When I listen to you , I always listen with a total concentration. It's obviously your knowledge and interest in E V's . But it's so not selling cars but giving your honest opinion. Nice one, fella 👍
Thanks for this bottom range model assessment, that’s exactly what I wanted. I have a MG4 64kWh Trophy, had it 18 months. Before that a Nissan Leaf, I came into EVs 6 years ago after having 6 Nissan Qashqui’s over 10 years when working. What I wanted was a Qashqui 100% EV. I miss the SUV Crossover type car. So I like this new EV3 from Kia and I may be tempted to change again. Bob from Kent England.
Love the base spec videos. Especially with luxury car tax looming. It is always good to look at the base car when buying as you are not sidetracked by gimmicks added to higher specs. Keep doing what you do and look forward to the next video.
I've never been interested in an EV to date. But I have to say I like the look of this car. And what a delightfully presented review ... I'm subscribing!
Great review. Crazy that the base model gets centre console storage and the higher level ones don’t but instead get a sliding ‘table’ thing. I know which of those options I’d want and which is utterly useless.
Thanks for yet another detailed and well presented review. I am coming up to 6 years of Kia e-Niro ownership and have to say the experience has been excellent. After 114,000 km the car still feels solid with no rattles and is very quiet cruising on the roads here in France where I live. The EV3 being built on an EV only platform is a clear step up and if it's as well built as the e-Niro and priced correctly will surely sell in big numbers.
Best wishes for 2025! Thanks for taking this opportunity! If you get your hands on the Renault 5 with the smaller battery, with its pricing it would certainly be another interesting car to review again!
Great, thanks for the review! Ours is being delivered in a month or so. With two kids, it will be our family car. In Sweden it can be had for 28,4k (GBP), including heat pump, a necessity in our climate. Comparable Skoda Elroq is mid spec 60 kwh which starts at 34,8k over here, which in turn is comparable to EV3 Long range...
A few years ago you did the road test on the i Pace and i bought one, brilliant car. Then it was the Bmw i4 e40, bought one, and that too is a superb car,. Its being collected tomorrow and off for another life with someone else. One guess whats replacing it. A kia EV3 Gt Line s hoping for delivery in about 10days time. Thanks Brian for all your work doing these well appreciated, d.etailed car reviews
Just ordered a GT line influenced very much by your enthusiastic review of it and watched this in trepidation in case the Air review made me regret my decision. Thankfully it didn’t for the primary reason you mentioned at the end of the review. The “feel” of the interior on the GT line is much more premium and I must be one of the few people who actually likes the “ironing board” rather than the cavernous cup holder space on the Air. One last comment which even the ultra petrol heads consider when buying a car and that’s colour. I appreciate its very subjective but other than the Shale Grey (GT line only) all the other colours seem very flat and paying a premium for anything other than the garish orange seems a tad unfair by Kia. Never mind, decision made and this review has confirmed I will be getting a great car. Thanks for another very interesting review.
I have bought the lowest trim level and i love it. Really nice car, it seems that your driving a little tank. And i have to say that I love your reviews too.
Thanks for this very helpful video. I just ordered an air-trim long range a couple days back. Your video reassured me that I made the right decision. I prefer more storage in the centre console, and I like the steering wheel on the Air-trim as well. Sure, I would have liked a sunroof for that occasional sunny day in Britain - but its not worth the big gap in price.
I am missing real bumpers! V2L is an adapter only, thats delivered with GT-Line and can be bought as option on lower lines I think. btw: you can it call "entry model" ;-)
I'm looking for a replacement for our '22 plate Kona 64kWh in a year or so. The EV3 & Elroq are both possibilities but are probably a tad larger than we need - yet to see either in the flesh. The forthcoming smaller Skoda Epiq (with a 490L boot) is therefore more the size we need - except it doesn't come with a 5/7 year warranty as per Hyundai / Kia. Lower spec versions of any car are always better VFM options. That said it's very easy to get used to top spec features. The reason we went for our Ultimate Kona was because it had a sun roof - not available on lesser models as per this Kia. As always a spec vs price compromise. Decisions, decisions. Good review as always Brian.
looking at the difference between the trims for other cars, it seems that the ev3 air is the most complete well-rounded car. you get everything you’d ever need in a car of this type for a reasonable price in 2025.
The GT Line with paint upgrade cost £40,110, which will mean from April 2025 an extra £410 VED road tax for years 2 to 6 inclusive, total £605pa. Also, if you buy second hand one registered April 2025 onwards, that extra tax will still be payable.
Total rip off imo. I feel like we’re being taken for mugs and just because you might want a few extra options it’s going to cost a fortune. Even a mini EV is going to fall into this tax trap!
I like that they've made it slightly shorter than the Niro but these B/C segment cars seem to be getting very wide at 1.85m. That's wider than a Rolls Royce was in the 1970s! Car park spaces all already tight and it's getting worse with these new cars. Excellent car by the looks and your review, as the past Kia electrics have been. I've heard from headroom isn't great which would stop it being a potential car for me, I'll try one out next time my e-Niro is in for service.
Thank you for your video. When I test drove the GT version I didn’t like the ride on the 19” wheels ( thought it was bouncier than my Niro EV) and wondered whether the 17” wheels would be better & you have just confirmed my suspicions. I was put off the EV 3 because of the ride but will now go & have a drive in the Air model & perhaps change my mind.
Definitely interested to know how the Air model is to drive… I would like to know how those headlights compare with the matrix system..? Think I saw the Air had front n rear sensors , I also think the interior is a sea of grey and an elliptical curved steering wheel when the design of the vehicle is made up of straight lines 🤔 but we don’t drive starring at the wheel… only confusing thing to me….the 58kw battery is not far off double the size of my 2018 Ioniq but range is quite away from double as tho EV’s are less efficient with progress..? I wouldn’t go for the GTL-S as I test drove but hey the HUD is awesome, it uses the screen to reflect back from instead of the little clear Perspex doofer that has to open… and the info displayed… brilliant. But yes great review and the Orange looks better than the tomato soup colour represented on the website… 😊
Fantastic offering, but you don't get interior ambient lighting or digital keys which is a real shame. Two small but important features that are essential in my opinion.
Brilliant review, as usual. I am curious as to why the charging point on a RH drive car is on the driver’s side. Doesn’t that make it difficult to charge using a road-side charger? Thanks again- informative, and clear.
Think I'll be looking for a 2nd hand long range Air in a few years time with about 3 years remaining warranty (the same as lots of others offer from new), it's plenty enough car for my family, especially as our current car is a 2010 Kia Ceed. It's definitely at the top of the list.
The rear lights are not the same on the Air trim. Air trim lights do not extend into the tailgate bar. They are also a different design. Gt Line are full LED. Air seems to have incandescant bulbs in them.
Would love to see this comparison for the EV6 too, Looking at getting a used one around June time, and I'm stuck on which to get. My main concern is moving to a RWD car, as i've always driven FWD, so I'm leaning to a trim with AWD to help ease myself into the drive feel
It’ll be interesting to see what becomes of the Niro EV or whether they reduce it to just the hybrid options. The Niro is still a bloody good car though.
Thanks for review, i predict its going to be a popular second hand car in the future(2-3 years time half its new price?). 1st impression its a stylish looking car, sounds good to drive, prefer a darker interior, dont like basic sunset body colour.
In my opinion this (base) model of EV3 is the best bang for a buck deal. You do get all you need for everyday use without the niceties you can easily live without. I have an EV9 and currently looking for the second car and yes, that should be electric, too. I already have 11 kW Home charging set up and having too cars with the same cockpit layout would vbe ery handy if we need to switch the cars What really amazed me was how roomy it is. You know; I have an EV9 and this thing is huge but EV3 could really very easily be the only family csr, too. Living in a small country like Estonia the range is not an issue really. There isn't a place in the country you can't reach in one drive and on our market also the Air comes with a heat pump. In my opinion you really don't need a higher trim. The price with some government incentive cones around £ 28 000 which is very much in line with ICE cars of the same size in comparable trim. And that the roping point where EV cheap running costs come in play and make it an attractive choice
Great review, as always! A totally random question though: Why does the image move around as if the camera is being operated by someone, when the cameras are clearly in fixed positions mounted to the windows? I'm not complaining, just genuinely curious. Is that a post-processing effect? And if so what's the logic behind it? Do videos rate more highly if they appear to be filmed by hand? Again, I'm not criticizing anything here, just somewhat fascinated by the use of the effect and genuinely want to know! Cheers!
It must just be the field of view it focuses on. Every review is filmed on an iPhone with external driving shots on DJI Osmo actions, so the equipment never changes and I’m not clever enough to do anything in the editing other than basically cobbling lots of clips together in iMovie, so it must just be how the iPhone’s camera works. Nowt to do with me being clever!
@@AutoEV Ah okay, interesting! Thanks for the reply. I guess the iPhone automatically tries to center what it thinks is the subject matter. Or automatically frame the image. Either way, that explains it. Cheers!
nice car the ev3 now is this a new model or are kia fading the niro out and this slot in its place same as ev9 is that the replacement for the long in tooth sportage. good video
Gracias por tu información. La campaña de lanzamiento te metían el gt line por los ojos y al llegar al concesionario te daban un tortazo en la cara. 50.000 euros. Al final me he inclinado por el eart con la batería grande y espero recibirlo a lo largo de este mes. Eso sí, quitándole unos cuantos extras.
I own a Niro EV 4 trim, and recently was sent out to South Korea for 2 weeks. The company hired me an EV3 for the period, and over there you can "mix and match" specs, so the car I had was an Air spec (no glossy plastic, no sunroof and a proper central console), but was fitted with the GT-Line style heated/cooled seats, remote boot opening and HUD. That would be the spec I would like over here.. Reason being the seats and HUD will be the things I will miss most from my Niro when it goes back, and with the new £40K tax (which should by now be over £50k) it looks like I will have to forgo in future. Just a quick question in many European markets the EV3, like the Niro, has double glazed glass up front . My Niro seems to have normal glass. Does the UK spec EV3 have the double glazing or have KIA UK penny pinched (like they did on the NIro EV 4 trim not having the HK audio like the rest of the world?) Also the orange (called Terra Cota in most other countries) wasn't available over there - and it's not exactly a colour I would like. We need some other colours. Especially as base colour
I have a Air long range the steering wheel on the Air is much better for the position of the driver mode button much easier to change quickly than the uprated models, As for no table in the Air I much prefer no table and a proper arm rest with covered storage had car 5 weeks do a lot of Duel carriage way and Motorway driving since its winter please with average of 3.4 miles per KWH and yes heating is set to 19c
I really like the long range air spec, but the lack of lumber support, no V2L, no heat pump and no grey paint is a big miss for me. I could live without lumber and V2L, but missing the other 2 is a deal breaker. Kia/Hyundai always seem to add things mid life with a facelift version, but by then people have purchased another brand.
Is a front electric motor an issue or something only important to hear heads? I am not going to drive very often in weather with bad weather or icy roads.
The EV3 isn’t available on Motability - also like the Megane although it has a large luggage volume, it does not have the length for a wheelchair with dismantling - which the Niro EV does. In my opinion this model looks way better than the GT, does away with the silly shiny wheelarches and has more sensibly sized wheels.
I’m hoping I can afford the GT line once it gets to Canada. Maybe I’ll even wait for another year in case it gets a console instead of, or in addition to, the table. I’d also prefer the cheaper LFP battery and real leather seats, but looks like they won’t offer that. I guess I’ll reassess it then but no plans to buy any other car. I’m still driving my 2011 Kia Soul 4u luxury. I still love it but I would feel more confident not driving a 14 year old car.
Ev3 air long range is 35k in Austria. That makes it the best 35k ev even better than the model 3. But if you make the ev3 more expensive by adding extras, it loses its lead. At 40k for example the model 3 long range rwd wins.
No heat pump kills this car for me. Kia, fit a heat pump as standard and you have a great car. Scenic has heat pump on every model included. And people who say heat pumps don’t help in the UK- you are very wrong!
Unfortunately, in Australia, the base model is premium priced against BYD/Chinese (LFP) competition........more than the Sealion 7 (LFP 82 kWh). The Chinese are set to own the Far East markets.
Configurations in GB seem to differ from the German one. Or did you have the "winter package" on board? AFAIK, a heated steering wheel does not come as standard with the AIR version. In Germany only White comes as standard, ths orange red costs extra here. What sucks a bit, is that the V2X-option misses in both AIR-battery-size-versions (again, in Germany). And it sucks that we can`t order the Harman Kardon soundsystem *alone* , not even in the medium EARTH trim. Anyway, the AIR with the big battery could be our new family car. Fun fact: this is the first car that almost exactly matches the outer *and* interior dimensions of our beloved 2007 ford C-Max. And that`s also why I don`t buy into the idea anymore, that this car is supposed to be a (per se bulky, ugly, unpractical) SUV. To me, this is the first serious compact electric minivan. And that`s exactly why I like it.
There are EVs coming from China now that are well under 20 thousand pounds and are just as good as this Kia if not better . Some observers are saying that the automakers of China will target the UK this year because there are no import taxes on Chinese cars .
You are absolutely correct to say it is not a cheap car as 33k is beyond overwhelming majority 95%. Very genuine quote unlike some disgenuous reviewers. Secondly, I test driven this 80kw car in December over 2 hours, both in motorway and town moderately with air conditioning off half the time. I only managed to get 3.1 kwh out of it, that equates to 240 mile instead of 370 miles range as it is wrongly claimed by Kia!!! Very poor results.
This is what worries me, meaningless range figures and the patchy availability of anywhere to charge it. If you drill down to the specs, you see that EVs ranges are quoted as a mix of City and Motorway driving. That means a road trip that's mainly on Motorways is going to give much less range than you're led to believe.
It's not 'claimed by Kia' it's the WLTP standard. There needs to be something more meaningful. In December in the UK you are probably looking at 240 miles for that model. Still fine for the vast majority of people.
@AlanTov I am aware that at temperature zero or subzero 240 miles is acceptable but that particular day it was just over 10° which is an average for 7 month of a year in the Uk. My point is transparency for consumers benefit, whereby helping them to make decision without further confusions.
I say this to all reviewers: In our days it's a big oversight not to mention the battery's chemistry. (sorry if you did and I missed it). Personally I wouldn't spend 30k on anything other than LFP. People want cars that last decades and it matters.
I usually think you probably want the higher specs, especially on these more budget brands. I've always had a mod spec and it pees me off having buttons that don't do owt or lower tech, crappier headlights. I think I'll get top spec stuff in future
That shelf is stupid. Air much better if they only allowed you to add some options to the spec like they do in other markets. I think it is the crazy EU issues of testing with options.
There's no reason to get the GT. They all work the same outside the fact that only the absolute top dog gets the heat pump. Everything else is just in the Air's favour.
Had to use subtitles to hear and understand you. It's not the accent, it's that you speak so softly and often trail off into almost a mushy, breathy whisper toward the end of your sentences.
Our EV charges the LFP battery under the same roof we sleep beside. I'm not interested in exotic/performance battery chemistry - because I have an imagination that can interfere with our sleep.
That's very interesting to hear that you would take this car on a road trip. To me, it just doesn't have enough range for me to feel comfortable, knowing how sparse chargers are in the UK, and their availability. Now, if it could use the Tesla Supercharger network too, that might be different. I don't own and EV, but I'd really like to. It's got to do everything that my cheap ICE car does though, and I'm not convinced that a non-Tesla solution is viable in the UK at the moment.
Have you watched any of my long term videos? I’ve done a couple of road trips from the South of Scotland to South of England in both my old Renault Megane E-Tech and BMW iX2 where I show how longer trips can be done in EVs. It’s a scary thought at first, but actually is no real difference to driving an ICE car, plus the experience is a bit more relaxing (as odd as that may sound!). The Megane was under 200 miles of range and I took it on a lot of long drives. Plus you can use some of the Tesla Superchargers with non-Tesla cars. They’ve opened them up for others. Honestly, it’s not as bad as people would make you believe, plus there are lots of route planning apps and most cars have the network inbuilt to their sat navs. I’ve been driving that trip in EVs for years and it gets better all the time.
I've travelled up and down the country over the last 3 years in a 64kwh Kona electric and have had zero issues. Stopping every 3 hours for 30 mins is about right for my bladder etc, and by then you are good to go for another 3 hours.
We have had an EV for 3 years and travelled many long journeys.. no issues whatsoever. Most of the time though we charge overnight at home. We save a small fortune in fuel costs compared to a petrol car . There is a lot of misinformation about EV’s check out the facts .
When I listen to you , I always listen with a total concentration. It's obviously your knowledge and interest in E V's . But it's so not selling cars but giving your honest opinion. Nice one, fella 👍
Wow, thanks, what a lovely comment to receive. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.
Really nice to see a review of a lower spec model!
Have to say I prefer the external look of the Air over the GT!
Thanks for this bottom range model assessment, that’s exactly what I wanted. I have a MG4 64kWh Trophy, had it 18 months. Before that a Nissan Leaf, I came into EVs 6 years ago after having 6 Nissan Qashqui’s over 10 years when working. What I wanted was a Qashqui 100% EV. I miss the SUV Crossover type car. So I like this new EV3 from Kia and I may be tempted to change again. Bob from Kent England.
Love the base spec videos. Especially with luxury car tax looming. It is always good to look at the base car when buying as you are not sidetracked by gimmicks added to higher specs. Keep doing what you do and look forward to the next video.
in CZ you can get Air trim with bigger battery, so Air Long range with Heat pump is very possible and popular :)
I've never been interested in an EV to date. But I have to say I like the look of this car. And what a delightfully presented review ... I'm subscribing!
Great review. Crazy that the base model gets centre console storage and the higher level ones don’t but instead get a sliding ‘table’ thing. I know which of those options I’d want and which is utterly useless.
I prefer the front exterior of the Air model - it’s less fussy. Great colour too.
Thanks for yet another detailed and well presented review. I am coming up to 6 years of Kia e-Niro ownership and have to say the experience has been excellent. After 114,000 km the car still feels solid with no rattles and is very quiet cruising on the roads here in France where I live. The EV3 being built on an EV only platform is a clear step up and if it's as well built as the e-Niro and priced correctly will surely sell in big numbers.
Best wishes for 2025!
Thanks for taking this opportunity! If you get your hands on the Renault 5 with the smaller battery, with its pricing it would certainly be another interesting car to review again!
Great, thanks for the review! Ours is being delivered in a month or so. With two kids, it will be our family car. In Sweden it can be had for 28,4k (GBP), including heat pump, a necessity in our climate. Comparable Skoda Elroq is mid spec 60 kwh which starts at 34,8k over here, which in turn is comparable to EV3 Long range...
A few years ago you did the road test on the i Pace and i bought one, brilliant car. Then it was the Bmw i4 e40, bought one, and that too is a superb car,. Its being collected tomorrow and off for another life with someone else. One guess whats replacing it. A kia EV3 Gt Line s hoping for delivery in about 10days time. Thanks Brian for all your work doing these well appreciated, d.etailed car reviews
Just ordered a GT line influenced very much by your enthusiastic review of it and watched this in trepidation in case the Air review made me regret my decision. Thankfully it didn’t for the primary reason you mentioned at the end of the review. The “feel” of the interior on the GT line is much more premium and I must be one of the few people who actually likes the “ironing board” rather than the cavernous cup holder space on the Air.
One last comment which even the ultra petrol heads consider when buying a car and that’s colour. I appreciate its very subjective but other than the Shale Grey (GT line only) all the other colours seem very flat and paying a premium for anything other than the garish orange seems a tad unfair by Kia.
Never mind, decision made and this review has confirmed I will be getting a great car.
Thanks for another very interesting review.
I am surprised that no reviewer has mentioned that the Elroq is significantly heavier at 2200 kg where the EV3 weights 1800kg similar to at Tesla 3.
I really enjoyed the review. Good focus on the practical elements of the car. Be interesting to see what specs we get in Aus.
The spec sheet for the NZ model is available on the Kia NZ website. I hope the AU offering is better! Where is the interior ambient lighting?
I have bought the lowest trim level and i love it. Really nice car, it seems that your driving a little tank.
And i have to say that I love your reviews too.
Thanks for this very helpful video. I just ordered an air-trim long range a couple days back. Your video reassured me that I made the right decision. I prefer more storage in the centre console, and I like the steering wheel on the Air-trim as well. Sure, I would have liked a sunroof for that occasional sunny day in Britain - but its not worth the big gap in price.
Ditto! Mine arrives in March.
Excellent video, I wish more car reviewers would do this type of comparison.
Glad you liked it!
17" wheels preferable more range and less prone to pothole damage!
Very true.
And a load of money cheaper when tyres wear oot👍
I am missing real bumpers!
V2L is an adapter only, thats delivered with GT-Line and can be bought as option on lower lines I think.
btw: you can it call "entry model" ;-)
This is exactly what I was missing. All the time I see only GT review, which is quite unfair as Air is where the most focus should be. Thanks!
I'm looking for a replacement for our '22 plate Kona 64kWh in a year or so. The EV3 & Elroq are both possibilities but are probably a tad larger than we need - yet to see either in the flesh. The forthcoming smaller Skoda Epiq (with a 490L boot) is therefore more the size we need - except it doesn't come with a 5/7 year warranty as per Hyundai / Kia. Lower spec versions of any car are always better VFM options. That said it's very easy to get used to top spec features. The reason we went for our Ultimate Kona was because it had a sun roof - not available on lesser models as per this Kia. As always a spec vs price compromise. Decisions, decisions. Good review as always Brian.
looking at the difference between the trims for other cars, it seems that the ev3 air is the most complete well-rounded car. you get everything you’d ever need in a car of this type for a reasonable price in 2025.
Very interesting review
Glad you enjoyed it
as always a good review, accurate and informative, thanks again!
My pleasure! Thanks for the feedback.
The GT Line with paint upgrade cost £40,110, which will mean from April 2025 an extra £410 VED road tax for years 2 to 6 inclusive, total £605pa. Also, if you buy second hand one registered April 2025 onwards, that extra tax will still be payable.
It’s a bit mean of HMRC to impose this, isn’t it? Considering the price of cars these days.
Total rip off imo. I feel like we’re being taken for mugs and just because you might want a few extra options it’s going to cost a fortune. Even a mini EV is going to fall into this tax trap!
Allowing for inflation the current figure should be around £54,000. Another example of fiscal drag.
I like that they've made it slightly shorter than the Niro but these B/C segment cars seem to be getting very wide at 1.85m. That's wider than a Rolls Royce was in the 1970s! Car park spaces all already tight and it's getting worse with these new cars. Excellent car by the looks and your review, as the past Kia electrics have been. I've heard from headroom isn't great which would stop it being a potential car for me, I'll try one out next time my e-Niro is in for service.
Take a look at it. Nice to drive and what you like about the Niro is still there, plus a few more things to boot.
Thank you for your video. When I test drove the GT version I didn’t like the ride on the 19” wheels ( thought it was bouncier than my Niro EV) and wondered whether the 17” wheels would be better & you have just confirmed my suspicions. I was put off the EV 3 because of the ride but will now go & have a drive in the Air model & perhaps change my mind.
Definitely interested to know how the Air model is to drive… I would like to know how those headlights compare with the matrix system..? Think I saw the Air had front n rear sensors , I also think the interior is a sea of grey and an elliptical curved steering wheel when the design of the vehicle is made up of straight lines 🤔 but we don’t drive starring at the wheel… only confusing thing to me….the 58kw battery is not far off double the size of my 2018 Ioniq but range is quite away from double as tho EV’s are less efficient with progress..? I wouldn’t go for the GTL-S as I test drove but hey the HUD is awesome, it uses the screen to reflect back from instead of the little clear Perspex doofer that has to open… and the info displayed… brilliant. But yes great review and the Orange looks better than the tomato soup colour represented on the website… 😊
Fantastic offering, but you don't get interior ambient lighting or digital keys which is a real shame. Two small but important features that are essential in my opinion.
I am portuguese, but i like very much of your revieux cars
Potentially this might be my next car in 2026
DON'T!
i love this channel.
Thank you very much.
Good to see a lower spec car evaluated though the review could be a little more concise 🙂
Brilliant review, as usual. I am curious as to why the charging point on a RH drive car is on the driver’s side. Doesn’t that make it difficult to charge using a road-side charger? Thanks again- informative, and clear.
Because cars are designed to be LHD, and then minimal changes made to interior and steering to make RHD
Think I'll be looking for a 2nd hand long range Air in a few years time with about 3 years remaining warranty (the same as lots of others offer from new), it's plenty enough car for my family, especially as our current car is a 2010 Kia Ceed. It's definitely at the top of the list.
I'm doing lots of research and the top pick for me is the air with the bigger battery
The rear lights are not the same on the Air trim. Air trim lights do not extend into the tailgate bar. They are also a different design. Gt Line are full LED. Air seems to have incandescant bulbs in them.
Comment about the missing heat pump. With the small battery and UK climate the heat pump is a good option.
He mentioned it @ 18:50
@@chris-townson Thanks, refined my comment.
Would love to see this comparison for the EV6 too, Looking at getting a used one around June time, and I'm stuck on which to get.
My main concern is moving to a RWD car, as i've always driven FWD, so I'm leaning to a trim with AWD to help ease myself into the drive feel
Coming soon!
Great video review on the Kia EV3 and to see the comparison from the Air and GT Line.
Question, who does this compare with the Ford Explore EV?
Great review Brian. Is there any point now in buying a Niro EV?
It’ll be interesting to see what becomes of the Niro EV or whether they reduce it to just the hybrid options. The Niro is still a bloody good car though.
The Niro is bigger but it's not worth the extra money. It's definitely on the way out.
Thanks for review, i predict its going to be a popular second hand car in the future(2-3 years time half its new price?). 1st impression its a stylish looking car, sounds good to drive, prefer a darker interior, dont like basic sunset body colour.
There’s one styling difference you’ve missed on the back of the car; the horizontal rear light section in the boot lid is only offered on the GT-Line.
You’re right, I did miss that…..sorry!
no need to apologise, your reviews are great. You set a very high standard 👍🏾
In my opinion this (base) model of EV3 is the best bang for a buck deal. You do get all you need for everyday use without the niceties you can easily live without.
I have an EV9 and currently looking for the second car and yes, that should be electric, too. I already have 11 kW Home charging set up and having too cars with the same cockpit layout would vbe ery handy if we need to switch the cars
What really amazed me was how roomy it is. You know; I have an EV9 and this thing is huge but EV3 could really very easily be the only family csr, too.
Living in a small country like Estonia the range is not an issue really. There isn't a place in the country you can't reach in one drive and on our market also the Air comes with a heat pump.
In my opinion you really don't need a higher trim.
The price with some government incentive cones around £ 28 000 which is very much in line with ICE cars of the same size in comparable trim. And that the roping point where EV cheap running costs come in play and make it an attractive choice
Great review, as always! A totally random question though: Why does the image move around as if the camera is being operated by someone, when the cameras are clearly in fixed positions mounted to the windows? I'm not complaining, just genuinely curious. Is that a post-processing effect? And if so what's the logic behind it? Do videos rate more highly if they appear to be filmed by hand? Again, I'm not criticizing anything here, just somewhat fascinated by the use of the effect and genuinely want to know! Cheers!
It must just be the field of view it focuses on. Every review is filmed on an iPhone with external driving shots on DJI Osmo actions, so the equipment never changes and I’m not clever enough to do anything in the editing other than basically cobbling lots of clips together in iMovie, so it must just be how the iPhone’s camera works. Nowt to do with me being clever!
@@AutoEV Ah okay, interesting! Thanks for the reply. I guess the iPhone automatically tries to center what it thinks is the subject matter. Or automatically frame the image. Either way, that explains it. Cheers!
nice car the ev3 now is this a new model or are kia fading the niro out and this slot in its place same as ev9 is that the replacement for the long in tooth sportage. good video
Do you feel the 17” wheels add to the “feel of the car, especially as they offer more rubber to prevent kerb scraps and more mileage per charge ?
Gracias por tu información. La campaña de lanzamiento te metían el gt line por los ojos y al llegar al concesionario te daban un tortazo en la cara. 50.000 euros. Al final me he inclinado por el eart con la batería grande y espero recibirlo a lo largo de este mes. Eso sí, quitándole unos cuantos extras.
Why Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) Capability with Adapter only available on the GT-Line S
I own a Niro EV 4 trim, and recently was sent out to South Korea for 2 weeks. The company hired me an EV3 for the period, and over there you can "mix and match" specs, so the car I had was an Air spec (no glossy plastic, no sunroof and a proper central console), but was fitted with the GT-Line style heated/cooled seats, remote boot opening and HUD. That would be the spec I would like over here.. Reason being the seats and HUD will be the things I will miss most from my Niro when it goes back, and with the new £40K tax (which should by now be over £50k) it looks like I will have to forgo in future.
Just a quick question in many European markets the EV3, like the Niro, has double glazed glass up front . My Niro seems to have normal glass. Does the UK spec EV3 have the double glazing or have KIA UK penny pinched (like they did on the NIro EV 4 trim not having the HK audio like the rest of the world?)
Also the orange (called Terra Cota in most other countries) wasn't available over there - and it's not exactly a colour I would like. We need some other colours. Especially as base colour
I have a Air long range the steering wheel on the Air is much better for the position of the driver mode button much easier to change quickly than the uprated models, As for no table in the Air I much prefer no table and a proper arm rest with covered storage had car 5 weeks do a lot of Duel carriage way and Motorway driving since its winter please with average of 3.4 miles per KWH and yes heating is set to 19c
What tyres does the 17" have? They the hankock ev ones with foam dampening?
I really like the long range air spec, but the lack of lumber support, no V2L, no heat pump and no grey paint is a big miss for me.
I could live without lumber and V2L, but missing the other 2 is a deal breaker.
Kia/Hyundai always seem to add things mid life with a facelift version, but by then people have purchased another brand.
Is a front electric motor an issue or something only important to hear heads? I am not going to drive very often in weather with bad weather or icy roads.
No sunroof. Brilliant!
Question for you, Are we likley to see KIA's EV5 at any time in the future?
I’m hoping so.
The interior greyness reminds me of a 1980s Mitsubishi Colt.
The EV3 isn’t available on Motability - also like the Megane although it has a large luggage volume, it does not have the length for a wheelchair with dismantling - which the Niro EV does. In my opinion this model looks way better than the GT, does away with the silly shiny wheelarches and has more sensibly sized wheels.
I’m hoping I can afford the GT line once it gets to Canada. Maybe I’ll even wait for another year in case it gets a console instead of, or in addition to, the table. I’d also prefer the cheaper LFP battery and real leather seats, but looks like they won’t offer that. I guess I’ll reassess it then but no plans to buy any other car. I’m still driving my 2011 Kia Soul 4u luxury. I still love it but I would feel more confident not driving a 14 year old car.
Ev3 air long range is 35k in Austria. That makes it the best 35k ev even better than the model 3. But if you make the ev3 more expensive by adding extras, it loses its lead. At 40k for example the model 3 long range rwd wins.
One small gripe - cup holders are too low & you end up reaching down , old eNiro ones were right up beside you.
Fair point.
No heat pump kills this car for me. Kia, fit a heat pump as standard and you have a great car. Scenic has heat pump on every model included. And people who say heat pumps don’t help in the UK- you are very wrong!
It's more that it takes years to recover the cost.
No comparison with Volvo EX30?
I'm convinced by the car, but I am waiting for the Lithium battery that Hyundai/Kia are developing.
Why would going from 0-100% on a 7kW charger take 12.5 hours for a 58kWh battery pack? I would estimate more like 9 hours
Unfortunately, in Australia, the base model is premium priced against BYD/Chinese (LFP) competition........more than the Sealion 7 (LFP 82 kWh). The Chinese are set to own the Far East markets.
Configurations in GB seem to differ from the German one. Or did you have the "winter package" on board? AFAIK, a heated steering wheel does not come as standard with the AIR version. In Germany only White comes as standard, ths orange red costs extra here.
What sucks a bit, is that the V2X-option misses in both AIR-battery-size-versions (again, in Germany). And it sucks that we can`t order the Harman Kardon soundsystem *alone* , not even in the medium EARTH trim. Anyway, the AIR with the big battery could be our new family car. Fun fact: this is the first car that almost exactly matches the outer *and* interior dimensions of our beloved 2007 ford C-Max. And that`s also why I don`t buy into the idea anymore, that this car is supposed to be a (per se bulky, ugly, unpractical) SUV.
To me, this is the first serious compact electric minivan. And that`s exactly why I like it.
Back of the front seats looks like an eyesore
Use also km , please
Me entregaran un gt line, dejo un niro del 2019
There are EVs coming from China now that are well under 20 thousand pounds and are just as good as this Kia if not better .
Some observers are saying that the automakers of China will target the UK this year because there are no import taxes on Chinese cars .
So ev3 or elroq?
Ev3 would be nicer with black interior, dont like the gray so much.
EV3 for me.
My only problem with the car is the utilitarian dashboard = looks like a van
You are absolutely correct to say it is not a cheap car as 33k is beyond overwhelming majority 95%.
Very genuine quote unlike some disgenuous reviewers.
Secondly, I test driven this 80kw car in December over 2 hours,
both in motorway and town moderately with air conditioning off half the time. I only managed to get 3.1 kwh out of it, that equates to 240 mile instead of 370 miles range as it is wrongly claimed by Kia!!! Very poor results.
This is what worries me, meaningless range figures and the patchy availability of anywhere to charge it. If you drill down to the specs, you see that EVs ranges are quoted as a mix of City and Motorway driving. That means a road trip that's mainly on Motorways is going to give much less range than you're led to believe.
It's not 'claimed by Kia' it's the WLTP standard.
There needs to be something more meaningful.
In December in the UK you are probably looking at 240 miles for that model. Still fine for the vast majority of people.
@AlanTov I am aware that at temperature zero or subzero 240 miles is acceptable but that particular day it was just over 10° which is an average for 7 month of a year in the Uk. My point is transparency for consumers benefit, whereby helping them to make decision without further confusions.
I say this to all reviewers: In our days it's a big oversight not to mention the battery's chemistry. (sorry if you did and I missed it). Personally I wouldn't spend 30k on anything other than LFP. People want cars that last decades and it matters.
Any chemistry will last decades.
I usually think you probably want the higher specs, especially on these more budget brands.
I've always had a mod spec and it pees me off having buttons that don't do owt or lower tech, crappier headlights.
I think I'll get top spec stuff in future
Interesting you see Kia as a budget brand. Why do you do that? (Asking out of curiosity, not being accusative!)
That shelf is stupid. Air much better if they only allowed you to add some options to the spec like they do in other markets. I think it is the crazy EU issues of testing with options.
the air for me that shelf in the GT is pointless
I agree now I’ve driven both. Don’t see the point in the shelf. Would rather have the extra storage bin.
The shelf is great for having a coffee and a sandwich.
Good idea.
There's no reason to get the GT. They all work the same outside the fact that only the absolute top dog gets the heat pump.
Everything else is just in the Air's favour.
Had to use subtitles to hear and understand you. It's not the accent, it's that you speak so softly and often trail off into almost a mushy, breathy whisper toward the end of your sentences.
Schreckliche KI-Übersetzung - zum Weglaufen!!
Our EV charges the LFP battery under the same roof we sleep beside. I'm not interested in exotic/performance battery chemistry - because I have an imagination that can interfere with our sleep.
That's very interesting to hear that you would take this car on a road trip. To me, it just doesn't have enough range for me to feel comfortable, knowing how sparse chargers are in the UK, and their availability. Now, if it could use the Tesla Supercharger network too, that might be different.
I don't own and EV, but I'd really like to. It's got to do everything that my cheap ICE car does though, and I'm not convinced that a non-Tesla solution is viable in the UK at the moment.
Have you watched any of my long term videos? I’ve done a couple of road trips from the South of Scotland to South of England in both my old Renault Megane E-Tech and BMW iX2 where I show how longer trips can be done in EVs. It’s a scary thought at first, but actually is no real difference to driving an ICE car, plus the experience is a bit more relaxing (as odd as that may sound!). The Megane was under 200 miles of range and I took it on a lot of long drives. Plus you can use some of the Tesla Superchargers with non-Tesla cars. They’ve opened them up for others.
Honestly, it’s not as bad as people would make you believe, plus there are lots of route planning apps and most cars have the network inbuilt to their sat navs. I’ve been driving that trip in EVs for years and it gets better all the time.
I've travelled up and down the country over the last 3 years in a 64kwh Kona electric and have had zero issues. Stopping every 3 hours for 30 mins is about right for my bladder etc, and by then you are good to go for another 3 hours.
If you plan to do many long trips, the long range Air Trim should serve you well. 375 miles in ideal conditions..
We have had an EV for 3 years and travelled many long journeys.. no issues whatsoever. Most of the time though we charge overnight at home. We save a small fortune in fuel costs compared to a petrol car . There is a lot of misinformation about EV’s check out the facts .
Please don’t waffle and pad so much, you could easily have done it in half the time
It wont sell.