2027 Kia EV3 GT and EV5 GT First Drive Review + Video

Fun fact: the airborne flight from a ski jump lasts five to seven seconds.

That’s about twice as long as it takes a high-performance electric vehicle (EV) like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N to hit 100 km/h from a standing start, which still verges on violent quickness even a few years after its introduction. It also happens to make the 2027 Kia EV3 GT seem slow by comparison, while the larger 2027 Kia EV5 GT takes even more time to accomplish the feat.

But as with that uniquely Nordic winter sport, there’s significance not just in time but distance, too. And where the retro-futuristic Ioniq 5 N has long been hamstrung by its lacklustre range, these new Kias serve up much more manageable figures to go with decidedly conventional approaches to their respective segments — especially compared to their predecessor.

The Right Priorities

Fine, they look a little funky next to conventional models; but both the EV3 and EV5 arguably exist as crossovers first and electric vehicles second, which hasn’t always been the case in this burgeoning corner of the new-car market. That means these models deliver the benefits of emissions-free motoring with minimal compromise when it comes to their everyday essentials.

Naturally, there’s more space inside the slightly bigger EV5, but both offer clever packaging courtesy of the shared platform they’re built on. Benefits include flat floors throughout their cabins, with none of the mechanical intrusion that comes with combined electric and internal combustion architecture, as well as low cowls that improve overall outward visibility.

The gains might seem minimal at first glance, but it doesn’t take much time inside either vehicle to notice the clever use of space, including cavernous cargo and console areas. (On that note, the centre console in the Canadian-market EV3 will match the one in the EV4 instead of the European model shown.) They’re among the ways Kia is harnessing the power of electrification.

Reasonable Range

Beyond how they fare as conveyances of passengers and cargo, both of these new models have been bestowed with a bit more performance bent. While they stop well short of what their corporate cousin is capable of, the EV3 and EV5 GT are better for it, delivering just a little extra excitement to go with more everyday usability than the Ioniq 5 N — and for a lot less money.

While there are more modest versions of both the EV3 and EV5, these GT trims are slightly spicier overall. For starters, they come with two electric motors each and all-wheel drive, while the battery pack beneath their floors measures 81.4 kWh. It means the EV3 GT can go an estimated 451 km on a full charge, while the EV5 GT is good for a somewhat lacklustre 402 km.

But then a more optimistic outlook is that the high-powered Ioniq 5 N is rated for just 356 km, according to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Meanwhile, the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is good to go 451 km — although a recent summertime test proved less impressive. And this test saw the EV5 GT overperform, with an effective range of roughly 485 km with minimal effort.

That’s in keeping with previous experiences with the EV5, including a front-wheel-drive example that offered a little more than 500 km of real-world range compared to its NRCan rating of 457 km. It also didn’t take much trying to outmatch expectations and is promising if nothing else, although winter weather will surely have an impact on how far both of these EVs can travel.

Perfect Performers

Ultimately, it comes down to execution, with the EV3 and EV5 GT balancing good daily driving manners against enough emphasis on fun to feel like they’re worth the price of admission. (More on that shortly.) While neither is brimming with personality — and that’s a problem with electrification at large — there’s a modicum of character in both to tap into when desired.

In the case of the smaller EV3 GT, activating launch control via the infotainment system — and then simultaneously applying the brake and accelerator pedals — means the sprint from zero to 100 km/h should take 5.7 seconds, according to Kia. The bigger and heavier EV5 GT takes longer at 6.2 seconds, which is pretty pedestrian by EV standards, performance or otherwise.

Even when they aren’t driven with much urgency, there’s a sense underfoot of the extra output they’re packing — 288 hp and 345 lb-ft of torque, in the case of the EV3 GT, while its sibling makes more at 302 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. Press the GT button on either steering wheel, and both will silently scamper away with enough quickness to turn a few heads in the process.

The experience in both EVs can be synthetically enhanced, too, with the same sort of simulated gear shifts as the Ioniq 5 N — and, indeed, that’s on its way to the Porsche lineup, too. When activated, the system modulates output the way a transmission would, while using the steering wheel paddles provides the driver a manual override and even incorporates a faux rev-limiter.

Adding to the electronic trickery is accompanying audio that sounds more like a turbocharged four-cylinder than some sort of spaceship. Of course, it can be turned off entirely, but it adds a video game-like quality to the drive that was put to good use while cruising along Norway’s winding Atlantic Road and its eight bridges of varying architectural and geographic beauty.

Norway, home of the world’s first ski jump, is a nation with strict speed limits and plenty of enforcement. From fixed and average speed cameras to active police patrols and radar, the threat of punishment for straying beyond the bounds of the law is ever-present. And while these Kias are capable of quickly breaking the rules, they’re playful on the good side of them, too.

That doesn’t mean they’ll scratch the same itch as a sports car, but they manage to be fun in their own way while remaining noticeably less amped up than the Ioniq 5 N. And while the electronically controlled dampers the Euro-spec examples tested here had won’t make it to Canada, ride and handling has been tailored towards a bit more engagement, too.

Compelling Pricing

When viewed in isolation, the $65,680 Kia Canada wants before tax but including freight ($2,185) for the 2027 EV5 GT might seem steep. But then it’s only a $2,000 premium over the GT-Line Limited trim with all-wheel drive while boasting all the same features — heated and ventilated seats, phone-as-key functionality, and more — plus a notable performance boost.

It also isn’t much more than the $60,335 pre-tax price tag for the redesigned Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid GR Sport, which looks the part but doesn’t deliver any gains over the rest of the lineup in terms of output or driver engagement. And while the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N certainly does, it’s priced accordingly and rings in at more than $80,000 before the government’s share.

Meanwhile, the 2027 Kia EV3 GT is $58,180 before tax — $3,500 more than the lesser GT-Line Limited with all-wheel drive. And like its larger sibling, it comes with all the same stuff but adds dual wireless phone chargers and a head-up display, features not found lower in the lineup. Like the EV5, that’s not an insignificant sum, but then this is an exceptionally unique little crossover.

Final Thoughts

As the auto industry continues its electrically driven transformation, the 2027 Kia EV3 GT and EV5 GT prove once again that this brand is taking its role in what that looks like rather seriously. But beyond looking and feeling pretty close to conventional as crossovers, the GT treatment provides the right amount of performance and driving excitement without going overboard.

It’s a common hazard amongst lightning-quick EVs, which can act as technological showcases at the cost of mass appeal. In this case, Kia wisely erred on the side of everyday usability with both the EV3 GT and the EV5 GT. While playful when called on, they’re as docile as the models they’re based on the rest of the time, providing an ideal blend of compliance and performance.