Kia EV2 Review: Kia’s Cheapest EV Feels Surprisingly Grown-Up

The Kia EV2 is the brand’s smallest and cheapest electric car, offering up to 275 miles of range from £24,245. We test the predicted bestselling GT-Line to see whether its big-car maturity makes it the small EV to beat

The Kia EV2 is the smallest and cheapest electric car the Korean manufacturer sells in Britain. That usually means a worthy little urban runabout built to a price, with the interior ambience of a bare cupboard  and unpainted bumpers. But the EV2 has other ideas. It arrives with the upright stance, bold lighting and visual confidence of something at least one size larger – and a couple of grades more expensive.

Prices start at £24,245 after the £3,750 Electric Car Grant, and the long-range Air can travel up to 275 miles according to the WLTP test. I drove the version Kia expects most customers to choose, the 61.0kWh GT-Line, which costs £28,995 in standard form and offers a claimed 261 miles. Premium Wolf Grey paint added £650 to my test car, bringing it to £29,645.

Those numbers make the EV2 immediately interesting. The greater surprise comes from the way it has been designed, finished and engineered. This feels like a mature Kia that happens to be compact and relatively affordable, complete with the refinement, technology and thoughtful details we have come to expect from its bigger electric siblings.

Kia EV2 price and range

The UK range is led by three 61.0kWh Long Range versions, all qualifying for the full £3,750 Band 1 Electric Car Grant. There is also a limited First Edition with a smaller 42.2kWh battery and a £1,500 Band 2 grant.

Version	Battery	Power	WLTP range	UK price including grant
Air	61.0kWh	133bhp	275 miles	£24,245
First Edition	42.2kWh	144bhp	195 miles	£26,995
GT-Line	61.0kWh	133bhp	261 miles	£28,995
GT-Line S	61.0kWh	133bhp	257 miles	£32,595

The Air presents a remarkably persuasive case. It is the cheapest version, travels farthest and rides on smaller 16-inch wheels. GT-Line adds the stronger visual treatment, 19-inch wheels, adaptive headlights, automatic flush door handles, privacy glass, artificial-leather upholstery, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, a wireless phone charger and extra parking assistance.

GT-Line S costs another £3,600 and adds equipment including ventilated front seats, driver memory, a sunroof, configurable ambient lighting, Harman Kardon audio, Digital Key 2.0, Vehicle-to-Load capability, Remote Smart Parking Assist, blind-spot camera displays and a 360-degree camera. A heat pump is available on GT-Line S for £700.

Big-car styling in a city-sized package

At 4,065mm long, 1,800mm wide and 1,585mm tall in GT-Line form, the EV2 is sensibly compact without looking apologetic. The bluff nose, vertical Star Map lighting and square wheelarches give it the family resemblance of Kia’s larger EVs, while its proportions and detailing provide an identity of its own.

The GT-Line’s 19-inch wheels fill the arches convincingly, and gloss-black trim, roof rails and automatic flush door handles give it plenty of showroom presence. They also contribute to the GT-Line losing 14 miles of official range compared with Air, which wears lighter and more aerodynamically efficient 16-inch wheels.

At the front, an Active Air Flap balances cooling with aerodynamic efficiency. Together with the flat underbody, flush handles and rear spoiler, it helps the boxy EV2 achieve a respectable drag coefficient of 0.29Cd. There is a 15-litre compartment beneath the bonnet on GT-Line and GT-Line S, which is about the right size for a charging cable and maybe a couple of chapatis.

Boot space and practicality

The manually operated tailgate opens onto 362 litres of luggage capacity with all five seats in place. Folding the 60:40 rear bench increases that to 1,201 litres. There is a two-level floor, useful underfloor storage, luggage hooks and a load cover, while the relatively square opening makes the available volume easy to use.

It should cope with shopping, a couple’s luggage or the pushchair and assorted baby paraphernalia that somehow multiplies every time you turn your back. The EV2 can also tow a braked trailer weighing up to 750kg.

Rear-seat space: fine for most, tight for taller adults

Kia has made good use of the EV2’s dedicated electric platform. The floor is flat, foot room is generous and the upright body provides useful headroom. Rear passengers also get air vents, two USB-C ports, door bins and a central armrest.

My experience comes with a height warning. I am just over 6ft 1in with long legs, and with the driver’s seat set to my position, my knees were pressed firmly against the seatback. My feet and shins had enough room and headroom remained respectable, although I still felt cramped overall. Adults of average height should be comfortable enough; taller occupants planning regular journeys in the back will want to try it carefully.

The two-tone artificial-leather upholstery and unusual hammock-style headrests help the GT-Line cabin feel more distinctive. Kia has also worked in recycled and bio-based materials, along with playful touches such as the words “Have a nice day” inside the door handles. A car that wishes you well before you get out – how charming.

Front cabin and infotainment

Space is far less of an issue in the front. The high roof gives generous headroom, elbow room is perfectly acceptable and the driving position accommodates longer legs. Visibility is another strength. The windscreen and side windows are usefully large, the bonnet line is easy to judge and the EV2’s compact footprint makes it straightforward to place on the road.

The interior shares the architecture of larger Kia EVs, including a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, a 5.3-inch climate screen and a 12.3-inch central touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are over-the-air functionality and seven years of Kia Connect services.

Kia has retained a generous collection of physical controls. The hazard switch sits exactly where you expect, the heated front seats have their own buttons, the heated steering wheel is equally easy to summon and the steering wheel carries proper controls for the cruise and entertainment systems. There is also a dedicated start button, which removes the familiar EV guessing game about whether the car has actually woken up or merely acknowledged your presence.

The interface is familiar, logical and quick to understand. Storage is similarly sensible, with a wireless charging pad, four USB-C ports, a 12V socket, useful trays, cupholders, a glovebox and space beneath the centre console.

The GT-Line has front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. The 360-degree surround-view system is reserved for GT-Line S, along with its blind-spot camera display. Kia also provides useful shortcuts: a long press on the volume control mutes the audible speed-limit alert, while holding the steering-wheel assistance button switches off Lane Keep Assist.

What is the Kia EV2 like to drive?

All three 61.0kWh models use a front-mounted motor producing 133bhp and 250Nm, driving the front wheels. The GT-Line reaches 62mph in 9.7 seconds and has a top speed of 100mph. These are sensible everyday figures, with enough response for town driving and joining faster traffic.

Sport mode sharpens the initial accelerator response and makes the EV2 feel more eager. It has little effect on the underlying character. Normal mode suits the car perfectly well and preserves a few more predicted miles.

The EV2’s great dynamic strength is its maturity. Despite those 19-inch wheels, the ride feels composed and settled. It coped well with wet British roads, remained stable at speed and produced very little in the way of rattles or structural noise. Some road noise reaches the cabin, while wind noise is impressively contained.

Steering feel is limited, although the weighting builds naturally enough through corners and helps the car feel secure. The handling is predictable, grip is reassuring and the EV2 remains easy to position. It is no sports car, yet there is enough involvement to make it satisfying rather than entirely anodyne.

Braking is progressive and the regenerative system is particularly comprehensive. Steering-wheel paddles provide nine possible settings across conventional regen, automatic regeneration and i-Pedal. The latter enables genuine one-pedal driving and brings the car to a complete stop. It is especially effective in urban traffic, where the EV2 feels most at home.

Range, efficiency and charging

The GT-Line’s official combined efficiency is 3.85 miles per kWh, producing its 261-mile WLTP range. The Air is rated at 4.08 miles per kWh and 275 miles, while the heavier GT-Line S manages 3.81 miles per kWh and 257 miles.

Over approximately 60 miles in the GT-Line, including motorway running, fast roads and some fairly enthusiastic acceleration, I used 23% of the battery. That was never intended as a laboratory-grade efficiency test, though it was an encouraging result given the conditions and driving style. Used mainly around town, with plenty of regenerative braking, the EV2 should prove agreeably efficient.

Its maximum DC charging rate is 118kW. Kia claims a 10-to-80% charge in 30 minutes when connected to a suitably powerful charger, while a 50kW unit takes around 70 minutes. Charging from 10-to-100% on an 11kW AC supply takes five hours and 35 minutes.

Which Kia EV2 should you buy?

GT-Line is expected to be the bestseller, and it is easy to see why. It looks considerably more expensive than it is, has the equipment most buyers will value and represents the EV2 in its most attractive mainstream form.

The Air remains the value champion. It costs £4,750 less, travels 14 miles farther, weighs 35kg less and retains many of the features that matter, including the same battery and motor, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, triple-screen dashboard, smartphone connectivity and comprehensive driver assistance. Its 16-inch wheels should also deliver a slightly cushier ride.

GT-Line S makes sense for buyers who will regularly use its luxury and technology additions, particularly the ventilated seats, 360-degree cameras, premium audio and V2L facility. Performance remains identical to GT-Line and official range falls by another four miles.

Kia EV2 verdict

Overall, the Kia EV2 does everything you need it to do, the range is decent and its compact dimensions are ideally suited to town driving. A couple, a young city dweller or a small family should find plenty to appreciate, while larger families will probably be better served by one of Kia’s bigger electric models.

The car’s defining quality is maturity. It feels properly developed, reassuringly solid and thoughtfully finished. The controls make sense, visibility is good, the ride is composed and the handling is predictable. Kia’s seven-year/100,000-mile vehicle warranty and eight-year/100,000-mile high-voltage battery warranty reinforce that sense of dependability.

For me, there’s no question that the GT-Line is the one to get. It gives you a decent level of kit without going overboard, while reinforcing the sense that you’re driving something far more mature and appealing than the label ‘Kia’s cheapest new EV’ might suggest.

Kia EV2 GT-Line specification box

Specification	Kia EV2 GT-Line 61.0kWh
Price	£28,995 including £3,750 grant
Price as tested	£29,645
Drive	Front-wheel drive
Battery	61.0kWh NMC
Power	133bhp
Torque	250Nm
0-62mph	9.7 seconds
Top speed	100mph
WLTP range	261 miles
Combined efficiency	3.85 miles/kWh
Maximum DC charging	118kW
DC charging, 10-80%	30 minutes
Boot	362 litres
Boot, seats folded	1,201 litres
Front storage	15 litres
Length	4,065mm
Width	1,800mm
Height	1,585mm
Kerb weight	1,665kg
Braked towing capacity	750kg
Vehicle warranty	7 years/100,000 miles
Battery warranty	8 years/100,000 miles

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