Kia’s electric compact SUV, the EV3, has secured two top honours at the 2025 Autotrader Drivers’ Choice Awards, taking home the titles of ‘Car of the Year’ and ‘Best Mainstream Electric Car’. The awards, based on real-world feedback from over 225,000 UK car owners, reflect strong consumer satisfaction with the EV3’s value, design, and user-friendly performance.
The Autotrader Drivers’ Choice Awards, formerly known as the New Car Awards, evaluate vehicles across 25 categories, using owner ratings on 16 key factors including reliability, performance, running costs, comfort, and aesthetics. The results are compiled from one of the largest owner-based surveys in the UK automotive industry.
The EV3, Kia’s most affordable electric model to date, stood out among dozens of competitors in the mainstream segment. Despite its entry-level pricing, the vehicle won praise for offering high-quality features, eye-catching design, and spacious comfort that rivals more premium options.
“It may be Kia’s most affordable current EV on sale, but the EV3 still manages to pack a premium punch,” said Erin Baker, Autotrader’s Editorial Director. “It scored top marks for the quality of its features which, combined with a great driving experience, has made it a massive hit with owners.”
One EV3 owner shared: “This was my first electric car, and it really stood out among all the others — futuristic, fun, and full of smart features. I can fit the whole family inside and it’s so easy to drive. We absolutely love it.”
Strong Sales and Recognition
Paul Philpott, President & CEO of Kia UK Limited, welcomed the awards as a meaningful sign of consumer approval. “The EV3 has already won the UK and World Car of the Year titles in 2025, and now this recognition from actual owners via Autotrader adds even more weight,” he said. “Its success is also reflected in sales performance — it’s currently the best-selling EV in the UK retail market this year.”
The EV3 joins a growing legacy of award-winning electric vehicles from Kia. In previous years, the Kia EV6 earned titles like ‘Best Car for Families’ and ‘Best Car for Dog Owners’ in 2024, while the Soul EV was named ‘Best Value Electric Car’ in 2023.
Looking ahead, Kia plans to launch two more electric models — the EV4 and EV5 — by the end of 2025, continuing its push to make EVs more accessible to a broader audience.
With affordability, style, and performance in one package, the EV3 is helping Kia redefine what drivers can expect from mainstream electric vehicles — and real-world users are taking notice.
