Australian automotive news & analysis
Vehicle reviews · First generation (SV)
Research-based vehicle guides, with specifications, manufacturer context and attributed independent opinions.
No cleared manufacturer photographs are available for this market and grade yet.
View the official manufacturer model page (opens in a new tab)The DriveAgent guide
DriveAgent research synthesis, not a first-hand road test. Driving impressions are attributed to their original reviewers; manufacturer claims and overseas observations are identified separately.
The Australian MY26 EV3 Earth combines a manufacturer-declared 563 km WLTP range with a 150 kW front-drive electric powertrain. This guide combines checked specifications with attributed Australian and British driving impressions. It is a research synthesis, not a DriveAgent road test. Overseas equipment and conditions differ; no combined numerical review score is assigned.
Sources: Manufacturer: Kia Australia ↗ · The Redline ↗ · Top Gear (GB opinion) ↗
Kia’s MY26 brochure lists a 460-litre VDA rear luggage area and an overall length of 4300 mm for the Earth. We use that year-specific document rather than treating Kia’s newer MY27 website as evidence for this car. Current dealer pricing and stock availability are not established by the brochure.
Sources: Length ↗
Kia quotes approximately 31 minutes for a 10–80% charge on a suitable 350 kW-rated charger. That is the charger rating, not a claim that the EV3 accepts 350 kW. The brochure lists a 10.5 kW three-phase on-board AC limit. These manufacturer figures help compare charging arrangements; they are not guarantees for a particular trip or installation.
Sources: Maximum AC charging ↗
Peter Anderson’s Australian assessment puts steering response and composure among the Earth’s strengths. For a buyer, that makes the local test useful evidence about everyday driving character. It does not establish how every driver will find the car, and DriveAgent has not independently repeated his road test.
Sources: The Redline ↗
Anderson reports that speed warnings were both intrusive and sometimes incorrect. That is a specific usability criticism worth testing on familiar roads. It should be read alongside the separate ANCAP assessment: the convenience of an alert and the vehicle’s assessed crash protection are different questions.
Sources: The Redline ↗ · ANCAP safety rating ↗
ANCAP gives the EV3 five stars under its 2025 assessment, with coverage for the listed SV variants built from December 2024 and an expiry of December 2031. Its category scores are 83% for adult protection, 86% for child protection, 78% for vulnerable road users and 81% for safety assistance. Exact build applicability must be checked against the vehicle being purchased. The build coverage displayed is ANCAP’s applicability boundary, not the start of MY26 production.
Sources: ANCAP safety rating ↗
Top Gear’s UK driving assessment also emphasises ease of use and a reassuring driving character, while criticising intrusive assistance alerts. It covers British Air and GT-line S versions, rather than the Australian Earth. Those observations offer useful context without establishing local equipment, range or suspension behaviour.
Sources: Top Gear (GB opinion) ↗
Ratings and findings belong to the publisher shown. Summaries preserve individual observations, including disagreement; they are not DriveAgent road-test impressions. Different scoring methods and test types are not directly interchangeable.
AU · en
DriveAgent summaries of The Redline’s review
Driving and performance · strength
Peter Anderson praises the EV3 Earth’s cornering composure and steering response.
Summary checked 6 Oct 2026Safety · limitation
Anderson reports irritating, sometimes incorrect speed warnings during his Australian test.
Summary checked 6 Oct 2026Different markets, different opinions on the same model and generation. Each review identifies the vehicle tested and known differences. These findings do not establish Australian specifications, pricing or ANCAP results and are not included in the Australian review count.
GB · en
Tested vehicle · GB
Model year not specified kia ev3 Grade not specified · First generation (SV) · BEV · FWD
British-market Air and GT-line S tests span both battery sizes. Exact model year is not established. UK suspension, equipment, pricing and range observations are not Australian MY26 Earth specification evidence.
DriveAgent summaries of Top Gear’s review
Driving and performance · strength
Top Gear regards the UK EV3 as straightforward and reassuring to drive.
Summary checked 6 Oct 2026Safety · limitation
Top Gear also criticises intrusive driver-assistance alerts in the UK cars it tested.
Summary checked 6 Oct 2026Manufacturer claims, summarised by DriveAgent. Independent reviewer findings are presented separately.
Kia’s Australian MY26 brochure specifies the Earth as a front-drive electric SUV with 150 kW, 563 km declared WLTP range and a 460-litre rear luggage area. The source is the retained manufacturer brochure distributed through a dealer, because Kia’s current landing page now describes MY27.
Visit the official model page (opens in a new tab) ↗Checked 6 October 2026.
Specifications
For the selected vehicle and build scope. Values retain their original measurement basis; this is not a complete specification sheet.
system peak
Kia Australian MY26 brochure; Earth 2WD Long Range column.
WLTP declared
Declared WLTP comparison figure, not a guarantee of real-world range.
manufacturer 10 80
Manufacturer approximation using a suitable 350 kW-rated charger. This does not mean the vehicle accepts 350 kW; actual charging depends on conditions.
three phase
Maximum three-phase on-board AC capacity. Single-phase capacity is 6.9 kW.
seats up vda
Kia Australian MY26 brochure; Earth 2WD Long Range column.
overall
Kia Australian MY26 brochure; Earth 2WD Long Range column.
kerb
Kia Australian MY26 brochure; Earth 2WD Long Range column.
WLTP declared
Declared WLTP figure: 162 Wh/km converted to 16.2 kWh/100 km. Real-world consumption varies.
approved braked
Manufacturer braked trailer limit; comply with vehicle, trailer and towball limits.
Safety · ANCAP
ANCAP’s SV-series rating covers the listed Australian EV3 variants built from December 2024 onwards, including Earth FWD Long Range. Build coverage here is the rating applicability boundary, not a claim that MY26 production began in December 2024. Confirm the build and variant of the individual vehicle.
Ratings use the criteria of their rating year. Stars are not a DriveAgent review score.
Model evidence approved 6 October 2026 · Source publication and test dates are shown separately.