If you want to buy an affordable electric vehicle you need to buy a Chinese brand, right?
Wrong.
Chinese newcomers, including BYD, GWM, and MG, have seized the opportunity in the emerging electric vehicle (EV) market and given the usual big names a real fright. With the new technology allowing the Chinese brands to suddenly catch-up, or even leap-frog, slow-moving established brands like Toyota, Mazda and Ford.
The cheapest and best-value EVs tend to be Chinese, as they aggressively chase market share to lay down roots in the Australian market. But now a big name brand is hitting back, with what might be the best blend of quality and price the Chinese brands have come up against.
I’m talking about the Kia EV3, the South Korean brand’s new small, electric SUV that competes directly against the likes of the MGS5, BYD Atto 3 and new Leapmotor B10 – plus the likes of the Hyundai Kona EV and Nissan Ariya.
But where the Hyundai and Nissan start above $50,000 and only get more expensive, Kia has managed to take on the Chinese brands directly, with an asking price that starts with a ‘4’.
The entry-level EV3 Air is priced from $47,600 (plus on-road costs), which is on par with the $47,990 MGS5 Essence and $44,990 BYD Atto 3 Premium. While not exactly a like-for-like comparison, it does put Kia in a much closer and more competitive position than any other ‘established’ brand against the Chinese newcomers.
Because while the Chinese still have advantage on price, Kia is a clear step ahead when it comes to the way it drives and performs.
We primarily drove the EV3 Air Earth Long Range, which starts at $58,600, but also sampled the entry-level EV3 Air Standard Range. And, to be blunt, both were very impressive on the road.
Every EV3 is powered by the same 150kW/283Nm front-wheel drive motor, but there is a choice of batteries. The Standard Range battery in the Air is 58kWh and provides up to 436km of driving range, which is already a solid effort.
The Long Range models get an even bigger 81kWh battery that provides up to 604km of range, although the EV3 Earth is limited to ‘just 563km’ on a single charge. That is a very impressive figure for a small SUV and should comfortably see you through a week’s worth of urban commuting or get you a long way down the highway.
What’s more impressive than the range is the way the EV3 drives. The performance from the engine is good, without being quick because this isn’t a sporty EV in any sense.
But Kia Australia has done a comprehensive local ride and handling test program and tuned the suspension specifically to local roads – and that is dramatically obvious when you drive it. Compared to the MGS5 or BYD Atto 3, which tend to feel uneasy on Australia’s patchy roads, the EV3 is composed and controlled.
It makes for a relaxed driving experience, and when combined with the near-silent electric motor, you arrive at your destination feeling fresh and comfortable; which is exactly what you should be looking for in an SUV like this.
It helps that it has a really thoughtful interior, that has all the practical elements you need (cupholders, charging ports, small item storage, etc), as well as looking very stylish.
The interior is also a good size for an SUV with the external dimensions of the EV3. There is enough room to take four adults in comfort, which is not something you can say about most small SUVs, even the electric ones. The EV3 sits on Hyundai-Kia’s E-GMP architecture and it’s obvious that this bespoke EV platform provides the best use of space.
All tallied up, the combination of price, practicality and on-road prowess makes the EV3 a really impressive offering, and one that should have the Chinese brands worried that their price advantage may not be enough to keep them ahead indefinitely…
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