DRIVEN: The 2026 Kia EV3 Proves That, Sometimes, Less is More | Driving Kia’s Smallest Electric SUV

The 2026 Kia EV3 is the brand’s smallest and most affordable electric vehicle. But despite its subcompact size, this electric SUV is packed with features — and a surprising amount of space inside. Join Edmunds’ Brian Wong as he takes the EV3 for a spin in this first drive video.

Kia EV3 Intro 00:00
Kia EV Styling Overview 00:35
Interior 01:19
Rear Cabin 03:33
Cargo Capacity 04:29
Power and Battery 04:42
Driving Impressions 06:02
One Pedal Driving 07:29
Single or Dual Motor 08:29
Native Navigation System 09:21
Charging 09:59
Range 11:00
Pricing 11:52
Voice Assistant 12:24
Affordable EV Comparisons 12:50
Edmunds' Take 13:40
Conclusion 14:20

[edmundscars]

There's a lot to like about the EV3, minus the very long wait time. What features are important for an affordable EV to have for you? Let us know in the comments below!

[BikingBadwithTC]

Always good to hear the reviewer say “I’d spend my own money to own this”, that says a lot, shows it’s special. Great job Kia!

[eddieg]

Excited for the EV3 to come to the U.S.!!

[realNikoCousin]

96k miles on my ‘22 ev6 wind awd. Greatest car I’ve ever had. A pleasure to drive and has given zero problems!! I flat out enjoy driving it and the practicality of it is amazing!! Great job Kia! Keep doing these

[rk]

I'm genuinely excited about this and the Rivian R3. These 2 really make sense in terms of packaging, performance, and price: smaller form factor but still roomy inside, est 350+ mi of real life range, advanced interface, driving aids, ~$35k starting price. Can't wait for the future to be here already!

[HumbleBearcat]

Looking really good! Pricing is crucial; if they can price it competitively, then it will steal a lot of market share from Tesla or even hybrids.

[HanmaHeiro]

I learned about this car just 2 day ago and it's shaping up to be amazing. Really hoping their long range version truly comes priced at 35k. And their base starts at 30k or under!

[bmwxpicasso]

I never considered ever buying a Kia or an ev car, but this EV3 review is tempting me to test drive one.

[prahalove]

I am a Korean who has been living in Canada over 8 years now. I miss the road conditions of my home country.
I hope you guys were handling well under humid summer there.
EV3 looks really great but they should be around 45, 000 CAD.

[Gerry]

I can't wait for Kia to at least tell us the price range here in Canada! Unless an unforeseen event happens, it's definitely my next car!

[Molishious]

I love the boxy styling on this and I think it will do well in the US. It’s a little small for me but when they come out with an AWD version I’ll consider it if I haven’t already bought something else. It’s unfortunate that we don’t get the EV 5 as that’s the size I’d like to have.

[amirhaddad]

Looks so confortable to drive and I like the stylish look. Unfortunately have to wait till 2026 when ev3 will be available in Canada

[timdsd]

I wish the EV3 were available in the U.S. this year. But if I had to buy a new EV today, I'll consider the Niro EV, along with the Hyundai Kona EV and IONIQ 5. Nothing bigger.

[stephenwinter]

Greetings from southern Ontario Canada I really enjoyed the video looking forward to seeing this ev here

[yuchan]

I don't see any reason to choose another EV in the price range of the EV3. Thanks for taking the time to review it all the way to South Korea.

[garyclark]

This will be fine for an occasional road trip where you only have to charge once or twice. It’ll literally will be the deal of the century for those that can charge at home or work and with that kind of range the possibilities are huge. 14:35

[johnnyk]

EV3 will bring "life" to the Kia brand like it did back in 2009 with 2010 Soul. we became a Kia family since then with reliable and practical design and functions. we are ready for EV3 when it lands on U.S shore and a good time for me to trade in our 2019 Niro which has been a bulletproof reliable and a perfect commuter.

[pbentsonable]

Other than the 2 tone interior and the huge black wheel well trim it looks really good. Long as it’s roomy enough for tall people. This will sell well.

[bawintermage]

For those people who are completely EV adverse, remember the naysayers said the same thing about : indoor plumbing, women's suffrage, air conditioning, pollution controls, seat belts, crumple zones,

[PoshJosey]

hope we eventually see the EV2 in the US 🤞🤞🤞