The Kia Niro is about to get severely upstaged.
The brand new Kia EV5 is ready to romp into the Niro’s turf with a bolder design and far stronger provide out of China.
The truth is, Kia expects to have the ability to herald as much as 850 EV5s every month, which may see it promote 10,200 examples yearly. The corporate offered simply 1000 Niro EVs in 2023.
We haven’t pushed the EV5 but, so we are able to’t say for positive if it’s the higher automotive. We additionally don’t but understand how a lot it should price.
However, the Niro is in peril of turning into much more ignored than it already is.
Ought to this electrical wallflower be in your shortlist?
How does the Kia Niro examine?
View an in depth breakdown of the Kia Niro in opposition to equally sized automobiles.
Kia
Niro
How a lot does the Kia Niro price?
We’ve put the Niro EV GT-Line to the take a look at, which is the priciest member of the Niro vary at nearly $10,000 greater than the bigger Tesla Mannequin Y RWD and round $4000 greater than the associated Hyundai Kona Electrical Premium Prolonged Vary.
Based mostly on a Sydney postcode, you’re a drive-away price ticket of $78,282. Add one other $520 for premium paint.
The Niro EV GT-Line’s price ticket makes it ineligible for Queensland EV incentives.
2024 Kia Niro pricing
- 2024 Kia Niro EV S: $66,590
- 2024 Kia Niro EV GT-Line: $72,360
All costs exclude on-road prices.
To see how the Kia Niro traces up in opposition to its rivals, take a look at our comparability instrument.
What’s the Kia Niro like on the within?
The angular traces of the Niro’s exterior proceed contained in the cabin, most notably on the door panels.
There’s additionally a neat alcove within the dashboard with ambient gentle components.
Kia has sacrificed performance considerably for the sake of fashion. The dramatically angled entrance door trims have large slabs of gloss black trim, whereas their ledges are too slim to comfortably relaxation your arm.
The abundance of gloss black trim carries via to the centre console, which is sort of totally completed within the smudge-, dust- and scratch-prone materials.
Different materials decisions are higher. The sprint high is completed in a comparatively soft-touch materials with a textured end, for instance.
The ten.25-inch infotainment touchscreen has the trendy graphics and logical interface anticipated of a Kia display screen in 2024, however the display screen itself is large but quick in stature.
Oddly, Android Auto doesn’t take up the total display screen. It, together with Apple CarPlay, additionally nonetheless requires a twine to attach. It’s a USB-A outlet too, although there’s a separate USB-C outlet for charging units up entrance.
There’s a helpful EV menu, which additionally features a graphical illustration of your remaining vary – each with and with out air-conditioning on – plus your nearest cost cease.
The digital instrument cluster has engaging graphics too, although there’s no map view out there as you’ll discover in some rival manufacturers.
The Harman Kardon sound system is superb, however there are some uncommon characteristic omissions for a top-spec Kia at this worth level. You get the model’s helpful Distant Good Park Help, however there’s no surround-view digicam like you’ll find on automobiles costing 1000’s much less.
The Distant Good Park Help, should you’re unfamiliar with the characteristic, means that you can transfer the automobile ahead and again from exterior – helpful if some impolite particular person has parked too intently to your door, or when you have a decent storage. It feels like a gimmick, but it surely got here in helpful for me on at the least a few events. It’s additionally a enjoyable social gathering trick.
The rotary dial for gear choice is tactile, and the touch-capacitive local weather/media management panel – as seen in different Kias just like the Sportage – is easy to make use of and incorporates a pair of knobs.
A wi-fi charging pad sits on the base on the centre stack, whereas on the centre console there’s an open storage space with retractable cupholders. The enclosed centre console bin, nonetheless, is on the small aspect.
When it comes to different storage, there’s a decently sized glove compartment plus bottle holders within the doorways.
All the things feels screwed collectively effectively, although the doorways don’t shut with as strong a thunk as I’d count on.
Step into the again and there’s a cushty rear bench and loads of headroom and legroom. At 180cm tall, I may sit within the barely increased, firmer centre seat and my head nonetheless didn’t contact the roof.
We’ve beforehand match three grownup males abreast in a Niro Hybrid for a visit to the airport with minimal grumbling, so the cabin is decently large, too. Toe room, nonetheless, is a bit tight within the Niro EV, although the ground is flat which is uncommon for an EV on a combustion-engine platform.
There’s a USB-C outlet in every entrance seatback, plus a vehicle-to-load (V2L) outlet on the rear of the centre console.
The latter means that you can energy exterior home equipment with a standard three-prong plug at as much as 3.6kW; there’s additionally an exterior V2L outlet which you’ll plug home equipment into with an adaptor. There are additionally three top-tether and two ISOFIX anchor factors for little one seats.
Visibility out the again is common because of a chunky C/D-pillar and a slim rear window. The Niro additionally has fairly a excessive belt line, so the cabin isn’t as ethereal because it may very well be.
Open the powered tailgate and there’s an honest 475L of cargo area, increasing to 1392L with the rear seats folded. There’s additionally a small cavity beneath the bonnet for further storage.
What’s beneath the bonnet?
There’s only one powertrain out there within the Niro EV vary. In case you don’t need pure electrical energy, Kia additionally presents the Niro with a hybrid powertrain in Australia.
| Mannequin | Niro EV GT-Line |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single-motor electrical drive |
| System energy | 150kW |
| System torque | 255Nm |
| Pushed wheels | Entrance-wheel drive |
| Battery | 64.8kWh lithium-ion (358V) |
| 0-100km/h | 7.8 seconds |
| Claimed vary | 460km (WLTP) |
| Vitality consumption (claimed) | 16.2kWh/100km |
| Vitality consumption (as examined) | 16kWh/100km (300km blended driving) |
| Charging capability (DC) | 85kW |
| DC cost time (10-80 per cent) | 43 minutes |
| Weight | 1727kg (tare) |
To see how the Niro traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.
How does the Kia Niro drive?
The Niro is broadly competent with out being exceptionally memorable to drive.
Let’s get the not-so-nice stuff out of the way in which. The steering is oddly heavy, with out being notably communicative.
It doesn’t loosen up a lot at low speeds, with an uncommon quantity of resistance, which makes the Niro much less manageable in a parking zone than, say, the bigger EV6. We additionally noticed an annoying delay with the reversing digicam.
The journey can get just a little bit unsettled on notably patchy street surfaces, with the burden of the 443kg battery noticeable. For probably the most half nonetheless, the Niro rides comfortably, absorbing impacts adeptly.
The Niro is fast off the road with out feeling overwhelming, with little in the way in which of torque steer. Sport mode makes it really feel a bit extra sprightly, however you’re by no means actually left wanting in the case of efficiency.
The heavy battery positioned beneath the cabin ends in a low centre of gravity, and the Niro feels strong and planted. Dealing with is secure and predictable.
The cabin is quiet, even on coarse-chip roads or at freeway speeds. Little in the way in which of wind and tyre noise will get into the cabin.
There’s a one-pedal drive mode, however you’ll must activate this every time you begin the automobile by pulling one of many paddles. The automotive will, nonetheless, keep in mind your auto-hold setting.
In case you’re new to the world of EVs, you might discover the one-pedal drive mode daunting at first however you rapidly get used to it. In any other case, you may toggle it to have as little regenerative braking as attainable, making this really feel extra like a really quiet Seltos.
When it comes to charging, there’s battery pre-conditioning. As anticipated, it’s also possible to set AC and DC cost limits.
With 460km of WLTP vary, it’s primarily lineball with the bottom Tesla Mannequin Y RWD which has 455km… however prices round $10,000 much less.
The Niro’s suite of lively security and driver help options work with out drama. We notably like how the blind-spot characteristic will actively intervene as a substitute of merely sounding a chime when it detects hazard; it should additionally vibrate the steering wheel.
The crimson gentle/pace digicam alert characteristic proved annoying, nonetheless.
What do you get?
The GT-Line sits above the bottom S within the two-model Niro EV vary.
Niro EV S highlights:
- Computerized headlights
- Computerized high-beam
- Halogen headlights
- LED entrance fog lights
- Keyless entry and begin
- Rain-sensing wipers
- 6-speaker sound system
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- DAB digital radio
- Wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Twin-zone local weather management
- Leatherette-wrapped steering wheel
- Tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment
- Material/synthetic leather-based upholstery
- Eight-way energy driver’s seat
- Rear centre armrest
- Kia Join linked companies
- incl. emergency name operate, distant automobile monitoring
Niro EV GT-Line provides:
- LED headlights
- Rear privateness glass
- Distant Good Park Help
- Single-pane sunroof
- Arms-free energy tailgate
- 8-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
- 10-inch head-up show
- Heated steering wheel
- Leatherette upholstery
- 8-way energy passenger seat
- Heated and ventilated entrance seats
- Alloy pedals
- LED inside lighting
- 64-colour ambient lighting
- Wi-fi telephone charger
Is the Kia Niro secure?
The Kia Niro EV has a five-star security ranking from ANCAP, based mostly on testing carried out in 2022.
It acquired an grownup occupant safety ranking of 88 per cent, a toddler occupant safety ranking of 84 per cent, a susceptible street person safety ranking of 76 per cent, and a security help ranking of 87 per cent.
Commonplace security tools on the Niro EV S contains:
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Automobile, pedestrian, bicycle owner detection
- Junction help
- Blind-spot help
- Driver consideration alert with main automobile departure alert
- Lane-keep help
- Lane Following Help (lane centring)
- Rear cross-traffic help
- Secure exit warning
- Rear occupant alert
- Rear parking sensors
- Reversing digicam
- Entrance, front-side, centre-side, driver’s knee and curtain airbags
Niro GT-Line provides:
- Parking Collision Avoidance Help – Reverse
- Secure Exit Help
- Entrance parking sensors
How a lot does the Kia Niro price to run?
The Kia Niro EV is backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre automobile guarantee and a seven-year, 150,000km battery guarantee.
Kia presents three-, five- and seven-year pre-paid service plans, priced at $706, $1351 and $1997, respectively. Whereas that’s on par with the likes of the BYD Atto 3, it’s a extra typical, ICE-like method to upkeep than Tesla.
The American model doesn’t specify servicing intervals for its Mannequin Y and solely specifies some gadgets that must be changed each 2-4 years like cabin air filters.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Kia Niro
The Kia Niro is a type of automobiles that leaves little lasting impression.
That’s not essentially a foul factor. The truth is, its excessive degree of all-round competence means there are few flaws that linger in a single’s reminiscence.
However it’s additionally not terribly thrilling, and at over $70,000 and going through some robust competitors, it should have just a little bit extra pizazz. It doesn’t really feel low-cost, but it surely doesn’t really feel like a $70,000 automotive, both.
It’s onerous to place one’s finger on simply what’s lacking right here. It’s fast sufficient, handles and rides effectively sufficient, and has an honest quantity of inside room.
It’s additionally extra fascinating to have a look at than the final Niro, which was exceedingly conservative. There are distinctive angular lighting components, plus the weird colour-contrast C-pillar trim is like nothing else on the market.
And but it doesn’t have fairly the visible impression general of the upcoming EV5. With probably sharp pricing for that mannequin plus stronger provide, the Niro is more likely to recede even additional into the background.
It’s additionally onerous to disregard the elephant within the room: the somewhat elephantine-looking Tesla Mannequin Y, which isn’t solely Australia’s best-selling EV, however one of many market’s greatest sellers, interval.
It may possibly’t match a few of the luxurious gadgets of the Niro, but it surely presents extra space and slick expertise of its personal. The Niro’s lofty price ticket additionally pushes it up near rivals from luxurious manufacturers just like the BMW iX1.
It’s not a foul automotive by any stretch, but it surely’s in an uncomfortable, precarious place that may solely be remedied with some worth cuts.
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