2025 Kia EV3 owner review

EV owner Sarah tells Open Road that after seven months of ownership, the Kia EV3 Earth has proven well suited to inner-city life. Along with its compact footprint and decent range, its clever interior and low running costs have made it a compelling all-rounder, although its premium price and lack of a 360-degree camera are harder to overlook.

Overall impressions of the Kia EV3?

I’ve owned it for 7 months, and before buying my Earth variant I had a GT-Line on loan for six months; I still think in many ways it’s best in class.

Why did you buy an EV?

Primarily because I wanted to decarbonise my home and transport. I’d removed gas from my house; installed a battery, solar, induction stove, heat pump and insulation, this was just the last piece of the puzzle.

Why did you buy the Kia EV3?

I’ve driven nearly every EV on the market as I review electric cars (I call it the world’s longest test drive) so I had a lot of experience under my belt. We don’t have off street parking, and we live in the inner west of Sydney, so our needs were quite specific: a smaller car (preferably a hatch) with really good range that we wouldn’t have to charge often.

What were the Kia EV3’s rivals?

Volvo EX30, Zeekr X, Smart #3, Cupra Born, MG4. Not much choice in the small hatch/crossover segment. We bought back in Jan 2026, so before the Aion UT, MG4 Urban and Geely EX2 hit our shores. Only the Cupra Born and MG4 LR come close in terms of range.

How has driving and charging the EV3 been? Is the car’s charging rate fast enough for how you use the car?

The EV3 has 11kW AC charging and 150kW DC charging, which is more than enough for us, we don’t yet do a lot of long-distance driving. We’re allowed to run a cable out to the street as we have a footpath license; you must use a cable cover, have public liability insurance and display the license while charging.

I installed a 7kW Ohme charger in my front yard and use a 20m Type 2 to Type 2 cable; this reduces the time to charge and the time the cable needs to be out on the footpath. I’m with Amber Electric, so I have access to the wholesale market. I charge in the middle of the day from a mix of solar and cheap renewables in the grid (between 8-12c kWh), so it costs about $5 to fill the car.

How does the car drive overall? Is its performance and handling adequate?

It’s no Tesla Model 3, let’s not kid ourselves, and to be honest that is my dream car, but the reality is we don’t need such a big car and the limitations of the sedan for a one-car family would have been too much of a compromise.

I wish I’d had the option of the 17-inch wheels available on the Air as I think the ride is better and you get more range, but it’s a great car for traversing both city and highway driving, it takes both in its stride. In Sport mode it can be very fun, but it’s also a clever practical shape. Its internal space, compact overall size and range make it a real winner.

Has range been an issue? What kind of real-world range do you find you’re getting?

No it’s been super easy as we have 563km WLTP and we get over 600km driving primarily around the city. I don’t stress about charging or range at all. Anxiety around range is overblown and it’s usually coming from people who don’t own an EV.

Has the Kia EV3 represented value for money?

Yes, in that we’re saving money by not paying for petrol, but no in overall price. It’s too expensive compared to some other players, but in saying that no other car in that segment has that kind of range, so I guess you’re paying a premium for that.

Has the car been reliable? Have you had any issues maintaining it?

Faultless in terms of reliability, but I did need to get the boot latch replaced as it was creaking. I flagged it at the 3-month service and they ordered the part from Korea; took two months to get replaced.

What have running and repair costs been like? More or less than you expected?

As I said $5 to fill up, so remarkably cheap to run, too soon to say with repairs.

What do you think about the Kia EV3 tech and styling?

It was one of the reasons I chose the car. Software in an EV is crucial to how you feel and interact with the car. I like the Kia software: it’s simple, snappy and intuitive, but best of all there are PHYSICAL buttons for the important things like air con. Honestly those buttons were a big reason why I chose it. You can also turn off the most irritating bings and bongs easily, which is another big consideration when choosing a new car.

In terms of styling I love that it’s so unique, it’s not a blob. You look at it and immediately recognise it as being a Kia, it’s like someone asked a car designer in 1986 to design an electric car of the future. The interior is delightful, especially the pops of orange in the centre console and seats, they bring great joy.

Are there any standout features?

Size, range and physical buttons. It still amazes me how much internal space it has despite only being 4300mm long, it has so much space in boot and even room for a space saver. Range is best in class and those air con buttons on a 40-degree day are very welcome. The app is also excellent and worth a mention, because not having a driveway means I need to monitor the battery level a little more closely, so having the app is great.

Room for improvement?

It needs a 360 camera (at that price it’s ridiculous it doesn’t have one) and a heat pump for those living in colder climates.