Kia EV3 vs. Volvo EX30, Hyundai Kona EV, Kia Niro EV: How They Compare

The all-new Kia EV3 subcompact electric crossover is here, and it will eventually come to the United States after being launched in multiple other markets, including the European Union and South Korea.

The EV3 promises to offer a lot of tech for an entry-level model, drawing inspiration from its much bigger brother–and the marque’s electric flagship–the EV9. So, let’s see how the new EV3 stacks up against its U.S. competition.

Before we get into it, though, it’s worth noting that we only have details for the European-spec model and that U.S. pricing and availability are still unknown.

That said, Kia bills the new EV3 as a B-segment model. This means it’s a subcompact crossover that will go up against a pretty short list of models, such as the Volvo EX30 and Hyundai Kona Electric stateside. The Kia Niro EV is categorized as a compact crossover, so it’s slightly larger than the new EV3, while the Tesla Model Y is a mid-size crossover, meaning there’s no place for it on this list; the Kia EV6 already exists as the South Korean automaker’s Model Y rival.

The new EV3 is similar to Kia’s Chevrolet Bolt EUV in terms of size and–most likely–price.

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Range and charging

The official press release for the Kia EV3 mentions that it’s based on Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform and that it will be available with either a 58.3-kilowatt-hour battery for the base spec or an 81.4 kWh battery for the long-range version. This will enable the entry-level electric crossover to travel up to 347 miles before needing a top-up. Still, this figure is presumably calculated on the more lenient WLTP test cycle and with the single-motor, front-wheel drive configuration. A dual-motor, all-wheel drive version will come at a later date. In the U.S., Kia is aiming for an EPA-rated range of around 300 miles.

That’s quite a large battery pack for such a small vehicle compared to its rivals. The Volvo EX30 comes with a 69-kWh pack as the biggest option, resulting in a maximum estimated range of 275 miles. At the same time, both the Hyundai Kona EV and Kia Niro EV are only available with a 64.8-kWh battery. The Kona Electric has an EPA-estimated range of 261 miles and the Kia Niro EV boasts a range of 253 miles.

The Kia EV3 subcompact electric crossover has the charge port door on the front-right

The Chevrolet Bolt EUV, which is no longer being made, has a 65-kWh pack and an EPA-estimated range of 247 miles.

Kia told our colleagues at Motor1 Italy that the peak charging rate of the EV3 is 128 kilowatts, which is partly due to the fact that the electric crossover uses a 400-volt charging architecture rather than an 800V one to keep costs down.

By contrast, the Volvo EX30 can accept up to 153 kW when equipped with the non-LFP battery pack, the Hyundai Kona EV with the bigger battery pack can charge at up to 150 kW, while the Kia Niro EV tops out at 85 kW.

Dimensions and practicality

As mentioned above, the new Kia EV3 is roughly the same size as the discontinued Chevrolet Bolt EUV. It measures 169.2 inches long, 72.8 inches wide, 61.4 inches tall, and has a wheelbase of 105.5 inches.

It’s pretty much the same length and has approximately the same wheelbase as the Bolt EUV, but it’s also roughly 3 inches wider and 2 inches shorter than GM’s discontinued crossover.

A lot of black cladding makes the subcompact EV3 appear bigger than it actually is

Compared to the Volvo EX30, the Kia EV3 is almost 3 inches longer and has a wheelbase about 1 inch longer, but its height and width are nearly the same. The slight increase in wheelbase and length should give the EV3 a little more knee room for rear passengers.

Compared to the Kia Niro EV, the EV3 is 5 inches shorter but 1 inch wider and has roughly the same height. Meanwhile, the wheelbase is almost 2 inches longer on the Niro EV. The upcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV is also slightly larger than the EV3.

Tech and special features

The Kia EV3’s main interior features are the massive 30-inch widescreen display and 12-inch head-up display lifted straight from the EV9 flagship. The presser also mentions some other design particularities and the advanced driving assistance systems that will be available.

These include eDTVC Electric Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Highway Driving Assist, Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist and Remote Smart Parking Assist.

The interior of the Kia EV3

The EV3 will also be Kia’s first model to feature the so-called Kia AI assistant, which uses the same generative AI technology that’s been made mainstream by the AI chatbot ChatGPT. It will also feature over-the-air updates.

By comparison, the Volvo EX30 has a single, tablet-like center touchscreen display that runs on Google automotive-grade OS, while both the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV have a pair of screens on the dash. The EV3’s rivals also offer a myriad of safety assistance features. Still, for now, it’s hard to compare on a trim-by-trim basis because we don’t know too many details about how the EV3 will be positioned in the U.S.

Pricing

We expect Kia to announce the pricing for the new EV3 later this year, but until that happens, we can get an idea of where it should be priced by looking at its competitors.

The Volvo EX30 Single Motor in the entry-level Core trim starts at $34,950 (plus a $1,295 destination charge, for a total of $36,245), while the Plus version starts at $38,900 and the Ultra goes from $40,600.

The 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric SE with the small, 48.6-kWh battery starts at $32,675 (plus a $1,335 destination charge). Meanwhile, the posher 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric SEL starts at an MSRP of $36,675, while the better-equipped Limited trim costs $41,045.

The 2024 Kia Niro EV, which is only available with a 64.8-kWh battery, starts at $40,925 (including $1,325 destination). The better-equipped Wave trim starts at $45,925 (including destination).

After looking at the numbers, Kia could price the new EV somewhere between $35,000 and $45,000 when it arrives in the United States. If it’s even lower, the company could have an affordability winner on its hands, but we don’t know that yet.