2025 Kia EV3 GT-Line Long Range Review

Tasked with taking on some of the biggest names in the world of small, value-packed SUVs, the EV3 certainly has its work cut out to carve itself out a nice little slice of the ever-competitive segment.

It’s the baby of Kia’s electric vehicle range and comes wearing a set of the company’s most affordable price tags for an electric SUV we've seen so far, with Kia aiming to match its rivals on the value front.

Just how well does the Kia EV3 perform, then? Does it match its biggest rivals when it comes to driving refinement, range figures, interior designs, technology and, of course, simple value for money?

To find out, we got behind the wheel of Kia’s range-topping EV3 GT-Line Extended Range to find out how Kia's baby electric SUV holds up and which is the pick of the EV3 lineup.

Kia EV3 GT-Line Competition

How Much Does It Cost?

Prices for the MY25 Kia EV3 range kick off from $47,600 for the entry-level EV3 Air Standard Range and stretch out to $58,600 for this range-topping EV3 GT-Line Extended Range.

• Kia EV3 Air Standard Range - $47,600

• Kia EV3 Air Long Range - $53,315

• Kia EV3 Earth Long Range - $58,600

• Kia EV3 GT-Line Long Range - $63,950 (tested)

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

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Kia EV3 GT-Line Long Range Specifications

What Features Does the Kia EV3 GT-Line Have?

The GT-Line sits at the top of the EV3 range, picking up every feature and premium touch Kia has up its sleeve.

The list of GT-Line specific touches for the EV3 is headlined by a set of bespoke 19-inch alloys, projector LED headlights with light cubes and LED tail lights, a gloss black finish for the wheel arches and mirrors, two-tone leatherette upholstery with upgraded premium relaxation front seats, ten-way power adjustment for the passenger's seat, a head-up display, ambient lighting, extendable centre console and metal pedals.

It also picks up special touches added to the EV3 Earth, which means there’s Hankook iON Evo tyres, a powered boot lift, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, a ten-way power-adjustable driver's seat and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror all thrown in.

If you’re looking to stick with the base model, Kia's entry-level EV3 Air range comes riding on 17-inch alloys and receives black roof rails, LED headlights with LED daytime running lamps, matte wheel arches, two-tone cloth upholstery, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 5.0-inch climate display, dual-zone climate control, a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors and vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging.

Connectivity & Infotainment Features

Kia has given all three members of the EV3 range an impressive technology suite, meaning you don't have to upgrade to this range-topper to get a slice of the action.

All EV3 variants pick up Kia's trio of displays, with a 5.0-inch climate panel sandwiched between a pair of 12.3-inch digital displays, one for the driver and the other sitting as the infotainment unit.

It's a clean and attractive design, made more impressive by the fact that base versions pick up all three displays.

This certainly helps to make the EV3 competitive in the cut-price electric SUV landscape, which features rivals with a very tech-heavy cabin.

The hardware is solid, offering crisp graphics and high brightness levels, while Kia's underlying software is user-friendly to navigate through menus.

There's AM/FM & DAB+ digital radio thrown in alongside satellite navigation and over-the-air software updates thrown into the mix via a seven-year Kia Connect subscription.

In the EV3 GT-Line, there's an upgraded eight-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system which offers a major acoustic upgrade over the standard six-speaker unit.

Does the Kia EV3 Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

The EV3 range picks up Kia's latest infotainment tech, which extends to wireless smartphone connectivity.

This means EV3 buyers pick up both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The process of pairing your phone with the EV3's infotainment system is particularly quick and simple, while we found the connection to be consistent, stable and responsive to our phone upon start-up.

You can also connect your phone via one of the USB-C ports in the front of the cabin, or simply place your phone on the wireless charging pad while accessing your contacts, preferred navigation app, music and podcasts.

Is the Kia EV3 Comfortable to Drive?

The EV3 ticks all the important boxes for the small, electric SUV segment.

In some ways, it actually leads the segment when it comes to driving refinement on a mix of Aussie roads, thanks to Kia's local tuning program that gives the EV3 a noticeable slice of versatility over some key rivals.

Underneath, all versions of the EV3 range come powered by the same, front-mounted electric motor that pushes out 150kW of power and 283Nm of torque to the front wheels.

Combined with its sub two-tonne weight, even with the larger battery pack, the EV3 range has a pretty healthy power-to-weight ratio that makes it feel nippy off the line, thanks to that instant injection of torque at your disposal.

One of the most important considerations for a small, electric SUV package are just how easily it can tackle the urban jungle.

In this respect, the EV3 is a strong performer, presenting buyers with a great set of table manners in a user-friendly package.

We found the steering to be bang on our preference for feel and weight, with eco mode lightening this up and sports mode adding weight and more responsiveness from your right foot.

The EV3 performed extremely well on our runs through town, with its reasonably pint-sized stature and compact turning circle making light work of errands in a shopping centre and nippy acceleration giving it some charm when pushed.

Kia's regenerative braking system is easily tweaked via the wheel-mounted paddles, too, with the option of one-pedal driving helping to take the strain out of stop-start traffic.

Perhaps the biggest feather in the EV3's cap, however, is just how confident it feels outside the smooth streets of the city.

This is thanks to Kia's investment in a local ride and handling tune for the EV3 range, which means that it tackles a mix of Australian roads, including the poor quality ones, with sure-footedness.

It’s a feat that, quite frankly, few of the EV3's rivals can match when it comes to sheer versatility, with the ride quality offering a near perfect blend of firm but accommodating tendencies on the rougher stuff.

The EV3 GT-Line and Earth come riding on 19-inch alloys, which certainly give it some added points in the looks department, though they do come at some expense to the overall ride quality.

If you’re frequenting some rougher country roads, we’d suggest sticking with the Air's 17-inch wheels that serve up some extra cushioning from the added rubber.

All up, we think Kia has done a very good job with the EV3 range which remains refined and user-friendly around town while adding some versatility to the mix; the latter of which is quite difficult to achieve in this segment.

How Far Can the Kia EV3 Long Range Drive on a Charge?

Kia offers the EV3 with a choice of two battery packs for the Standard and Long Range versions.

The entry-level EV3 Air Standard Range is packaged with a 58.3kWh NMC battery pack which, combined with its claimed energy efficiency figures of 14.9kWh per 100km gives it a range total of 436km.

Stepping up to the EV3 Air Long Range adds a larger 81.4kWh battery pack and the same 14.9kWh/100km energy efficiency figures to the mix, offering up to 604km worth of driving per charge.

The EV3 Earth and GT-Line pick up the same 81.4kWh battery pack but consume slightly more juice - 16.2kWh/100km - on the WLTP test cycle, translating to range figures of 563km.

This means that if you're after an EV3 with the best outright driving range figures, the EV3 Air Long Range should be atop your list.

• EV3 Air Standard Range Efficiency: 14.9kWh per 100km

• EV3 Air Long Range Efficiency: 14.9kWh per 100km

• EV3 Earth Long Range Efficiency: 16.2kWh per 100km

• EV3 GT-Line Long Range Efficiency: 16.2kWh per 100km (claimed)

• EV3 GT-Line Long Range Efficiency: 16.5kWh per 100km (tested)

• EV3 Air Standard Range: 436km

• EV3 Air Long Range: 604km

• EV3 Earth Long Range: 563km

• EV3 GT-Line Long Range: 563km

How Fast Can the Kia EV3 Charge?

The Kia EV3 range comes riding on a 400-volt version of the small E-GMP platform.

This means that charging speeds are less than you’ll find in higher-ranking members of Kia's electric range, capped at 100kW in the EV3 Air Standard Range and topping out at 127kW for versions powered by the larger 81.4kWh battery.

With access to a DC fast charger, you’ll be able to top up the EV3 Standard Range's 58.3kWh battery from 10 - 80 per cent in a claimed 29 minutes.

Using the same charger with the EV3’s 81.4kWh battery pack, you'll bring it from 10 - 80 per cent in 31 minutes thanks to the slightly faster charging tech bundled with the bigger battery.

• EV3 Standard Range 10 - 100% Charge Time (11kW Charger) 5 hours 20 minutes

• EV3 Standard Range 10 - 80% Charge Time (50kW Charger) 55 minutes

• EV3 Standard Range 10 - 80% Charge Time (100kW Charger) 29 minutes

• EV3 Extended Range 10 - 100% Charge Time (11kW Charger) 7 hours 15 minutes

• EV3 Extended Range 10 - 80% Charge Time (50kW Charger) 1 hour 19 minutes

• EV3 Extended Range 10 - 80% Charge Time (127kW Charger) 31 minutes

Is it Practical and Spacious?

The EV3 presents a neat, tidy and fairly practical interior design for the small SUV, while the GT-Line throws a handful of premium touches into the mix.

Importantly, tall drivers won’t have a problem getting comfortable in the front of the EV3's cabin, which offers a large range of adjustment in the seating position, rising high for shorter drivers while dropping down low for our longer torso.

At 185cm tall, I didn’t feel cramped whatsoever in the front of the EV3's cabin, even with the small sacrifice to headroom from the sunroof.

Front and side visibility are both solid, though rear visibility is quite poor due to the mass of plastics at the C-pillar and a very compact little boot window.

The placement of the 5.0-inch climate panel is unusual and a bit of a head scratcher, if we’re honest, because chances are, it'll be mostly obstructed from your view.

In terms of the layout, we quite like Kia’s arrangement for the EV3's dashboard and centre console.

There's an interesting mix of lines and shapes spanning from the dashboard to the door sills, with the largely grey aesthetic broken up by the two-tone seats, silver inserts near the door handles and the centre console itself.

Kia’s woven, recycled textiles that cover the dashboard are also a welcome addition over something like piano black or another form of cheap, scratchy black plastic; something you won't find anywhere inside the EV3.

The chunky little steering wheel feels nice, and while it’s all vegan free leather - a synonym for leatherette - upholstery, there's still a nice, solid feel to the wheel and the seatbacks.

On the storage front, the EV3 does not fumble the bag.

There's a substantial amount of real estate between the driver and front passenger dedicated to storage, with a rubber-lined tray that doubles as a wireless charging pad, a space for two retractable cup holders and another large, rubber-lined tray big enough for a large bottle, tablet or handbag.

One quirk of upgrading to the flagship GT-Line is that you pick up a unique centre console with an extendable tray, providing a great place to place your laptop and get some work done while you're charging.

The only downside of this arrangement, though, is that you lose storage inside the centre armrest itself, while lower-spec variants have a little cubby inside.

As per usual with the compact SUV segment, there's a pretty stark difference between the front and second row seating experience.

Rather than place fault on the EV3, specifically, it’s more of an inherent flaw with the footprint of these small SUVs as a whole, but for certain buyers, they're perfectly-sized and in reality, the EV3 does really well for its pint-sized dimensions.

Behind my seating position, I had my knees firmly up against the extremely hard plastic seat back of Kia's upgraded relaxation seats.

I also found the seating position to be a little too upright - perfect for posture enthusiasts but a little tiring on a properly long drive, while headroom was also quite lacking due to the slightly elevated position over the first row.

Not amazing, then, but within the context of the small SUV segment, the EV3 hits a confident par for the course when it comes to the second row.

Amenities in the rear come in the form of a pair of USB-C charging ports, bottle holders in the door bins, map pockets, a folding armrest with cupholders, air vents, coat hooks and a convenient little power outlet.

For the parents out there, the EV3 receives a pair of ISOFIX anchors on each of the outboard seats, with a trio of top tether mounts hiding behind the seatbacks, though access can be a little tight if you've got the first row seats moved back.

How Big is the Kia EV3's Boot?

The EV3 blows many of its rivals out of the water when it comes to boot space.

With 460L of cargo capacity on offer, the EV3’s boot isn’t to be underestimated, especially when you consider there's an extra 25L worth of storage underneath the bonnet.

Fold down the 60:40 split rear seats and you’ll unlock a total of 1,250L worth of real estate in the EV3's boot, making it a practical little SUV package.

That said, we found it a little tiresome having to move each of the first row seats forward each time we wanted to fold the second row bench forward.

The EV3's boot floor has two levels of adjustment, allowing you to hunker it down for added capacity or raise it to easily lift luggage over the boot lip.

There's also a little storage pocket on the left-hand side of the cabin and some serious underfloor storage in a cut-out more than capable of handling a space-saver spare tyre, though the EV3 makes do with a tyre repair kit, instead.

Is it Safe?

Kia has thrown in a hefty list of safety kit into the EV3 range.

Better still, buyers opting for the base model don’t miss out on any important safety hardware; though on the flipside, the flagship doesn't pick up any additional features.

All members of the EV3 range pick up AEB with vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist detection as well as junction assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts and Kia's Highway Driving Assist II system.

You'll also pick up lane-keep assistance with lane-centring, driver attention alerts, speed limit and high-beam assist as well as a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors.

The calibration of Kia’s safety equipment, like the lane-keep assist has come a long way and while it's guilty of being a little bit paranoid at times, the most pesky audible warnings can be muted with a long press of the mute button on the steering wheel.

The lane-keep parameters are a little confused by country roads, at times, shuffling us off our preferred driving line, though it remains an easy enough process to disable certain settings within the safety menu.

Does the Kia EV3 Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

The Kia EV3 hits the road with a fresh five-star ANCAP safety rating after testing in 2025 saw it score the following marks.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 83%

• Child Occupant Protection: 86%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 78%

• Safety Assist: 81%

What Warranty Does the Kia EV3 Come With?

Kia offers the EV3 with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty alongside a seven-year/150,000 kilometre warranty for the battery and high-voltage components.

Buyers also pick up the option of prepaid service plans for three, five and seven years’ worth of coverage; we’ll list prices for the EV3's servicing packages below.

• EV3 Three-Year Servicing Cost: $674

• EV3 Five-Year Servicing Cost: $1,285

• EV3 Seven-Year Servicing Cost: $1,897

Service intervals for the EV3 range stand at 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, whichever elapses first.

Our Verdict: Is the Kia EV3 Worth it?

The Kia EV3 is a serious contender in the small, battery-electric SUV segment.

We were impressed with the EV3’s energy efficiency and driving refinement on the road, with its appeal Down Under very much bolstered by Kia's local chassis and suspension tuning package that makes it one of the most versatile of the ever-crowded segment.

Inside, Kia’s clever design and engineering teams have extracted a surprising amount of space, particularly in the front of the EV3's cabin, while its boot space figures put many in the segment to shame.

Zooming in on the EV3 GT-Line, specifically, while we can certainly see the allure of a more premium take on the small SUV recipe, ultimately, this is a segment filled with value-conscious buyers and rivals that offer more bang for less buck than Kia's range-topper.

As a result, the EV3 Air Long Range is the best pick of the lineup, in our mind, ticking all the important boxes and providing a healthy amount of range per charge, without stepping into the GT-Line's higher price bracket.

All up, the EV3 is a very impressive small electric SUV that puts Kia on the front foot in an ever-competitive segment and remains very deserving of a spot on any small, electric SUV shortlist.

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Five Kia EV3 Specs You Need to Know

1. Seven-year/unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty

2. Seven-year/150,000 kilometre battery warranty

3. 436 - 604km driving range (Air Standard Range vs Extended Range)

4. 460 - 1,250L boot + 25L under bonnet storage

5. Five-star ANCAP safety rating (tested 2025)