Kia EV3 - Electric motors, performance & drive

Kia has kept things fairly simple with the EV3’s powertrain, with a choice of two battery capacities, both paired with the same motor. The range starts with a 58.3kWh model that offers a WLTP range of 270 miles, which will be enough for many buyers. Those who need to travel farther can opt for the 81.4kWh battery, which ups the range to as much as 375 miles – or 362 miles for the GT-Line S model – which makes it among the very best ranges in the class, officially at least. 

What is the Kia EV3 like to drive?

It’s not particularly fun to drive, but that doesn’t really matter for a car such as this. Kia has instead focused on comfort for the EV3, and it’s done a solid job of delivering on its aims.

As with most new cars, the EV3 has a range of drive modes. The throttle response offers a choice of three settings and the steering comes with two, but we struggled to find a reason to use them. 

While Sport mode makes the throttle feel sharper and more responsive, it doesn’t make the car any faster. The difference between Comfort and Eco, meanwhile, is almost impossible to feel. Likewise, the Sport steering setting adds a little weight, but the difference is so small that it hardly feels worth the effort. 

In town

EV makers have come up with many ways to let drivers adjust the rate of regenerative braking, and Kia’s iPedal set-up is one of the best. The EV3 has paddles on the steering wheel that can be adjusted on the fly to deliver just the right amount of deceleration. 

The options range from full coasting to one-pedal driving, with an adaptive mode that decides how much regen is needed based on road and traffic conditions. This, combined with well weighted and accurate steering make the EV3 a very easy car to drive at low speeds, while the soft suspension does a decent job of soaking up most bumps.

On A- and B-roads

That cushioned suspension works well at higher speeds, too, where the EV3 still provides a fairly relaxed environment for occupants. The flip side is that the Kia isn’t particularly fun to drive; it’s not as lifeless as a Hyundai Kona, but the Renault Megane E-Tech and Cupra Born offer much more sharpness without too much compromise in comfort.

The softer set-up also means that any big compressions make the hefty kerbweight all too apparent, because the springs and dampers struggle to contain the forces they’re having to deal with. It’s a car that is geared towards driving at a more relaxed pace.

On the motorway

The fairly soft set-up creates a relaxing motorway mile-muncher. While the performance tails off somewhat over 60mph, there’s still enough torque in the motor to make the EV3 feel completely at home at motorway speeds. Road noise becomes a little audible the faster you go, but it remains slightly more hushed than a Cupra Born, for example.

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Electric motors, 0-62mph acceleration and top speed

The sole electric motor option currently available in the EV3 makes 201bhp and 283Nm of torque – not class-leading figures but more than good enough for a fairly compact family car. The entry-level model’s smaller, lighter battery pack means it’s actually the quicker car, albeit only just; it covers the 0-62mph benchmark in 7.5 seconds compared with the long-range model’s 7.7 seconds (or 7.9 seconds when fitted 19-inch wheels). Even driving the pair back to back, that difference in performance is negligible.

Throttle response is well judged, making the EV3 feel lively without being too jumpy or hyperactive. A nice, linear shove gets Kia’s newcomer up to the national speed limit with ease, but we’d appreciate a little more urgency when attempting overtakes.