Kia EV2 review

An electric crossover from Kia, a company that's pumping out a remarkably coherent and comprehensive line-up of those things, right up to the vast EV9.

The EV2 is the smallest of them. At least at the time of its launch. From the front seats it doesn't actually seem that small at all, and they just point out that from EV2 to EV9, the number is in sequence with the size, and there exists another number below 2. But they won't say when they'll be pitching us a true mini EV.

So the EV2 has a blocky SUV look, but it's only 4m long. That immediately puts it up against the outstanding Renault 4 and stylish Jeep Avenger. Gulp. The Skoda Epiq has entered the fray now too, and soon the VW ID. Cross will join it. Hyundai's version of the EV2 – built on the same platform – is the marginally smaller but notably cheaper Ioniq 3.

Suzuki's eVitara is another with SUV pretensions. Or the Volvo EX30. And as usual you can name more from Stellantis: Peugeot e-2008, Vauxhall Mokka Electric, Fiat 600e. Ford has the Puma Gen-E. And there's the fast-rising BYD Atto 2 and its Chinese compatriot Leapmotor B10. A huge congregation, then.

Full electric only?

The clue's in the name: EV. This is built on Kia/Hyundai's electric platform, with no room for an engine and lots for a battery. It runs at 400 volts but that's fine for a car with a relatively small pack of cells: it doesn't need insane charge power to grab the necessary charge.

The numbers then. The first version we drove is 42.2kWh gross battery size (assume just under 40kWh usable) for 195 miles WLTP range. The bigger one is 61kWh gross, for 275 miles WLTP. Both will recharge 10-80 per cent in half an hour, which is okay but not great; at least you don't have to look for a 350kW charger; the most you'll get is 118kW DC, even if you plug into a post capable of more than that.

The smaller-battery version is actually quicker because it's lighter and slightly more powerful, with 144bhp instead of the longer-range car's 133bhp: 0-62mph takes 8.7 seconds versus 9.5s in the other. That's unusual.

We've seen 3.6 mi/kWh at the upper side of 70mph (abroad, where such speeds are allowed) from the smaller battery, and in our UK test of the bigger battery 4.0 mi/kWh was easily achievable in mixed driving and mild weather. That means it ought to give you a solid 200 miles of motorway range if it isn't hideously cold or wet, and more on slower roads. That puts it at the top of the tree among rivals' long-trip stretchiness. Well, with the exception of the Ioniq 3.

Having launched several EVs with a choice of battery, Kia UK says most people shell out for the bigger option. They see no reason the EV2 will be different, especially as it's only the bigger battery that's eligible for the full UK government grant, being made in Europe.

So I can drive fairly far. Would I want to?

This isn't a car to captivate you as a driver. Performance is enough to keep up with the roads, cornering secure. It's not about zip or feedback. It just gets on with things, not laying any annoying habits on you. Sure, it's slightly underdamped for countryside use, but it doesn't demand as much from you as a Renault 4: if that car is caffeine, this is Prozac. More details in the Driving tab of this review.

Another thing that endears it to us as drivers is the operating system. The display area is well-organised and configurable, and it's backed up (or the other way round) by a really helpful set of hard buttons and controls. No wonder VW is making a screeching, about-turn towards this kind of setup with its next generation of cars.

Is it a family car?

Small kids would be OK in the back, but of course the smaller the kid the more kid-related paraphernalia the modern parents will carry. They might find the boot insufficient. But a school run with a brood of primary-age children will be fine. Kia has hopes of selling it as a second car, a gateway drug to full EV conversion.

Anyway, it's a useful and imaginatively designed cabin, even if you can see where they saved money on the plushness of trim.

What will the EV2 cost me?

Exactly £24,245. Believe it or not that buys you the bigger battery with the longer range – a quirk of the grant rules means the smaller battery will actually set you back more. So, um, don't get that one. You'll find full details over in the Buying section of this review.

The EV2 is a chunky small car that treats the people in front well. It feels roomy there, and drives with the feel of a bigger car. But it suits urban use, thanks to pothole friendly suspension, short length for parking, good visibility and lots of cameras and sensors for manoeuvres. It's well-equipped too, so you shouldn't be bored.

There's a GT-Line trim but it brings no extra sportiness to the drive. That's a pity. In small cars especially, it should be possible to combine soft-ish suspension with more driving engagement than the EV2 manages. The Renault 4 proves it.

Still, for a little-ish crossover the bigger battery and impressive efficiency give you good scope for journeys between rather than just within cities. More so than rivals. So do the refinement and fine ergonomics. A lot of people want small crossovers, and the EV2 should suit vast swathes of them.