Kia has spent the past few years pumping out electric cars like it’s trying to complete some sort of Pokémon collection.

First came the sharp-edged EV6, then the colossal EV9, the practical EV5 and the surprisingly excellent EV3. Now, after what feels like an eternity of teasing, we finally get the smallest member of the family: the Kia EV2.

And despite being the baby of the bunch, it might actually be one of the smartest.

At just over four metres long, the EV2 lands squarely in the increasingly crowded compact EV battleground alongside the Renault 5, Cupra Raval, Skoda Epiq and Volkswagen’s upcoming ID Polo. It’s also the cheapest way into Kia’s electric line-up, with prices starting at £26,995 in the UK for the First Edition model with the smaller 42.2kWh battery pack.

“Despite being the baby of the bunch, it might actually be one of the smartest”

That immediately sounds expensive for a small hatchback, especially given its range the fact the Renault 5 undercuts it slightly, but Kia is betting customers will gravitate towards the larger-battery Air model instead. That version manages close to 280 miles of WLTP range, which suddenly makes this compact EV feel a lot more usable than most rivals.

Tiny footprint, big tech

What immediately stands out about the EV2 is how little it feels like an entry-level car.

Kia has essentially shrunk the technology from its larger EVs and stuffed it into something you can thread through a tight city street without breaking into a sweat. The dashboard is dominated by the firm’s latest connected car Navigation Cockpit setup, featuring twin 12.3-inch displays and a separate 5.3-inch climate screen.

It’s slick, sharp and properly premium-looking, even if the operating system itself isn’t quite as intuitive as Android Automotive-based rivals. Still, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, so most people will simply plug their phone in and carry on with life.

There’s also a frankly ridiculous amount of safety stuff for something in this class. Highway Driver Assist 2, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, remote parking assistance and a full 360-degree camera system all feature on higher-spec models.

In fact, if you squint a bit, the EV2 feels suspiciously close to the much larger EV5 and EV9 from behind the wheel. Which is quite the compliment considering those cars cost substantially more.

Not sporty, but strangely satisfying

If you’re hoping for a riotous hot hatch experience, the EV2 probably isn’t it.

“Kia has essentially shrunk the technology from its larger EVs and stuffed it into something you can thread through a tight city street”

Even the punchier 144bhp First Edition model takes almost nine seconds to hit 62mph, while the steering is light and largely devoid of feedback. Kia has included a Sport mode, but aside from sharpening throttle response slightly, it doesn’t suddenly transform into an electric rally car.

And honestly? That’s absolutely fine.

Because the EV2’s real talent is how incredibly easy it is to live with. Around town it feels light, compact and perfectly judged for urban driving, while the suspension does an outstanding job of smoothing over potholes, speed bumps and broken British roads.

At motorway speeds, it settles down into something that feels far more mature than a compact B-segment EV has any right to. Cabin refinement is excellent, road noise is well suppressed and the overall ride quality genuinely borders on impressive.

Kia’s 400V electrical architecture means charging isn’t class-leading, but it’s still more than respectable. Plug into a 150kW charger and a 10 to 80 per cent top-up takes just under 30 minutes.

That makes the EV2 feel genuinely versatile rather than purely urban-focused. It’s compact enough for city life but comfortable and efficient enough to tackle longer journeys without becoming exhausting.

Big car energy

Where the Kia EV2 excels is in its ability to offer bags of interior roominess and an impressive amount of stowage space in such a small car. In addition to this, it feels like a properly grown up proposition when longer journeys are required.

The compact B-segment is becoming increasingly competitive when it comes to excellent EVs, but Kia’s smallest car to date proves itself to be a frontrunner. 

It’s marginally more expensive than similarly-sized electric cars from Renault, Volkswagen and even sister company Hyundai (check out the Inster), but it offers a little more premium practicality than all of those models.

As a result, this could be all the EV individuals, couples and smaller families ever need, without breaking the bank.