Hello, what’s going on? I’m not doing a video, but it’s best to experience it spontaneously. This is how it should be. I have to explain everything, right? Normally, if you’re at the level of an editor-in-chief, you can just go with the flow without any preparation. So, shall we talk about what car we’re in? We are currently in the 2V3 GT line, long range, and it has a 19-inch wheel. The regular GT line long range weighs 501 kg, but this one is currently at 478 kg. This is information that you probably already know. Now, we are departing from Seongsu-dong in Seoul. We’re starting from Galleria Fore and heading straight to the Lotte Resort in Sokcho without any charging in between. The purpose of this test drive is to see how far we can go. We’re going to push the limits of efficiency. We’ll enjoy everything we can, and we’ll accelerate as much as we want.

How much will the maximum range be? So, how much range can we expect in real driving conditions? Right, then we won't be doing a range test. I'll turn on the ventilated seats. Oh, we definitely need to turn on the ventilated seats; we should enjoy everything we can. Okay, okay. So, I just got married, right? My partner wants to buy an SUV. There are times when the interior space can feel a bit cramped, but I think the EV3 might have a more spacious interior, so we're considering it as an option. It seems like the GMP influence is definitely noticeable. In the case of regular Kona or other electric vehicles, the wheelbase is shorter. That's right, but this one has maximized the wheelbase for its size. The wheelbase is 2,680 mm. Ah, that's right. When we get in, if we were in a compact car, it would feel cramped, but in this one, we can sit comfortably.

Even when sitting, it's hard to reach, and both adult men are quite large, right? But even so, the width of the car is such that it feels spacious. So when I first got in, I didn't feel like I was in a small car. I thought about why that is, and it might be partly because of the distance to the windshield and the wide width of the car. If we compare it to older cars, it feels almost like a large or close to a mid-size vehicle, probably like the XG, which I think is quite wide. We should check that. Since the width is large, the sense of space is good. Also, the pillars are far apart, which adds to the spacious feeling. The height is also significant; when I sit down, it feels higher than I expected. It's definitely not a sedan feeling but more like an SUV. Now, we've driven about 30 kilometers so far.

Wouldn't it be nice to share our impressions? Ah, but the screen is a bit unappealing. Why? Because it’s filled with two men. Anyway, we’ve just driven 35 kilometers, and as a driver, I feel that it doesn’t feel like a small car. First of all, the wheelbase is long—2800 mm. As far as I know, the Avante has a wheelbase of about 2700 mm. That's right; the Avante has become quite long, but it’s almost comparable to that level. There are three physical conditions that can’t be surpassed by technology when it comes to ride comfort: the wheelbase, wheel size, and car weight. The car weighs, as far as I know, about 150 kg. It’s quite heavy, especially since it’s an electric vehicle. The wheelbase is 2680 mm, and the wheels are quite unique—95 mm 50R19. That size is somewhat equivalent to a two-step class, which means it exceeds the size of a mid-size sedan.

크지, 어, 인치 일이잖아. 그래서 이렇게 느껴지는 감각은 일단 무게감과 큰 바퀴가 이렇게 굴러가면서 자잘한 진동이 거의 없어요. 맞아요, 이게. 그리고 여기 고주파에 대응하는 애들이 앞에 딱 들어갔잖아요. 주파수 대응 댐퍼, 어, 바퀴 다 들어갔어. 아이, 친구, 조사가 미나 영상 준비도 안 해왔는데, 그 주파수 대응 댐퍼는, 그니까 고주파를 잡는다는 것 자체가 이제 잔진동을 잘 잡아준다는 의미가 되는 거죠. 그죠? 이제가, 이제 약간 주파수에 따라서 이런 큰 충격이 있을 테고, 자자는 따락 진동이 있을 거고, 그죠? 보통 고주파를 1초에 열 번 부 진동하는 거니까, 자자는 진동이 자자는 진동을 이거에 이제 댐퍼가 열렸다 조였다 하면서 그거를 좀 더 부드럽게 풀어주고, 이런 기능이 들어갔다. 근데 거기다가 또 제가 보니까 그때 제가 EV3 테크데이 갔다 왔잖아요. 거기서 

It's quite big, isn't it? So the sensation you feel is, first of all,

One of the pieces of information I heard is that they applied hydro bushings. Hydro bushings have a space inside them that is filled with fluid, which allows for a smoother ride. The EVV 3 incorporates a world-first technology where the air vents direct airflow towards the second row, not just blowing straight from the front but rather dispersing it backward, which reduces the size a bit. This design creates a wider foot space. In a small car, having air vents in the back is great; the airflow is working well. 

Now, suddenly, a political announcement is starting. Do you know what just appeared on the screen? It just said there was an accident. It warned to be cautious while making a ding sound. Oh, it happened right in front of us. Didn't they stop for that? The common point for both Hyundai and Kia is that they have been good at making small cars, and that technology is evident in the 23 model.

I think the packaging is really well done. A while ago, I drove a Polestar, and it felt so cramped. I wondered why, in an electric car, there’s nothing in the back—no drive shaft, no exhaust. It was frustrating. Yes, exactly. And as the air conditioning unit has become thinner, the legroom, especially in the back, has increased by about 6 cm. It’s really spacious now. Right now, I’m going around a ramp, and the steering feels a bit different from existing domestic cars; it feels a bit firmer. The cowl crossbar has increased rigidity. The cowl crossbar is like the framework inside the dashboard that runs across, supporting the dashboard on top. If there were no cowl crossbar, it would...

I need to hold on, but by increasing the rigidity, it reduces the vibrations in this handle and makes it feel firmer and more responsive when moving the handle. So, how does it feel to drive so far? Does the seat position look okay? This car has a lot of telescopic adjustment. Domestic cars usually don't have a wide range of telescopic adjustment. When you drive a BMW, the telescopic adjustment can extend quite far. But this one seems to have enough range, and I think it's good. The feeling of going over bumps is also nice. And now, I think we've talked about the efficiency; currently, it's at 54 km. While talking, we've covered about 24 to 20 km, and the efficiency is recording at 7.2. It has a certified efficiency of 5.1 for the 19-inch model, which is quite impressive.

I didn't even step on it. The moment I heard that, I thought I would try running a 7.0 winding while going uphill. But I won't be going too fast. The normal mode feels a bit stiff, but it's okay. Oh, it's wet right now, so I shouldn't be driving. The DC engages very smoothly. Oh, I couldn't feel it from the side. I'm still a beginner, that's why. Oh, it's a bit scary; I can't feel the limits of the front wheels. Oh, I see, it lifted a bit, but it also feels a bit like the rear wheels are involved. Oh, that's nice. Now there's a hairpin turn. Oh, it holds up well. It really holds up well. I need to check what kind of tires there are, but the suspension feels a bit soft. It is a bit soft, but it's designed for the American market, so even though it's a small car, the ride quality is good. Oh, the ride quality is nice.

That's a comparison of how Toyota has succeeded. Even small cars have good ride comfort. Compact and mid-size cars have ride comfort comparable to other companies' mid-size and large cars. Now, the 2023 model has been released targeting that market, and it has excellent ride quality. So, there is some rolling, but the posture is good, and the center of gravity is low because a large battery is placed at the bottom of the small car, making it very stable. Just now, we experienced a bit of winding. Now, I am driving. Before we got here, I asked our colleague to sit in the back seat for a moment. How was the feeling? The back seat is definitely tight, but there is still enough headroom, and the seat position is good. Above all, reclining is a significant advantage in this class, as the feet can slide under the seat.

The legroom is a bit larger, and there’s a flat area in the back, along with space under the console for the rear seats. It can fit about a 1.5L drink, so it’s quite spacious and deep. When only the second row is occupied, it’s okay to ride in; it’s just average. However, when I sit in the first row, I can definitely feel the vibrations. My hips are almost in a straight line with the rear axle, just slightly in front, right? So, I can feel the vibrations from the rear wheels directly. And there’s that center armrest; it’s a big deal that the basic model comes with that as an option. Especially, it’s one of the bad habits of Hyundai and Kia from back in the day. Overall, I think it’s worth evaluating. Earlier, the person in front turned off the regenerative braking and drove, but I’m using regenerative braking instead.

I also turned on the driver assistance equipment. Earlier, I was surprised that even though the EV3 is a lower class vehicle, it has direct detection capabilities. Just placing my hand on it allows it to recognize my hand. This is quite remarkable, especially since the model was first introduced in 1990, and the Grandeur has also incorporated this feature for 2025. I find it surprising that such a low-class vehicle has this capability. The EV3 includes a feature called regenerative braking 3.0. Are you familiar with the characteristics of 3.0? Originally, the i-Pedal could only be used at the end of regenerative braking, but now we can use level 1, level 2, and level 3 i-Pedal. This means that even if we lift our foot off the accelerator, we can still manage it separately. What we want to explain further is the regenerative braking system 3.0.

What this is, is that this isn't the first time; it was also included in the G80. When there is a car in front, it automatically engages regenerative braking. However, now it incorporates navigation information, such as speed bumps, cornering, and speed cameras, and it recognizes all of these to activate the regenerative braking system. In Europe, it can also recognize traffic signs and roundabouts. Since there aren't many roundabouts in our country, that feature has been omitted. Based on the road information, it can use the regenerative braking in auto mode. Each brand has a different name for this feature, which can be quite confusing for us when explaining it. You can understand it as a regenerative braking system that utilizes adaptive cruise control. You're quite smart! So, like this...

The reason the editor mentioned earlier that I prefer not to use regenerative braking is that when there is no car in front of me, I think gliding would be more efficient. So, when I drive in auto mode and there is no car ahead, I glide without pressing anything, and my speed gradually decreases. In this state, if I press the accelerator pedal and a car appears in front of me, the speed will automatically decrease using regenerative braking, which increases energy recovery. This way, I can save battery and travel further. 

The car we are currently driving is the N2 V3 GT line, a fully loaded model. Yes, the price after tax is 4,502,000 won. If I add all the options, how much will it be for the fully loaded version?

The price is 4,500, which is the total cost for everything. I included everything, and surprisingly, it's not that expensive. However, I actually prefer the version without options. Many people expressed their opinions earlier at the destination, saying that they wouldn't buy the GT1 because they thought the regular version looked better. There were quite a few comments like that. We also talked about the wheels. The difference between the regular version and the GT line is quite noticeable, especially in the bumper design and the wheels. The plastic garnish on the regular version is just plain plastic, while this one has black high-gloss plastic. So, there's a significant difference there. Personally, I think the regular plastic looks cooler than the black high-gloss. Anyway, we are now heading to our destination.

As we are almost done, I need to draw some conclusions. When I came to test drive the EV3, I had some personal desires as well. After all, I am in the process of deciding whether to buy it as a family car. I was wondering if it would be practical for newlywed couples like us, or couples with just one child. I thought that if it’s at this level, it could be an excellent option. 

If I may add my comments, I believe it is the most reasonable electric car at the moment. It uses the GMP platform, supports 350 kW charging, and has a spacious interior while still being compact. It has high efficiency and comes with a solid battery. The solid-state battery is said to have 22% better efficiency, which is impressive. The energy density is also noteworthy. Anyway, considering the current price and the benefits, even the base model is quite good, with features like ventilated seats and more.

When you get in, that's right, almost everything you need for the electronic system fits perfectly. I originally wanted to buy the Ioniq 5, but I couldn't get past the Ioniq 3M wheelbase. It's true that a small car like this can bring great joy. As we mentioned earlier, the Tico advertisement says, Small car, big joy, and I think that catchphrase should be used here. It seems like a very smart car that has solved all the limitations of a small car. I also feel like it has overcome the limitations of electric vehicles, such as high prices and short driving ranges. However, there are still some disappointing aspects. This, this, and this—why does this lid open for no reason? What is this, castanets? It's like a girlfriend who hasn't married yet. Just open it right here.

I did it, and there was exactly a ring. Yes, back in the day, Chevrolet was just like this. If you finish it like this, it's fine. I've said everything I needed to say, but...

[탑기어 최초시승] 기아 EV3, 패밀라카로 괜찮을까?

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