Renault Captur vs Kia EV3
Figures updated
The Kia EV3 is a new rival to the Renault Captur, one of the UK's most popular small SUVs. We compare the Mk2 (2019–) Captur and the Mk1 (2024–) EV3 on price, size, boot space, performance, safety, official economy and running costs.
The short answer
Pick the Renault Captur for the lower price and the bigger boot, or the Kia EV3 for more performance.
- The Renault Captur is the cheapest to buy new: from £22,495, £10,560 less than the Kia EV3.
- The Renault Captur has the biggest boot: 484 litres, 24 more than the Kia EV3.
- No MOT reliability comparison yet: the Kia EV3 is too new for MOT records (cars first take an MOT at three years old).
- Watch the suspension on a Renault Captur: it fails on them 1.8 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Renault CapturMk2 (2019–), 5-door SUV | Kia EV3Mk1 (2024–), 5-door SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £22,495 to £29,395July 2026 price list (best) | £33,055 to £48,695October 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door SUV | 5-door SUV |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 484 litres / 1,596 (best) | 460 litres |
| Length | 4,239mm | 4,300mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | – | 1,850mm |
| Height | 1,575mm | 1,560mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 115–160 PS | 204–292 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 8.9–12.1 sec | 5.7–7.9 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2024) | ★★★★★ (2025) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Electric |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 47.1–65.7 mpg | – |
| CO2 | 30–135 g/km | – |
| Electric range | – | 271–375 miles |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.7p a litre, today's UK average | £994 (58.9 mpg) | – |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,148 (58.9 mpg) | – |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | – | £548 (4 mi/kWh) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £994 (petrol) | £548 (electric) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 89Below average | Too new for MOT data |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 22.6% | – |
| Failed at 3 years old | 9.0% | – |
| Failed at 5 years old | 16.8% | – |
| Failed at 10 years old | 37.3% | – |
| Most common MOT fault | Ball joint (3.6% of tests) | – |
| Fails more than average on | Suspension (1.8×), Body and structure (1.4×) | – |
| MOT tests analysed | 150,797 | – |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Small SUV | Small SUV |
| Owners' average miles a year | 7,100 | – |
| On sale | 2019 on | 2024 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Renault Captur or the Kia EV3 more reliable?
It's too early to say from MOT records: the Kia EV3 is too new, as cars take their first MOT at three years old. The Renault Captur has a reliability score of 89 (100 is average) from 150,797 MOT tests in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Renault Captur or the Kia EV3?
The Kia EV3 is 61mm longer (4,300mm against 4,239mm). The Renault Captur has the bigger boot: 484 litres against 460.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Renault Captur or the Kia EV3?
The Renault Captur: new prices start at £22,495, £10,560 less than the Kia EV3 (from £33,055). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is safer, the Renault Captur or the Kia EV3?
Euro NCAP gave the Renault Captur 4 stars (2024) and the Kia EV3 4 stars (2025). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Renault Captur or the Kia EV3?
Pick the Renault Captur for the lower price and the bigger boot, or the Kia EV3 for more performance. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.