Kia EV3 Compact Electric SUV Coming to US in Late 2026

Kia confirmed at the New York International Auto Show that its EV3 compact electric SUV will go on sale in the United States in late 2026 as a 2027 model, bringing a vehicle that has already outsold every other electric car in both the United Kingdom and South Korea to American buyers.

The announcement centers on a 320-mile range figure from the long-range 81.4-kWh battery pack, the number Kia chose to lead with at the show. That battery is standard on four of the five US trim levels: Wind, Land, GT-Line, and GT. The base Light trim carries a smaller 58.3-kWh pack rated at up to 220 miles. Both figures are Kia's own estimates; official EPA ratings have not yet been released.

Power comes in two configurations. Single-motor front-wheel drive covers the lower trims, while a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system produces 261 horsepower across the mid-range configurations. The top-spec GT trim pushes output to 288 horsepower and adds sport bucket front seats, a unique steering wheel, and neon green interior trim accents.

Kia has not announced US pricing but previously targeted a starting point of approximately $30,000, and multiple industry analysts estimate the EV3 will open closer to $35,000. That figure tracks with the UK starting price of roughly £27,000 before tax, which converts to approximately $35,500. At that level, the EV3 would undercut Kia's own Niro EV and compete directly with the Nissan Leaf, which starts around $30,000, and the Chevrolet Equinox EV, which opens near $35,000.

At 169.3 inches long and 105.5 inches wide, the EV3 occupies roughly the same footprint as the discontinued Chevrolet Bolt EUV, placing it firmly in subcompact SUV territory. Cargo space behind the rear seats measures 16.2 cubic feet. The cabin features a 12-inch digital instrument cluster and a sliding center console table that converts to a workspace or tray when the vehicle is stationary. Kia's in-vehicle content system, first introduced on the EV9, carries over to the EV3 with over-the-air software update capability.

The EV3 is built on Kia's 400-volt E-GMP platform, a variant of the Hyundai-Kia K3 architecture redesigned specifically for battery electric vehicles. After launching in South Korea and Europe in 2024, the model accumulated more than 75,000 global sales through just the first nine months of 2025. In South Korea alone, roughly 19,000 units were sold through September 2025, a 137 percent year-over-year increase. Across the first half of that year, the EV3 ranked as the top-selling electric vehicle in both the UK and South Korea.

The awards record reinforces the sales story. The EV3 earned Car of the Year 2025 honors in the United Kingdom, Finland, and Denmark, and also won the compact SUV category at the 2025 World Women's Car of the Year, the crossover segment at the 2024 TopGear Awards, and was named best car under €40,000 in Europe.

The US arrival comes at a strategically well-timed moment. Volvo recently withdrew the small EX30 electric SUV from the American market, leaving a notable gap in affordable compact electric options. Kia itself discontinued the EV6 GT performance variant domestically, signaling a reshaping of its US electric lineup. One variable remains unresolved: tariff implications for Korean-built vehicles could affect the final sticker price, a figure Kia said it will disclose closer to the on-sale date.