Kia's 2027 EV3 is on sale in Canada from $36,995, but Nissan's new Leaf S now undercuts it as the cheapest EV

TORONTO — Kia Canada's 2027 EV3 subcompact electric crossover is now in showrooms, with the base Light front-wheel-drive model starting at $36,995 before fees, according to Kia Canada pricing and a first drive published by Driving.ca. Kia lists the all-in price at $39,744, which includes $2,185 for freight and up to $564 in other fees; sales tax and licensing are extra.

When Kia announced Canadian pricing in August, it billed the EV3 as the lowest-priced EV in the country before incentives. That title did not last long. Driving.ca notes that Nissan Canada has since priced the 2027 Leaf S at $34,995 before fees, $2,000 below the EV3 Light, which puts the Leaf under $30,000 once the federal rebate is applied.

Most EV3 versions qualify for the $5,000 federal rebate, and Quebec buyers can stack a further $2,000 from that province's program, Driving.ca reports. The two most expensive versions, the GT-Line Limited AWD and GT AWD, do not qualify for government rebates.

The EV3 comes with two batteries. The Light FWD is the only version with the 58.3-kilowatt-hour pack, which Kia estimates is good for about 356 kilometres; Driving.ca cites about 354 km. Every other trim gets an 81.4-kWh battery, rated by Kia at up to 517 km with front-wheel drive and up to 451 km with all-wheel drive. These are manufacturer estimates, and real-world range varies with temperature, speed and driving style.

Kia Canada MSRPs (before fees):

• Light FWD: $36,995
• Wind FWD: $40,995 / Wind AWD: $43,495
• Land FWD: $43,495 / Land AWD: $45,995
• GT-Line FWD: $45,995 / GT-Line AWD: $48,495
• GT-Line Limited FWD: $49,995 / GT-Line Limited AWD: $52,495
• GT AWD: $55,995 (factory order)

Driving.ca's review lists a few prices about $100 higher than Kia's own release (for example, Wind AWD at $43,595), so buyers comparing quotes should check the current figure with Kia Canada or a dealer. Auto123 also reported the $36,995 starting price.

The EV3 runs on Kia's 400-volt E-GMP platform and comes with a built-in NACS (Tesla-style) charging port. Kia quotes a 10 to 80 per cent DC fast charge in about 31 minutes on a 350-kW charger. Cargo space is 740 litres, plus a 25-litre front trunk. Driving.ca says Canadian-market EV3s are built at Kia's plant near Monterrey, Mexico.

On a roughly 272-kilometre drive on Vancouver Island in a front-wheel-drive GT-Line, Driving.ca's Andrew McCredie averaged 15.4 kWh per 100 km and praised the steering and the refined i-Pedal one-pedal mode, while noting a little torque steer under hard acceleration. One test drive is not a long-term verdict, and shoppers may want to compare winter range, warranty terms and local dealer service before signing.

Sources: https://driving.ca/reviews/2027-kia-ev3-first-drive; https://www.kia.ca/en/about-kia/news/kia-canada-announces-pricing-for-2027-ev3; https://www.auto123.com/en/news/2027-kia-ev3-pricing-canada/74137/