The Kia Soul EV is no more – but the South Korean brand has given us the EV3 instead, a small electric SUV that was built electrified from the ground up. The EV3 is designed to compete with other small (ish) electrified family vehicles like the Renault Scenic E-Tech and Volkswagen ID.3. So, is it any good?
Interior and technology
The cabin of the EV3 is a typical EV affair – minimal, quirky and mostly very ergonomic. The touchscreen infotainment system and instrument cluster merge to form one long, elongated display, making for a more seamless design that looks great – for the most part. There is a slight blind spot as both screens merge behind the left of the steering wheel, and as a result you lose a bit of the climate control information – but there are workarounds to ensure this doesn’t distract you.
The touchscreen system is slick and well laid out, and the addition of key shortcut menu buttons below the screen – such as ‘Home’ and ‘Media’ – ensure quick navigation of menus while on the go.
Standard kit in the EV3 is impressive, with highlights including wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay, heated front seats and steering wheel, smart cruise control, sat-nav, a reversing camera and parking sensors. The mid-range GT-Line we tested adds some slick styling upgrades, such as gloss exterior highlights, automatic flush door handles, 19in alloys, two-tone faux leather upholstery and fabric trim on the dash and doors.
One notable design quirk of the GT-Line model is the sliding centre console laptop tray – good for those who like to work remotely while parked charging up.
While the rear doors open nice and wide, you do still have to dip your head under the roofline when climbing in. Once you’re sat inside, small adults will just about be okay with an inch or two of head space, but six footers will likely find their heads grazing the roofline. Legroom, on the other hand, is more well-rounded, and adults of most sizes shouldn’t have any issues. The EV3 has a flat floor in the rear too, so moving around is easy to do.
We’re big fans of the side-mounted USB charging ports on the front seats, giving rear passengers easy access to device boosting.
On paper, the boot of the EV3 isn’t very big, offering just 460 litres. However, it offers a no-nonsense shape, no load lip, an adjustable boot floor, and the rear seats fold flat to allow for seamless loading of long objects. You also get a 25-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet, which is ideal for cable storage.
Performance and drive
There are two different batteries to choose from in the EV3 – a 58kWh model and a 81kWh model – both of which offer 204hp. These offer official ranges of 270 miles and 375 miles respectively (367 miles with the GT-Line grade). The smaller 58kWh is only available on the entry-level Air model.
The EV3 has a relatively demure character on the road, and while it may not be outwardly fun, it is plenty fast enough with a cushy suspension that absorbs bumps with ease. It certainly holds its own against rival electric SUVs in terms of offering a serene driving experience.
The steering is easy to manoeuvre as well, making city driving particularly easy. It does lean quite a bit when cornering, but this isn’t the type of car you’ll feel you’ll want to throw into corners.
Positive: Swanky interior, practical boot, comfortable ride
Negative: Obscured climate control functions, lacks agility, higher grade models are expensive
Standard equipment: 17in alloy wheels, LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay, Bluetooth, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, smart cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera system, sat-nav.
Engine: Electric: 204hp
Equipment grades: Air, GT-Line, GT-Line S
Transmission: Single-speed auto
| Model | Kia EV3 GT-Line |
| P11D | £39,440 |
| Residual value | 49.6% |
| Depreciation | £19,872 |
| Fuel | £3,285 |
| Service, maintenance and repair | £2,538 |
| Cost per mile | 42.82p |
| Range | 367 miles |
| CO2 (BIK%) | 0g/km (2%) |
| BIK 20/40% a month | £13/£26 |
| Luggage capacity | 460 litres |
| Battery size/power | 81kWh/204hp |
| Score | 8/10 |
