Small Company Car of the Year 2025: Kia EV3
The Kia EV3 is the 2025 Auto Express Small Company Car of the Year, with the Hyundai Kona and MG4 commended
Kia has hit a hot streak with its electric cars. The flagship EV9 won our Large Company Car title in 2024 and its striking design has now shrunk down to VW Golf-size to create the EV3. The result is another winner, thanks to its mix of long-range electric efficiency, thoughtful practicality and good running costs.
The base 58kWh model (£33,005) can do 270 miles, but spend £3k more for the 81kWh battery and you’ll add 100 miles. It also gets 127.5kW DC charging for a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in 30 minutes. We’ve averaged 3.3mi/ kWh in winter and 4.6 mi/ kWh in warm weather.
Kia’s EV is easy to drive, with great visibility, nicely weighted steering and snappy throttle responses. It also has a broad spread of braking modes, to harvest energy. Motorway noise could be better, though.
Inside, the EV3 packs decent tech even at entry level: dual 12.3-inch displays, adaptive cruise control, heated seats, nav, plus front and rear parking sensors are standard. Boot space is best-in-class and the car’s width gives an airy feel with lots of shoulder room, even if the back seats are better for kids than adults.
Running costs are critical for company cars, and like all EVs, the EV3 qualifies for Benefit-in-Kind tax at just three per cent of the car’s value. It depreciates as well as its VW and Cupra rivals and is covered by Kia’s seven-year warranty. It all adds up to another winning Kia.
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Our choice
- Kia EV3 Air 81.4kWh (£36,005)
The entry-level Air has pretty much all the kit you need; the one option we’d recommend is the £3k upgrade to
the bigger battery. That creates the EV3 with the biggest range – 375 miles. It also lets you add £625 metallic paint without busting the £40k luxury-tax surcharge barrier.
Commended
Hyundai Kona
The futuristic-looking Hyundai Kona, last year’s class leader, gets nudged into silver-medal position. There’s a Kona for everyone, with a choice of petrol, hybrid and electric drivetrains, plus it offers plenty of space and a comfortable, refined drive.
MG4
The budget choice is the MG4 EV. With rear-wheel drive, responsive steering and a comfortable suspension, it’s the most fun to drive of our contenders. The styling and fiddly touchscreen won’t suit all, but the powertrain choice is broad and the biggest battery will do 329 miles.
See all the winners...
Click on the gallery below to see all the winners of our 2025 New Car Awards...
You can find all the information on our New Car Awards 2025 winners and the reasons why we chose them on the pages below. Just follow the links to read more…
New Car Awards 2025: the winners
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Great leasing deals on a Kia EV3 and rivals
KIA EV3
Hyundai Kona
MG Motor UK MG4
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