Volvo EX30 vs Kia EV3: Mat Watson reveals which is his favourite small electric SUV

There’s a huge appetite for small electric SUVs at the moment, and these are two of my favourites. The Volvo EX30 was my Car Of The Year when it launched in 2024, but since then the Kia EV3 has come along offering more space and range for the money.

They both start at around £33,000, but which one would I recommend you buy? Well I’ve spent plenty of time driving both cars for my in-depth reviews, and I’m going to compare them on design, technology, practicality and driving experience.

Volvo EX30 vs Kia EV3 Design and desirability

Let’s kick off with the styling, because these two cars have quite different vibes.

The Volvo is a more fashion-forward choice. The smooth, pebble-like shape makes it look modern and expensive, and it has the appearance of a slightly taller hatchback rather than a full-blown SUV.

I love the “Thor’s Hammer” headlights as well, as the C-shaped taillights look really good. The EX30 is effortlessly cool in that classic Scandinavian style.

The Kia EV3 stands out in a different way. It looks boxier and more rugged than the Volvo, and those tall headlights make it look like a mini Kia EV9. It looks a bit more muscular than the EX30, giving it more road presence.

It looks good, but, to my eye at least, the Volvo is the more stylish car of the two. It manages to look cool without really trying, whereas the Kia is trying a bit too hard.

Volvo EX30 vs Kia EV3 interior: Battle of the buttons

You spend a lot more time looking at the interior of your car than the exterior, so it’s important that the cabin looks and feels good, and is easy to use.

The Volvo definitely ticks two of those boxes; I really like the interior design of the EX30. The dashboard has so much shape to it with the curved air vents, and the materials are cool as well. You can get a hessian-like covering for the dashboard and doors which looks great, and it’s made from recycled materials.

All the switchgear feels solid as well, and the seats are lovely. However, Volvo may have taken minimalism a bit too far in here. You have a bright, crisp 12.3-inch touchscreen in the middle which looks great, but absolutely everything is controlled through it – even the glovebox. It’s a real faff to use while you’re driving, which brings me onto the Kia.

The EV3 does have some handy physical buttons for things like the climate control and some shortcut keys for the infotainment system, so it’s much easier to operate everything on the move.

Despite this, the interior design is still pretty nice overall. It doesn’t quite have the same “wow” factor of the Volvo, but the materials all feel premium and the twin 12.3-inch screens are bright and easy to use. You also get a driver’s display in the Kia, unlike the Volvo which shows all of your driving information on the central screen.

With my sensible head on, the Kia EV3’s interior is a bit better than the Volvo’s. It’s easier to use everything on the move, and it feels pretty posh as well. Despite this, I actually prefer the EX30’s cabin. I think it looks cooler and feels more special, and I can forgive the fiddly touchscreen.

Volvo EX30 vs Kia EV3 Practicality: Where the gap widens

I’m not going to beat around the bush here: The Kia EV3 is far more practical than the Volvo EX30.

That’s not to say the Volvo doesn’t have any practical features. The door bins are really big, and I like the handy pop-out cupholders in the centre console. There’s also plenty of space to get comfortable up front, but the back seats are a different story.

Only children will be comfortable in the back, and the narrow door openings make it tricky to load a bulky rear-facing seat. The 318-litre boot is also dwarfed by the Kia’s 460-litre capacity, and the nine-litre front boot is barely big enough to store your charging cables.

The EV3 has a much more useful 25-litre front boot, and the back seats are a lot roomier as well. Fitting a child seat is a breeze, and there are some clever features in the front.

Higher-spec EV3s get a sliding table between the front seats which you can use for eating or working while you charge up. I also used it as a platform for arm wrestling with the Carwow team when I tested the car, which I won, of course.

Volvo EX30 vs Kia EV3 range and charging: one clear winner

There are three different motor and battery combinations available with the Volvo EX30. There’s a Single Motor model with a 51kWh battery, and that car will do 209 miles on a charge according to official tests.

Then there’s the Single Motor Extended Range, which has a 64kWh battery and a claimed range of 296 miles. The Twin-Motor performance uses the same battery, but sacrifices around 16 miles of range in the name of straight-line speed.

When I tested the Twin Motor Performance, I managed to get 3.5 miles per kWh from it. That works out to a real-world range of around 220 miles. I also tested the Extended Range model, and that car returned 4.1 miles per kWh, which translates to 265 miles of range. That’s about 90% of the official claimed range, so I was pretty pleased with that.

However, the Kia EV3 could be a better choice if you want maximum range. It’s available with a 58kWh battery which returns 270 miles of range, or there’s an 81kWh pack which can do a whopping 375 miles on a charge according to official figures.

But what will it do in reality? Well I drove the Kia EV3 in one of our EV range tests, and it managed 329 miles before conking out. That’s 88% of the claimed range, which is impressive.

When you do need to stop and charge, these two cars are pretty evenly matched in terms of charging speeds. The Volvo can top up at 153kW from a DC fast charger, meaning you can go from 10-80% in 28 minutes. The Kia will charge at 128kW, and 10-80% takes 29 minutes.

So if you regularly tackle long journeys, the Kia EV3 is the better choice here.

Volvo EX30 vs Kia EV3 performance: where the Volvo shines

If you want straight-line thrills, the Volvo EX30 thrashes the Kia EV3. The Twin Motor Performance model has a whopping 430hp, and 0-60mph takes just 3.6 seconds. Back when I was starting out as a motoring journalist that was supercar levels of speed.

That’s what Volvo says anyway, but my specialist timing gear told a different story. The quickest 0-60mph launch I managed took 3.9 seconds, but seeing as the road was a bit wet I can forgive this small discrepancy.

There isn’t a dual-motor version of the Kia EV3 in the UK yet, and power tops out at 201hp. This allows for a 0-60mph time of 7.9 seconds according to Kia, and I matched that almost exactly when I tested the car. It’s spritely enough, but not as thrilling as the Volvo.

However, a GT version of the Kia EV3 is coming this year with four-wheel drive and 292hp. This will do 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds, and I’ll be keen to drive it when it does arrive.

Volvo EX30 vs Kia EV3 price, trims and deals: which is better value?

The Volvo EX30 and Kia EV3 share almost exactly the same starting price, both start at a smidge over £33,000. However, you can save an average of around £2,800 on an EV3 through Carwow. There aren’t any offers on the EX30 at the moment, but keep an eye on our Volvo deals page for the latest savings.

Leasing prices are similarly close. You can have a Volvo EX30 for £385 per month over 48 months, and this is with a £4,613 initial payment and a mileage limit of 5,000 per year. The EV3 will cost you £375 per month with similar terms at the time of writing.

So what are you getting for your money? Well the Volvo comes with adaptive cruise control, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with Google integration, blind spot monitoring and front and rear parking sensors as standard. If you want posh features like a power tailgate and heated seats, you’ll have to pay an extra £2,000 for the Plus model.

The Kia EV3 comes with heated seats as standard, as well as adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and a 12.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

So both cars are pretty well-equipped, but the EV3 represents slightly better value for money. How will this affect my final verdict?

Volvo EX30 vs Kia EV3 verdict: it’s a tough one to call

Both the Kia EV3 and the Volvo EX30 are excellent electric SUVs which are worthy of your cash, but there can only be one winner.

With my sensible head on, the Kia EV3 is the better buy. It’s more spacious inside, will go further on a charge and comes with loads of standard equipment. It’s also more user-friendly than the Volvo thanks to the physical buttons inside, although the EX30’s interior is nicer overall.

So if you’re after the better all-rounder, the Kia EV3 wins this test.

However, the Volvo has more of a “want it” factor. There’s something about it which makes it seem so cool and desirable that you look past its flaws, and I think it’s the one I would buy for that reason. It’s not technically as good as the Kia, but it has more character.

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