium.

Kia sold 514 EV3s in its first full US month, and Electrek expects sales to grow if supply keeps up. The verdict: The EV3 is the affordable EV we needed, but buyers need to stick to the lower trims. That $35k version is the one Kia should push hardest.

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• compact SUV
• EV3
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• first drive
• Kia