GoKawiilToday marks a refreshing change from the doom and gloom we’ve seen in the EV industry over the last few weeks.
New York is holding its annual auto show, and while these events don’t hold as much relevance for the media as they did a decade ago, Kia is keeping the spirit alive, this morning debuting a couple of new vehicles for model year 2027 that we think hit the current mood. These are not ginormous three-rows. They’re not even mid-sized SUVs. People have been asking for small cars, and it seems at least Kia has heard the message with the 2027 EV3 and a new Seltos, which will now offer a hybrid option.
EV3
We got our first look at the EV more than two years ago, together with the EV4 sedan. Despite our drive of the latter last year, the EV4’s US launch was shelved. That’s not true for the EV3, which sticks with more popular SUV styling that mimics the bigger EV9. Ars drove the EV3 briefly in 2025, too—check out Kristin Shaw’s early drive impressions to learn more about how it handled.
The EV3 uses a 400 V version of the E-GMP platform that Kia (and Hyundai) have used to good effect in larger 800 V EVs. The entry-level EV3 Light uses a 58.3 kWh “standard range” battery pack. Like pricing, EPA range estimates aren’t available yet, but Kia reckons the EV3 Light should be good for around 220 miles (354 km) on a single charge. DC fast-charging this pack should take 29 minutes from 10 to 80 percent, Kia says.
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Charge ports now use NACS, with plug-and-charge so you can connect to most chargers without needing an extra app on your phone or infotainment system. Both vehicle-to-load (120 V power for devices) and vehicle-to-home (using your car as a battery for your house, which requires a special wallbox) will be available.