Kia EV3 price and spec confirmed: Sub-$50,000 drive-away pricing for BYD Atto 3 and Chery Omoda E5 hunter

March 12, 2025March 11, 2025 Iain Curry 1173 Views 0 Comments EV3, ev3 price, kia electric, kia ev3

Kia’s EV3 small SUV will cost from $47,600 when it lands in Australian showrooms later this month, with drive-away pricing set at $48,990 for every state except WA ($49,990).

As we predicted, this new smallest of Kia EVs goes into battle wearing a sub-$50,000 price tag, undercutting the Hyundai Kona Electric ($54,000) and Renault Megane E-Tech ($54,990), and closely challenging the Chinese BYD Atto 3 ($39,990), Chery Omoda E5 ($42,990) and outgoing MG ZS ($39,990).

The entry-level EV3 Air Standard Range’s RRP is $9170 less than Kia’s new EV5 medium SUV, and $18,990 cheaper than its ageing Niro EV, which is surely on borrowed time with the new car’s arrival.

The base EV3 has a 58.3kWh battery offering 436km (WLTP) range, and like all others in the range, is a single motor 2WD with 150kW and 283Nm going through its front wheels.

2025 Kia EV3 GT-Line is from $68,490 drive-away, but the range starts from $48,990 on the road.

Confusingly, the ACT is the only state or territory to not score drive-away pricing on grades above the entry level EV3 Air.

For everyone else, an EV3 Air Long Range upgrades to an 81.4kWh battery for 604km range and a $56,490 drive-away price ($57,490 in WA).

Higher-specification Earth and GT-Line grades use the same battery for 563km range (mainly due to their less aerodynamic 19-inch wheels rather than 17-inchers), and cost $62,690 drive-away and $68,490 drive-away respectively.

Western Australia must stomach higher on-the-road costs again: $63,690 for the Earth and $70,490 the GT-Line.

You poor ACT lot must add on-roads to the RRPs of $53,315 (Air Long Range); $58,600 (Earth Long Range) and $63,950 (GT-Line Long Range).

The EV3 is based on the Hyundai/Kia E-GMP platform in 400V guise, not the faster-charging 800V system Kia uses in its larger EV6 and EV9.

Maximum charge speeds are 102kW with the smaller battery and 128kW with the Long Range cars. No charging times have been quoted, but expect to go from 10-80 per cent in 30 minutes with a 100kW DC charger, or 54 minutes with a 50kW DC charger.

The EV3 also introduces Kia’s new iPedal 3.0 adjustable regenerative braking system, which brings one-pedal driving.

Styling follows the family formula seen on Kia’s larger EV9 and EV5 SUVs, with flush front door handles, skinny front lights and edgy, geometric shapes through the body.

Standard on all EV3s are a 12.3-inch digital driver display, 12.3-inch infotainment screen, 5.3-inch climate monitor, Kia Connect, over the air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless phone charging and V2L capability including a connector kit.

The Earth and GT-Lines also score artificial leather trim and a power tailgate, while the latter adds a head-up display, sunroof and Harman Kardon audio.

Boot space is 460L, with an additional 25L frunk.

Still no word on an all-wheel-drive EV3, nor a hot GT model, although both are predicted to follow in future.

Iain Curry

A motoring writer and photographer for two decades, Iain started in print magazines in London as editor of Performance BMW and features writer for BMW Car, GT Porsche and 4Drive magazines. His love of motor sport and high performance petrol cars was rudely interrupted in 2011 when he was one of the first journalists to drive BMW's 1 Series ActiveE EV, and has been testing hybrids, PHEVs and EVs for Australian newspapers ever since. Based near Noosa in Queensland, his weekly newspaper articles cover new vehicle reviews and consumer advice, while his photography is regularly seen on the pages of glossy magazines.