Comparisons
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Quick, quiet, cleverly made, desirable and absolutely dripping in style: that’s the promise offered by the Kia EV3 and Volvo EX30.
Both of these small SUVs are box-fresh. And both of them are absolutely critical. We’ve had dedicated EVs from Volvo and Kia before, but none have targeted the hugely popular small SUV segment with such gusto and both brands, perhaps unsurprisingly, have big volume aspirations for these new-generation models.
Helping that cause is price. At around $60K neither of these small, style-driven SUVs is exactly cheap — we’re not talking MG4 levels of value here — but they are playing in a price bracket attainable enough for Aussies to take notice.
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The most readily available right now is the Volvo EX30. It’s Volvo’s smallest SUV offering and, after months of delays, it has just launched in Australia. We were suitably impressed, too, scoring the EX30 8/10 in our first drive review.
The Kia EV3 will arrive “some time in 2025”, according to Kia, with global pricing targeting US$35-50K. That means it should land in Australia between $50-75K which will put it right in the crosshairs of buyers looking at a Volvo EX30.
So which of these small SUVs has the edge for size, range, recharging, practicality and performance? As you’ll discover, one seems to have a clear advantage over the other…
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JUMP AHEAD
Size
Both the Kia and Volvo as small SUVs and dimensionally they’re about on par with a Kia Seltos, Toyota C-HR or a Hyundai Kona.
If it’s outright space you’re chasing, the Kia holds a size advantage over the Volvo. The EV3 is 4300mm long, 1850mm wide and 1560mm tall, while its wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear axles) is 2680mm.
That makes it bigger than the EX30 which is 4233mm long (-67mm), 1836mm wide (-14mm) and 1549mm tall (-11mm). The Volvo’s wheelbase is also 30mm shorter than the Kia at 2650mm, which should translate into less cabin space especially for rear-seat passengers. As we noted in our EX30 first drive, “there’s less rear-seat space than you’ll find in a similarly sized Golf hatchback.”
Boot space is also superior in the Kia. The EV3 boot is an impressive 460L and it has a further 25L of storage in the nose or ‘frunk’ to store charging cables. In comparison, the Volvo offers 318L of luggage space in the boot and 7L in its nose.
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Platforms
The Kia EV3 is based on the Hyundai-Kia group’s now synonymous E-GMP platform which also underpins well-regarded models like the Wheels Car of the Year winning EV6 and the larger EV9.
Unlike those bigger models, however, which use a rear-biased version of the platform with 800-volt architecture that allows for ultra-fast DC charging up to 350kW, the EV3 has a lower 400-volt architecture and a front-wheel-drive bias.
The EX30 is Volvo’s smallest car and only its second clean-sheet EV. It rides on a dedicated electric-car architecture developed by Geely that’s shared with a host of other brands, including the Smart #1 and Smart #3 which have recently been confirmed for Australia. Like the EV3, the EX30’s architecture is 400-volt meaning there’s no ultra-fast DC charging available.
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Battery packs, range and recharging
Kia will offer two versions of the EV3 when it arrives in Australia with two different battery pack sizes.
A ‘standard range’ version will be available with a 58.3kWh battery, while the flagship ‘extended range’ increases the battery to 81.4kWh. Kia says the larger battery will provide a WLTP range of 600km. It’s yet to provide a range claim for versions with the smaller battery.
Recharging times vary between the two EV3 battery packs. The standard range can accept up to 102kW DC fast charging, while the extended range is quicker at 128kW. Both versions will achieve a 10-80 percent recharge in roughly the same time, with Kia claiming 31 minutes for the bigger battery and 30 minutes for the smaller unit.
Local AC charging rates are yet to be confirmed but reports from the United Kingdom rate the EV3’s AC charging speed at 11kW.
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The EX30, meanwhile, has a 69kWh battery (64kWh usable) for all versions in the Australian range. A 51kWh battery is available overseas but the Aussie market only takes the bigger and more energy dense of the two battery packs.
The 69kWh battery yields a WLTP range off 480km in the entry level Extended Plus and mid-spec Extended Ultra EX30, while the range topping twin motor Performance Ultra model can travel 460km between charges. So advantage Kia when it comes to outright cruising range.
Charging times a similar between the Volvo and Kia. The EX30 can accept up to 153kW on DC fast charging, which Volvo says delivers a 10-80 percent charge in about 30 minutes for all models.
The Kia also holds an advantage for aerodynamic efficiency, despite its boxy upright styling. Kia says 80 per cent of the EV3’s underbody is covered to improve aero and its 0.263 Cd rating undercuts the EX30’s 0.28 Cd figure.
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Price & performance
As mentioned, Kia is targeting a US price of $35-50K which should translate to between $50,000-$70,000 in Australia.
Currency fluctuations and supply constraints could wreak havoc on those projections, of course, but that’s the ballpark Kia is aiming for. Local execs have told Wheels they’re working hard to ensure the EV3’s price is as sharp as possible, aware that value is a crucial factor in this segment.
If Kia can achieve a starting price around $50,000, the EV3 will undercut the Volvo for outright value. Currently the EX30 range starts a $59,000 for the entry-level Extended Plus, while the mid-spec Extended Ultra is $66,290 and the flagship Performance Ultra costs $71,290.
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As for performance, for now every version of the Kia EV3 uses a single electric motor on the front axle producing 150kW/283Nm.
Kia says that’s enough to hit 0-100km/h in 7.5sec and sail on to a top speed of 170km/h. So it’s swift rather than fast.
Ride and handling should be a key strength, too, given the strong performance of other E-GMP models and the EV3 will offer dynamic torque vectoring control to further aid its dynamics. An updated ‘I-pedal 3.0’ system is fitted, too, with selectable regenerative braking levels for one-pedal driving in its strongest setting.
The EX30’s powertrain set-up is quite different. Unlike the front-driven Kia, single-motor versions of the EX30 are rear-wheel drive. Outputs are higher at 200kW/343Nm, giving the EX30 a sizeable performance advantage over the Kia.
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Line both cars up at a set of traffic lights and the Volvo will scorch the EV3 thanks to a 0-100km/h claim of 5.3 seconds.
And that’s not even accounting for the quickest EX30 variant. The dual-motor Performance Ultra packs 315kW/543Nm and, thanks in part to all-wheel drive, it can hit 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds. That makes it considerably quicker than the EV3 (at least until its own dual-motor version arrives) and also gives the EX30 the distinction of being the quickest Volvo ever built. It’s also a tenth quicker to three figures than a Tesla Model Y Performance (3.7sec)
Not to be outdone, Kia has confirmed a more powerful dual-motor EV3 is in the product pipeline and will follow in a few years’ time.
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Cabin tech
Just like their exteriors, the cabins of both SUVs focus heavily on style.
Technology wise, the EV3 has an enormous panoramic screen — Kia says it’s “a near 30-inch display” — which combines a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, with a 5.0-inch climate control display and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen.
A 12-inch HUD is also available, as is a Harman Kardon sound system. The EV3 is the latest Kia model to support a built-in generative artificial intelligence voice assistant based on a “heavily modified” version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. And it’s also the first Kia to get apps for Netflix and YouTube, while in-built games are also included to help pass the time while recharging.
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A key design distinction is that unlike Tesla (and now Volvo!) which has waged war on buttons, the EV3 retains physical controls for the cruise control, entertainment, sat-nav and drive modes.
Both cars place great emphasis on using recycled materials. Kia has used recycled materials for the dashboard and door trims, as well as polyethylene terephthalate – said to be “among the most easily recycled plastics in the world” – for the seats, headliner, floor mats and luggage board. All up Kia claims there’s 28.5kg of recycled material in the cabin.
In the rear seat, the EV3 should offer slightly more knee room than the EX30 thanks to its longer wheelbase.
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The Kia also scores dedicated rear air vents for backseat passengers, which is a feature missing in the Volvo.
The Volvo’s cabin is quite a departure from the EV3’s. Unlike the windscreen Kia, the EX30 uses a single 12.3-inch portrait oriented screen mounted in the centre of the dash.
There is no instrument cluster ahead of the driver meaning everything, speedometer and battery charge information included, is displayed on the centre screen. The screen itself runs Volvo’s latest software which is Android Auto based and features wireless Apple CarPlay and over-the-air updates. Unlike the Kia, a head-up display isn’t available in the EX30.
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The EX30 also does away with conventional speakers in the doors to free up storage space, replacing the speakers with an integrated sound bar in the dash instead. Both cars have big and clever centre consoles which offer an impressive amount of storage and flexibility.
MOREEverything Kia
MOREEverything Volvo
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