Hyundai’s Ioniq family of dedicated all-electric vehicles has grown spectacularly in recent years, but up until now the automaker has focused mainly on mid-range and high-end models.
That is about to change, because the smallest member of the Ioniq range yet—the Hyundai Ioniq 3—is only days away from its world premiere. Hyundai will officially unveil it on April 20 at the 2026 Milan Design Week in Italy, with the market launch in Europe following later in the year.
World Premiere at 2026 Milan Design Week
The model has been confirmed for Australia as well, where it will debut in early 2027. “Our existing EV line-up already covers 85 per cent of the market, and with the introduction of the Staria commercial van later this year and Ioniq 3 hatch early next year, we expect to reach 96 per cent overall EV market coverage,” said Hyundai Motor Australia director of sales David Rodda in a statement to local media cited by Drive.
While the teasers shared by Hyundai Europe on Instagram only provide pieces of the puzzle, the automaker’s Concept Three that debuted in September 2025 provides a rough sketch of the compact EV that’s about the size of a Hyundai i30. The styling will be bolder than that of a typical compact hatchback, with the Concept Three adopting a low-slung hatchback shape that resembles more a Hyundai Veloster than an Elantra GT.
SH Proshots/Autoblog
As it usually happens when a concept vehicle morphs into a production model, the Ioniq 3 will be significantly toned down compared to the Concept Three, though. For practicality reasons, the Ioniq 3 will ditch show car elements like the rear-hinged rear doors, the extreme over-fenders, as well as the aggressive bumpers and ducktail spoiler.
As spy shots have shown so far, the electric hatch will be taller and less edgy, and it will have a more generous glasshouse. Still, it will retain the concept’s coupe-like silhouette. Expect the interior to be toned down as well for more functionality.
Expected to Share E-GMP Platform and Powertrains with the Kia EV3
Details on the production Ioniq 3’s range and performance are yet to be confirmed, but most reports claim the compact hatch will share hardware with the Kia EV3 compact crossover.
If that is the case, the Ioniq 3 should use the same 400-volt E-GMP platform, which means that battery options could include a base 58.3-kWh version and a long-range 81.4-kWh option. On the EV3, the big battery enables a range of up to 375 miles, while the entry-level pack is good for 270 miles (both figures calculated according to Europe’s WLTP cycle).
SH Proshots/Autoblog
As with the Kia EV3, the Ioniq 3 should offer a single-motor FWD powertrain, while a dual-motor AWD setup may arrive later, likely borrowing the EV3 GT range-topper’s 288-hp powertrain that enables a 0-62 mph sprint in 5.7 seconds in the crossover. Until the EV3 GT arrives, the regular EV3 is FWD-only for now and delivers 201 hp and 209 lb-ft of torque.
The Hyundai Ioniq 3 will be assembled at the automaker’s plant in Izmit, Turkey, whereas the Kia EV3 is made in South Korea. Unfortunately, while the EV3 is coming to the US for the 2027 model year, Hyundai does not have any plans to sell the Ioniq 3 here mainly due to import tariffs and a focus on larger vehicles in America.
