The new Kia EV3 has been priced for the United Kingdom, potentially giving us a clue as to how much it’ll cost in Australia.
CarExpert understands the EV3 will be coming to Australia sometime in 2025, following the launch of the larger EV5 later this year.
The EV3 is available in the UK in three distinct trim levels and with two battery options, with pricing starting from £32,995 (AUD $64,837), and topping out at £42,835 (AUD $84,173) for the top-spec GT-Line S with Heat Pump.
While direct conversions may make that sound ridiculously expensive, it’s the positioning within the lineup that offers a more accurate indication of how the EV3 might be priced when it reaches Australia.
The base EV3 starts for less money than the most affordable auto-equipped Sportage in the UK, which is a mid-spec model that comes as standard with a 48V mild-hybrid system.
In Australia, the mid-tier Sportage SX+ starts from $42,050 plus on-road costs with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and front-wheel drive, climbing to $47,450 with the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel with all-wheel drive.
The base UK-market 2025 Kia EV3 Air comes with the ‘Standard Range’ 58.3kWh battery and a 150kW/283Nm electric motor, good for a claimed WLTP combined driving range of 267 miles (429 kilometres).
An additional £3000 (AUD $5895) buys you the 81.4kWh ‘Long Range’ battery pack which boosts claimed driving range to a significant 372 miles (598 kilometres).
Only the base Air offers both battery options, with GT-Line and GT-Line S grades in the UK coming as standard with the Long Range unit.
Standard equipment on all Kia EV3 models in the UK includes:
Three-screen dashboard layoutWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoKia Connect with 7-year subscriptionOver-the-air updatesHeated front seats, steering wheelFront, rear parking sensorsReversing cameraAutomatic air conditioningAutomatic headlight controlLED daytime running lights, high mounted brake lights, rear lights and rear fog lightseCall systemElectrically adjustable, folding, and heated door mirrors with LED indicatorsElectronic parking brake with auto hold25-litre under-bonnet storageRain-sensing wipersSmart key with motion sensorKeyless entry, start
The base Air gets 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and grey cloth upholstery in addition to the standard specification mentioned above.
All versions of the EV3 in the UK come equipped with a ride range of active safety and driver assist systems as well, including the brand’s semi-autonomous Highway Driving Assist (HDA 2.0) system which combines adaptive cruise and active lane centring functions.
There are also blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assist, safe exit warning, and AEB with pedestrian, cyclist, junction turning and junction crossing assists.
Measuring 4300-4310mm long, 1850mm wide and 1560mm tall on a 2680mm wheelbase, the Kia EV3 has a similar footprint to something like the Kia Seltos, though it’s shorter in length and wider than the combustion-powered SUV.
The EV3 will be produced at Kia’s Sohari plant in Gwangmyeong, South Korea.
Should the new EV’s positioning in the UK market prove accurate for Australia, we could see Kia finally offer an electric vehicle that dips under the $50,000 bracket when it arrives in the new year.
That will put the EV3 in contention with a number of affordable Chinese electric vehicles, including the BYD Atto 3 (from $44,499), MG 4 (from $39,990 D/A) and the China-sourced Tesla Model 3 (from $54,900).
CarExpert has reached out to Kia Australia for further comments, and is awaiting a response. Stay tuned for the latest.
