New Kia EV2 preview: range, charging, walk-around and prices

The next step in Kia’s electric journey is focused on bringing electric motoring to the masses with the new Kia EV2. This compact B-segment crossover is roughly the size of a Nissan Juke or Volkswagen T-Cross, and will rival the Renault 4, Peugeot E-2008 and Jeep Avenger. 

Pricing is due to kick off at around £25,000, and Kia is already boasting its EV2 will pack some impressive figures for range and interior space when it lands in showrooms later this year. 

How much will the Kia EV2 cost?

Kia has yet to announce exact prices for the new EV2, but it should cost from around £25,000 for the standard range model, with the upper-specification long-range models brushing the £30,000 mark. 

There will be three trim levels, with the entry-level Air followed by GT-Line and GT-Line S. Which trim levels will be available with which of the two battery options is also still to be confirmed, but Kia is expecting the long-range pack to be the more popular with UK buyers, so it will almost certainly be available in all three trims. 

If you can't wait for the new Kia EV2 to arrive in the UK, you can get your hands on the slightly larger Kia EV3 for less than £28,000 through our Buy a Car service.

What powertrain options and performance can we expect?

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The Kia EV2 will be available with two battery options, but the larger one is expected to take the lion’s share of sales in the UK. The entry-level ‘standard range’ variant uses a 42.2kWh battery pack that powers a single electric motor on the front axle. This model produces 144bhp, and can get to 62mph in 8.6 seconds – not a bad figure, considering the class average. Range is estimated at 194 miles on a charge, although final WLTP figures are yet to be announced. 

However, the 61kWh variant is capable of an estimated 277 miles of range from a single charge. This is more than most key rivals, including the Renault 4, Ford Puma Gen-E and Peugeot E-2008. The long-range model also features a front-mounted electric motor, but peak power is reduced to 134bhp. 

Precise DC charging rates have yet to be confirmed, but Kia says a 10-80 per cent recharge for the 42.2kWh and 61kWh battery packs will take 29 and 30 minutes respectively. Rather than quote a specific peak number, Kia is more concerned about a flat and consistent charge curve. 

What is the exterior and interior design like?

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If you’re a fan of Kia’s current design language, you’ll like the new EV2, because it takes those same design elements and repurposes them in a small and rather cute package. The overall shape is boxier and more upright than larger Kia models such as the EV3, but this is to the benefit of interior space. 

All models feature full-LED lighting and black roof rails, with an optional sunroof, but there are two distinct looks across the entry-level Air and upper-spec GT-Lines. 

Air models come with 16-inch wheels as standard, with 18-inch versions available as an option. These editions have a sleek look, with contrasting bumpers and wheelarch extensions, plus silver inserts at the front and back. Meanwhile, GT-Line models have a unique 19-inch wheel option, plus sportier elements on the front and rear bumpers. 

Inside, Kia has cleverly used fabrics to keep the cabin feeling high in quality, even though there’s more than a few hard plastics. Key touchpoints are great, though, with a classy steering wheel, solid door pulls and a centre console with storage and a few controls for the parking cameras and sensors. 

As in all electric Kias, the gear selector is mounted on the steering column. This saves space in the centre console, which contains a few cup-holders and a big storage tray. Precise equipment levels are still yet to be confirmed, but dual-zone climate control, LED lights and a large colour touchscreen will be standard across the range. Upper-spec models will pick up lots of big-car features such as a 360-degree parking camera, heated seats and steering wheel, plus ambient lighting and customisable skins for the infotainment system. 

There’s also a few cheeky details thrown in for good measure, including lime-green accents inside the door pulls, and an illuminated ‘have a nice day’ message visible on the door from outside when you lock and unlock the car. 

What do we know about the infotainment system? 

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Kia has fitted the same impressive infotainment set-up here as it has in its much larger and more expensive models. This includes two 12.3-inch displays, one for the driver and the other a touchscreen, split by a further 5.4-inch touchscreen that controls the climate functions. This can be a little obscured by the steering wheel, but there are also physical controls for both the fan speed and temperature on the dash, making it a doddle to adjust quickly. 

The system is similar to other Kia set-ups, which means there’s a clear and logical layout to most of the key functions. There’s a good amount of configurability on the main screen, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are fitted as standard. Kia has removed the embedded navigation on most models, but most drivers prefer to use phone-mirroring apps, anyway. 

How practical is the Kia EV2 and how big is the boot space?

The EV2’s boxy shape means there’s plenty of space inside the cabin, both in terms of headroom and rear legroom – and Kia will offer two rear-seat options. The basic set-up has a fixed rear bench with three seatbelts and a 322-litre boot capacity. There’s an adjustable floor as standard, which makes the boot floor level with the load lip, but the lip itself is quite high. 

However buyers can also specify a sliding rear bench with two individual rear seats. This does limit the EV2 to seating just four occupants in total, but it also unlocks more boot space – up to 403 litres – with the seats positioned all the way forward. Alternatively, you can slide the seats back for more rear legroom when required. 

What safety tech does the Kia EV2 have? 

The Kia EV2 comes with a wide variety of safety tech and driver-assistance features. Precise specifications have yet to be confirmed, but Forward Collision Avoidance, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keeping Assistance, Rear Cross-traffic Alert and more will be available. Kia also brought in a few features that are new to the B-segment, including Remote Park Assist, adaptive cruise control and 360-degree parking cameras. 

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