Kia priced the cheap one. The 2027 EV3 Light FWD is $29,890 before $1,495 destination. That is the lowest sticker in Kia’s electric lineup. Wind FWD and Land FWD get the 321-mile EPA number. Kia America’s August 12 pricing release is the source. Dual-motor AWD is on the sheet. So is a 288-hp GT.
The price ladder
Official MSRP. Destination is extra. Actual prices are whatever the dealer wants.
- Light FWD: $29,890
- Wind FWD: $34,990 / Wind AWD: $38,690
- Land FWD: $38,490 / Land AWD: $41,690
- GT-Line AWD: $43,490
- GT AWD: $45,890
Five trims. Light, Wind, Land, GT-Line, GT. AWD is optional on Wind and Land, standard on the two GT badges. Kia’s April New York Auto Show release put dual-motor AWD at 261 hp and the GT at 288. Kia.com now lists the GT at 288 hp and 345 lb-ft. The Light is front-drive only, on the small pack.
321 miles, then the AWD tax
Kia.com’s spec page is EPA now, not a guess. Official figures:
- Light FWD: 221 miles, 127/103/115 MPGe. 58.3 kWh pack.
- Wind FWD and Land FWD: 321 miles, 131/104/117 MPGe. 81.4 kWh pack.
- Wind AWD, Land AWD, GT-Line AWD, GT AWD: 280 miles. GT-Line 110/96/103 MPGe. GT 112/94/103.
The April release said 220 and 320 as Kia estimates. The EPA added a mile on both FWD numbers. Add a second motor and you lose 41 miles. That is the usual deal.
NACS is in the fender. No adapter for Superchargers. Kia says 10 to 80 percent takes about 29 minutes on the Light and 31 minutes on everything else with a 350-kW DC charger. The footnote wants an 800-volt charger and a 72-degree battery. The car itself sits on 400-volt E-GMP. Plug and Charge is standard through Kia Charge Pass.
A shrink-ray EV9
It looks like someone hit shrink on an EV9. Star Map lights. Hidden rear handles. Floating roof. Kia’s own April copy called it EV9-inspired design in a small SUV. Five seats. Cargo is 26.1 cubic feet behind the second row and 56.5 with the 60/40 down, plus a 0.9-cubic-foot frunk. Rear seatbacks recline 39 degrees. Drag coefficient is 0.275.
The dash is the EV9 trick: a 12.3-inch cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, and a 5-inch climate strip. Nearly 30 inches of glass. Dual-zone climate is standard. So is a battery heater. A heat pump is on AWD. Nightfall is the U.S.-only blackout package: 19-inch black wheels, black accents, bridge-type roof rails, dark gray cabin.
The GT gets the sport-tuned bits, neon green calipers, suede seats, a 12-inch head-up display, and vehicle-to-load. You can spend $45,890 proving you did not want the $29,890 one. The cheap one still has the dual 12.3-inch screens and the NACS port. That is the point.
At the New York Auto Show in April, Kia said late 2026. Yesterday it printed the prices. Kia.com has a Build page and an inventory link. The cheap EV that is not a hatchback penalty box is no longer a teaser. It is a $29,890 baby EV9 with a 221-mile pack, or $34,990 for 321 miles. Destination is $1,495 either way. Dealers will add more.
Images courtesy of Kia. Specs from Kia America’s August 12, 2026 pricing release, the April 1, 2026 New York Auto Show EV3 debut release, and Kia.com’s current 2027 EV3 spec page.
Leave a Reply