A Cheap EV With an Expensive Side
On paper, the Kia EV3 is a bargain-basement EV, with the entry-level Light trim coming in at $29,890 before destination. But climb the trim ladder and things escalate fast. The GT, perched at the top, starts at $45,890 before destination. For that, you get a beefier 81.4-kWh battery, all-wheel drive, and 288 horsepower, plus a laundry list of extra kit the base model can only dream of.
But here’s where things get dicey: dealer markups can send that sticker price soaring. In some cases, the EV3 GT is flirting with, or even blowing past, the $50,000 barrier.
One Dealer Takes a Different Approach
CarScoops first caught wind of just how wild EV3 pricing can get. Case in point: Glendale Kia, where a 2027 EV3 GT AWD is posted with an MSRP of $47,385.
Then comes the kicker: a $4,995 market adjustment slapped on top, and that’s before the nickel-and-dime fees – $85 for documentation, $37 for electronic filing, plus $1,995, $149, and $499 for who-knows-what – balloon the total to a jaw-dropping $55,145.
There’s a silver lining, though. The dealer throws in a $3,500 My First EV Specialty Incentive and $1,500 in Kia Customer Cash, trimming the advertised net price to $50,145.
At least you get plenty of toys for your money. This EV3 comes loaded with 19-inch alloys, a power moonroof, head-up display, Harman Kardon audio, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and a NACS charge port adapter. You also get a suite of parking cameras and driver-assist tech.
All that kit helps justify the jump from the base EV3, but it still doesn’t make the $4,995 markup any less eyebrow-raising. Other dealers use their own markups in one way or another, but they’re not at this level.
Kia
Shopping Around Makes a Difference
Thankfully, not every dealer is playing the same game. Over at Miami Lakes Automall, a 2027 EV3 GT AWD is listed at a retail price of $49,032.
Rather than piling on a market adjustment, this dealer is actually offering $3,331 in savings plus $1,500 in customer cash. That drops the advertised price to $44,201 – almost $6,000 less than Glendale’s net price.
Sure, Miami Lakes lists extras like LoJack, paint and interior protection, and theft protection, but these are strictly optional and not baked into the advertised price. Overall, Miami Lakes basically sells the same EV but at a way lower price.
There are also incentives on lower EV3 trims – think customer cash and special financing or lease deals – though your mileage may vary depending on where you shop and what you qualify for.
So, what’s your takeaway here? If you’re hunting for an EV3, don’t take the first dealer’s price as gospel. The gap between listings can be thousands of dollars, so a bit of legwork could save you a small fortune.
Kia
