The Kia Niro is about to get significantly 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.
In reality, Kia expects to have the ability to herald as much as 850 EV5s every month, which might see it promote 10,200 examples yearly. The corporate bought simply 1000 Niro EVs in 2023.
We haven’t pushed the EV5 but, so we will’t say for certain if it’s the higher automotive. We additionally don’t but understand how a lot it’s going to value.
However, the Niro is at risk of changing into much more missed than it already is.
Ought to this electrical wallflower be in your shortlist?
How a lot does the Kia Niro value?
We’ve put the Niro EV GT-Line to the check, 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 mild parts.
Kia has sacrificed performance considerably for the sake of favor. The dramatically angled entrance door trims have large slabs of gloss black trim, whereas their ledges are too slender to comfortably relaxation your arm.
The abundance of gloss black trim carries by to the centre console, which is sort of completely completed within the smudge-, dust- and scratch-prone materials.
Different materials decisions are higher. The sprint prime is completed in a comparatively soft-touch materials with a textured end, for instance.
The ten.25-inch infotainment touchscreen has the fashionable graphics and logical interface anticipated of a Kia display in 2024, however the display itself is large but brief in stature.
Oddly, Android Auto doesn’t take up the total display. It, together with Apple CarPlay, additionally nonetheless requires a wire to attach. It’s a USB-A outlet too, although there’s a separate USB-C outlet for charging gadgets 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 enticing graphics too, although there’s no map view accessible 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 value level. You get the model’s helpful Distant Good Park Help, however there’s no surround-view digital camera like yow will discover on automobiles costing hundreds much less.
The Distant Good Park Help, when you’re unfamiliar with the characteristic, means that you can transfer the automobile ahead and again from outdoors – helpful if some impolite particular person has parked too carefully to your door, or if in case you have a good storage. It seems like a gimmick, however it got here in helpful for me on a minimum of a few events. It’s additionally a enjoyable occasion 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 includes 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, nevertheless, is on the small facet.
By way of different storage, there’s a decently sized glove compartment plus bottle holders within the doorways.
All the pieces feels screwed collectively properly, although the doorways don’t shut with as stable a thunk as I’d anticipate.
Step into the again and there’s a cushty rear bench and loads of headroom and legroom. At 180cm tall, I might sit within the barely larger, 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, nevertheless, 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 be able to plug home equipment into with an adaptor. There are additionally three top-tether and two ISOFIX anchor factors for youngster seats.
Visibility out the again is common due to 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 could possibly be.
Open the powered tailgate and there’s a good 475L of cargo area, increasing to 1392L with the rear seats folded. There’s additionally a small cavity below the bonnet for additional storage.
What’s below the bonnet?
There’s only one powertrain accessible within the Niro EV vary. Should you don’t need pure electrical energy, Kia additionally provides the Niro with a hybrid powertrain in Australia.
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 significantly 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 digital camera.
The experience can get just a little bit unsettled on significantly patchy street surfaces, with the load of the 443kg battery noticeable. For essentially the most half nevertheless, 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 on the subject of efficiency.
The heavy battery positioned below the cabin ends in a low centre of gravity, and the Niro feels stable 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 have to activate this every time you begin the automobile by pulling one of many paddles. The automotive will, nevertheless, bear in mind your auto-hold setting.
Should you’re new to the world of EVs, chances are you’ll discover the one-pedal drive mode daunting at first however you rapidly get used to it. In any other case, you’ll be able to toggle it to have as little regenerative braking as potential, making this really feel extra like a really quiet Seltos.
By way of charging, there’s battery pre-conditioning. As anticipated, you may as well 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 energetic security and driver help options work with out drama. We significantly like how the blind-spot characteristic will actively intervene as an alternative of merely sounding a chime when it detects hazard; it’s going to additionally vibrate the steering wheel.
The crimson mild/pace digital camera alert characteristic proved annoying, nevertheless.
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 related providers
Niro EV GT-Line provides:
- LED headlights
- Rear privateness glass
- Distant Good Park Help
- Single-pane sunroof
- Palms-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 cellphone charger
Is the Kia Niro secure?
The Kia Niro EV has a five-star security score from ANCAP, primarily based on testing carried out in 2022.
It acquired an grownup occupant safety score of 88 per cent, a baby occupant safety score of 84 per cent, a weak street consumer safety score of 76 per cent, and a security help score of 87 per cent.
Commonplace security tools on the Niro EV S contains:
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- 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 digital camera
- 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 value 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 provides 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 strategy to upkeep than Tesla.
The American model doesn’t specify servicing intervals for its Mannequin Y and solely specifies some gadgets that have to 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. In reality, 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 dealing with some powerful competitors, it must have just a little bit extra pizazz. It doesn’t really feel low cost, however it 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 properly sufficient, and has a good quantity of inside room.
It’s additionally extra fascinating to take a look at than the final Niro, which was exceedingly conservative. There are distinctive angular lighting parts, plus the weird colour-contrast C-pillar trim is like nothing else on the market.
And but it doesn’t have fairly the visible influence general of the upcoming EV5. With doubtlessly sharp pricing for that mannequin plus stronger provide, the Niro is prone to recede even additional into the background.
It’s additionally onerous to disregard the elephant within the room: the relatively 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’t match a few of the luxurious gadgets of the Niro, however it provides more room and slick know-how 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, however it’s in an uncomfortable, precarious place that may solely be remedied with some value cuts.
MORE: Purchase a Kia NiroMORE: All the pieces Kia Niro
Execs
- Unintimidating to drive
- V2L functionality
- Neatly packaged
Cons
- Inside a sea of gloss black plastic
- Up in opposition to some powerful competitors
- No surround-view digital camera
Prime Line Specs
- Energy: 150kW
- Gasoline Sort: Electrical
- Financial system: 0.0L/100km
- CO2 Emissions: 0g/km
- ANCAP Security Score: 5