The Dongfeng Nano 06 offers a compelling package to Chinese buyers at one-third the price of a Kia EV3 in Europe
- Dongfeng’s Nano 06 is a new Chinese EV that borrows design cues from another model.
- This compact SUV closely resembles the Kia EV3 but comes at a significantly lower price.
- Key features include a roomy cabin with sofa-bed seating and a functional split tailgate.
Just when it looked like Chinese automakers had finally retired their industrial-strength photocopiers, along comes a new release to remind us that old habits die hard. The Dongfeng Nano 06 is a compact electric SUV with angular styling that looks suspiciously familiar.
And by familiar, we mean it bears more than a passing resemblance to the Kia EV3, a small electric crossover slated to launch in the US next year. While Kia is still mulling over whether to bring the EV3 to China, Dongfeng went ahead and jumped the line for them.
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The Nano 06 was first shown in April and has just hit the order books in China. To be fair, it’s not a carbon copy of the Kia, but the similarities are far from subtle either. The proportions, the shape of the greenhouse, the LED headlights, and even the plastic wheel arch cladding all echo the EV3’s design. Toss in the 17-inch alloy wheels that seem pulled straight from Kia’s sketchpad, and it becomes pretty clear this wasn’t just a coincidence.
To sidestep any legal drama, Dongfeng has given the Nano 06 a few distinguishing features. There are different bumpers, sculpted taillights, and a more conventional surface treatment along the sides. One genuinely original touch is the split tailgate, with the lower section doubling as a makeshift table or seat once parked.
Inside, the Nano 06 promises a fairly roomy five-seat cabin that can transform into a sofa-bed under the panoramic sunroof. The trunk features a three-layer setup with a total of 500 liters (17.7 cubic feet) of space, plus another 70 liters (2.5 cubic feet) tucked into the frunk.
The dashboard layout will feel familiar to anyone who’s peeked inside a modern Chinese EVs. It’s anchored by a 12.8-inch free-standing infotainment screen and an 8.8-inch digital cluster mounted behind a chunky two-spoke steering wheel.
Dongfeng Nano 06
Kia EV3
Dimensions That Go Head-to-Head
The Nano 06 measures 4,306 mm (169.5 inches) in length with a wheelbase of 2,715 mm (106.9 inches), making it just 6 mm longer than the Kia EV3 and giving it a slight edge with 35 mm more space between the axles. Despite its compact size, the Nano is being positioned as a family-oriented, adventure-friendly option, at least according to its lifestyle-heavy promotional shots.
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Underpinning the Nano 06 is Dongfeng’s Quantum Architecture No. 3 platform. Power comes from a single electric motor producing 181 hp (135 kW / 184 PS) and 290 Nm (214 lb-ft) of torque. Buyers get two battery sizes to choose from: 44.94 kWh and 51.87 kWh. Those deliver an optimistic CLTC-rated range of 401 km (249 miles) and 471 km (293 miles) respectively. Fast-charging is no afterthought either, with the Nano able to grab 100 km (62 miles) of range in just 5 minutes if plugged into the right charger.
Pricing Is the Real Plot Twist
But the real attention-getter here is the price. The Dongfeng Nano 06 is listed between ¥79,900 ($11,100) and ¥109,900 ($15,300) in China. That’s more than three times cheaper than the Kia EV3, which starts at €35,990 ($40,700) in Germany.
Of course, the two aren’t competing in the same market, at least not yet, and if Kia does bring the EV3 to China, past pricing trends suggest it would land much lower. For context, the larger EV5 starts at just ¥149,000 ($20,700) in China.
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In China, the Dongfeng Nano 06 will go up against direct rivals like the BYD Yuan Up, the Wuling Bingo Plus, and the Baojun Yep Plus small SUVs.