2026 Kia EV3

The EV3 is the next step in Kia's electric vehicle offensive, taking all of the good learnings from the three-row EV9 (and the EV6) and bundling them into a smaller, more affordable package. The first batch of EV3s will hit the road in South Korea this summer, but it'll still be a while before the little electric crossover makes its way to other markets, including this one. Kia says that U.S.-spec models will not arrive until the 2026 calendar year.

Because of that there's still a lot we don't know right now, including official EPA-estimated range or pricing, and we only have specifications for the Korean models. That said, Kia really wants the EV3 to make electric cars more accessible to a broader range of buyers, and to do that the company is targeting a base MSRP of around $35,000, stretching as high as $50,000 for top-trim models.

Well, aren't you cute?

The best thing about the EV3 is that the production version looks almost identical to the adorable concept car Kia first showed last year. We love the boxy shape, and those weird four-spoke wheels are super rad (the other designs are pretty great too).

Dimensionally speaking, the EV3 is 169.3 inches long, 72.8 inches wide, 61.4 inches tall, and rides on a 105.5-inch-long wheelbase. That makes it a good 15 inches shorter in length than the midsize EV6 and only slightly longer than a Kia Soul hatchback.

Kia will offer standard and GT-Line variants of the EV3, and the latter will take a similar approach to Kia's other GT-Line models. That means we can expect a slightly more aggressive look and large wheels at all four corners. The higher-performance EV3 GT will have a similarly sporty look.

What powers the EV3?

The EV3 is built on the same E-GMP flexible architecture as the Kia EV6 and EV9. The standard-range model is powered by a 58.3-kWh battery while the long-range version has an 81.4-kWh unit. Kia says both are paired with a single electric motor that makes 201 horsepower and 209 lb-ft of torque, but the company also confirms a dual-motor all-wheel-drive version will come online later. With front-wheel drive, the standard-range EV3 is expected to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 7.5 seconds (7.7 seconds for the long-range), on its way to a top speed of 106 mph.

As for range, Kia executives are targeting over 300 miles by EPA standards and as much as 600 kilometers (373 miles) on the more optimistic European WLTP test cycle. But we have found that the EV6 and EV9 came close to their WLTP figures in our testing, so fingers crossed that the EV3 can go similarly long when we get a chance to test it. Though it's on the same platform, the EV3 will use 400-volt electrical architecture rather than the more expensive 800-volt system found in the EV6 and EV9 and that means that charging rates are significantly slower. Both of those vehicles topped out at well over 200 kW in Edmunds' charging tests, while the EV3 tops out at 100 kW for the standard-range battery and 133 kW for the long-range battery. Kia says it should be possible to take the battery from a 10% state of charge to 80% in 31 minutes, while the EV6 can do that in just under 20 minutes.

How does it drive?

Driving around Seoul, the EV3's ride quality was stellar, though, to be fair, South Korea's roads are for the most part immaculate. Because of this, the cabin is very, very quiet at all speeds. The EV3's suspension tuning could change for the U.S. version, but I hope it doesn't. An attempt to make this EV feel more sporty would be a shift in the wrong direction. That's what the upcoming EV3 GT will be for.

Though it doesn't offer the face-melting acceleration of other EVs, the EV3 still feels peppy and agile on the road thanks to that instantaneous power delivery. It was easy to merge and make passes on the highway as well. I like this approach as it matches the vehicle's nature more and a more powerful motor (or two) would make it less efficient and cut into its potentially prodigious range.

The EV3 will also debut the company's i-Pedal 3.0 software, which means that Kia's one-pedal driving mode can now be used regardless of regen strength. Basically, that means you can keep higher or lower levels of regenerative braking as you wish, but the EV3 will still come to a complete stop without you having to touch the brake pedal, and it makes it easier to setup the EV3 to match your driving wants. There's also a new mode where the regenerative braking level is adaptive and "learns" a driver's habits, something we can't wait to test out when we get the vehicle for longer than a day.

How's the EV3's interior?

Well, for starters, it looks great. Everything about the EV3 concept carries over, from the quirky design to the sliding center console table to the vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging port in the rear that'll let you juice up an e-bike or other equipment while on the go.

Under the hood, there's a teensy-tiny frunk with about 1 cubic foot of cargo space. Around back, however, the EV3 offers 16.2 cubic feet of storage area with the rear seats upright.

The upright shape provides significant headroom and even with the EV3's small footprint, there's surprising legroom for tall passengers — especially in back. The EV3 takes the Relaxation seat found in the EV9 and adds it on the driver's side, so go on, have a quick snooze while you're waiting for this little guy to charge. And it's also taken the EV9's exceptionally comfortable mesh headrests for both front seats.

Kia has slimmed down the dashboard of the EV3 compared to the EV6 and that makes the front feel more expansive, even though the dimensions are technically smaller, thanks to all of that open space around your knees. And the visibility around the vehicle is excellent as well, thanks to those big windows all around.

How's the EV3's tech?

The EV3 will come with a 12-inch head-up display, and use the same 30-inch-wide dash-mounted screen as the EV9, with an updated version of the company's infotainment software. The big upgrade will be the inclusion of a generative AI voice assistant, which you can wake up by saying, "Hey, Kia," and then ask it, well, just about anything. We attempted to try this system out in South Korea, but it wasn't ready for English yet though Kia promises that it will be when the EV3 arrives stateside.

The multimedia software will also include integrated streaming services — Netflix, YouTube, TikTok, etc. — so you can binge your favorite online series while you're sitting around at the EV charger.

The EV3 will be loaded with driver assistance technologies, including Kia's Highway Driving Assist 2 suite that combines lane keeping tech and adaptive cruise control.

Driving the EV3 made us even more excited for this small electric SUV to finally arrive. If Kia can make good on the EV3's $35,000 estimated starting price, this could be a super-compelling electric crossover for those looking to take the plunge on EV ownership.