Kia EV3 arrives in New Zealand

The 2025 World Car of the Year, the fully electric Kia EV3, is now available at Kia dealerships across New Zealand.

The EV3 has received several international accolades, including a Red Dot ‘Best of the Best’ award and the Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year title. It enters the local market as Kia’s newest medium-size electric SUV, offering up to 605km of range on a single charge (WLTP).

All EV3 variants are powered by a 150kW/283Nm electric motor mounted at the front axle and supported by either a 58.3kWh or 81.4kWh lithium-ion battery, depending on model grade.

Kia New Zealand managing director Todd McDonald says the EV3 has been locally evaluated to better suit road and driving conditions in New Zealand and Australia.

“The new Kia EV3 has debuted to strong reviews internationally, including recognition with several industry awards,” McDonald says.

“It shares some of the same technologies and design elements as the larger EV9, and incorporates features intended to improve functionality, connectivity, and practicality.

“A local testing programme of more than 20,000km helped calibrate the EV3’s suspension and hardware to suit our conditions.”

Battery options and performance

The EV3 Light Long Range variant is fitted with an 81.4kWh battery and is capable of up to 605km (WLTP) on a full charge. The same battery is used in the Earth and GT-Line variants, which offer up to 563km (WLTP). The Light Short Range variant uses a 58.3kWh battery for a WLTP-rated 436km range.

All models support DC fast-charging at up to 350kW, allowing charging from 10% to 80% in approximately 30 minutes. Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality is standard across the range.

Design and layout

The EV3 features Kia’s “Opposites United” design language and a drag coefficient of 0.26. Three wheel designs are available: 17-inch on the Light variant and 19-inch on Earth and GT-Line grades. The wheels are shaped to reduce air resistance.

Inside, the EV3 offers a minimalist dashboard layout with a 29.6-inch Panoramic Display across all variants. Earth and GT-Line grades add a 12-inch Head-Up Display, heated steering wheel, and heated front seats (ventilated on GT-Line).

Cargo capacity is 460 litres in the boot, expanding to 1,251 litres with rear seats folded. A front storage compartment (frunk) adds an extra 25 litres.

Safety and technology

The EV3 holds a five-star ANCAP safety rating and includes a range of driver assistance systems as standard, such as Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go, and others.

Connectivity features include integration with the Kia Connect smartphone app, which enables remote access to several vehicle functions. Kia Connect is provided for five years at no additional cost.

Kia EV3 model line-up and pricing (plus ORC):

Model	Battery	WLTP Range	Price
Light SR	58.3kWh	436km	$55,520
Light LR	81.4kWh	605km	$62,220
Earth	81.4kWh	563km	$69,220
GT-Line	81.4kWh	563km	$75,220

All variants are backed by Kia’s standard aftersales package, including a seven-year/150,000km vehicle warranty, eight-year/160,000km battery warranty, five years of roadside assistance, and five years of Kia Connect and over-the-air software updates.

The EV3 is offered in six exterior colour options, including Clear White (Light only), Snow White Pearl (Earth and GT-Line), Aventurine Green, Ivory Silver, Shale Grey, and Aurora Black Pearl.