A slight change of name, extended range, and more refinement are welcomed to updated Kia Niro EV which, being the second best-selling EV in the UK soon after launch, is certain to remain popular.
Family sized and more practical than meets the eye, the Niro EV is a great challenger to all-electric rivals such as the Hyundai Kona, MG ZS, Nissan Ariya, or the Megane E-Tech from Renault.
At a glance, the Niro EV is a decent size and quite futuristic looking. A gloss black C-pillar area, giving a distinctive appearance. The interior offers an abundance of space, and with plenty of adjustment on the driver’s seat, even the tallest among us will fit comfortably.
A more than ample boot capacity is made cavern-like with the rear seats folded flat to offer almost 1,400-litres of dump run capacity. The dash layout and cabin in general is a far cry from the previous model as the Niro EV features a plethora of piano black trim and softer sustainable materials throughout.
A pleasing driving position is easily achieved, and even at speed the Niro EV is a surprisingly quiet place to be. A peaceful and relaxing car, it could get away with much less performance than it offers. Thankfully though, as it is, when you need it to perform, it can.
Given the battery weight, Kia have hardened up the suspension which has proved detrimental to the Niro EV’s agility. As with most EV’s on the market, it’s fairly dull to drive, and on any sort of enjoyable road it’s very jiggly and harsh. Living semi-rural, the comfort and calm on the motorway and around the city is completely undone with the drive home.
All models come with a hefty spec, as follows – 17-inch alloy wheels, auto light control, black beltline, body colour bumper, body colour outside handle, electrically heated door mirrors, front grille charging port, LED daytime running lights, rear LED lights, rear spoiler, and roof rails.
Artificial leather steering wheel, artificial leather storage console box, auto window defogger, dual temperature control, e-shift shift by wire, electronic parking brake, start/stop button with smart entry system, and steering wheel mounted controls.
12v power socket (front centre fascia and luggage compartment), 40:20:40 split folding rear seats, centre console storage box, cupholders in rear armrest, front & rear door storage, front seatback pockets, luggage area load cover, rear coat hooks, rear ventilation duct, and tyre mobility kit.
Integrated 10.25″ TFT LCD cluster with 10.25″ touchscreen display with navigation, Android Auto & Apple CarPlay with voice control, Bluetooth with music streaming, free 7-year kia connect services, rear parking sensors, reversing camera system with dynamic guidelines (integrated into touchscreen), and 6 speaker audio system.
Safety is well covered with anti-lock braking system, drive mode select (eco, normal, sport, snow), electronic stability control, hill-start assist control, intelligent speed limit assist, lane follow assist, lane keep assist system, smart cruise control w stop/go functionality, and tyre pressure monitoring system.
Available in four grades, the all-electric Niro start from £37,325 with the ‘2’ trim which also features high gloss door mirrors, front & rear silver skid plate, all-round electric windows, and cloth upholstery.
Priced from £37,995 the ‘Horizon’ trim adds LED headlights, front fog lights, rear privacy glass, electrically folding door mirrors, front & rear chrome skid plate, rain sensing front wipers, premium paint, heated steering wheel, cloth and artificial leather upholstery, heated front seats, front parking sensors, wireless mobile phone charger. Also featuring is blind spot collision avoidance assist, and highway driving assist.
Priced from £39,575 is the ‘3’ which adds power adjusted seat, and not a great deal else. In fact, it removes some of the features of the ‘2’, which makes it a very odd spec, and a choice I can’t see many committing to when ordering.
Finally, the range topping ‘4’ is priced from £42,325 and adds one touch – tilt & slide sunroof, artificial leather upholstery, aluminium pedals, ventilated front seats, passenger lumbar support, premium relaxation seat, driver power adjusted memory seat, smart power tailgate, head-up display, parking collision avoidance assist, and remote smart parking assist.
All models feature a 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery which weights in at 443kg’s and sits under the floor. Producing 201bhp with 255Nm of torque, power is put to the ground via a single-speed transmission. 0-62mph is achievable in 7.8 seconds with a top speed of 103 mph.
Charging will take 9hrs 25 mins at home via a 7.2kW charger. A DC rapid charge time of 1 hr 5 mins is doable on a 50kW charger. A combined range of mixed driving is claimed to be 285 miles, with a city only range of 375 miles. In the real world of mixed driving, expect around at least 250 miles of range.
Options across all grades include premium paint at £595, whilst the ‘4’ grade can have a heat pump at £900, black pearl C-Pillar at £150, and a grey pack (Grey Seating and Steel Grey Cladding, Harman Kardon System) at £745.
The Niro EV is a relaxing place to be, despite its ride being a little jiggly. Well equipped, it’s a car that does more than what it says on the tin, but without any excitement.
Servicing should be carried out every 12 months / 24,000 miles, whichever comes sooner. Kia offers a 7-year / 100,000-mile warranty (3-years / unlimited mileage).
