Hitting a top rank in the market, Kia e-Niro has gained its reputation by offering a Tesla-style extended range at a much lower price. In this fast-moving market new EVs arrive every time but nothing has been able to beat the Kia e-Niro for its range which happens to be 282 km per charge. Other cars that are set as rivals are the Citroen-C4. MG ZS EV, and Peugeot e-2008. This competition also follows in-house with Hyundai Kona Electric, and Kia Soul EV. Hyundai owns Kia. There are also some hatchback electric cars, some of which have been on the market for quite some time and they are Nissan Leaf, Peugeot e-208, Renault Zoe, and VW ID 3.
Design of Kia E-Niro
For someone inexperienced in understanding the design of the cars, the e-Niro may look similar to its hybrid siblings. The reason behind this is that only a few things set it apart which include a closed-in grille, blue accent on the bumper, and slightly different LED daytime running lights.
The same story follows inside, as the familiar cabin is better described as functional rather than luxurious. As compared to other Niro cars, the biggest change that can be seen is the large rotary drive select dial on the central console. Kia Niro has always intended to include EV on its platform but lacks the packaging drawbacks compared to other rivals. This has allowed the EV to have loads of space and is very comfortable to travel in.
Exterior of Kia E-Niro
Starting with the wheels, it has 17″ alloy wheels. The wheels are bordered with wheel arch body molding and a black side sill that runs between the two-wheel arches on either side. The window frames are surrounded by black beltline moldings. The radiator grille comes in the same color as the car and even the high gloss door mirrors share the same color with the body of the car. These door mirrors provide the driver with a wider view.
Moving on to the lights includes front bulb fog lights at the lower bumper, LED daytime running lights in the front, headlights that can be manually leveled and the rear LED combination lights. Niro also includes other exterior design features which are the privacy glass in the rear and at the tailgate, solar glass, rear spoiler, and roof rails. It also has rain-sensing front wipers and Welcome & Follow-me-home Light Functionality. Lastly, the paint is standard and waistline black paints.
Interior of Kia E-Niro
As you settle in the car the Niro is a fair bit higher than most of the hatchbacks but is not as high as the Volvo XC40 Recharge. To get a manually adjustable driving seat with a power lumbar to adjust, one must go for an entry-level 2 trim. A 3 trim provides an eight-way electrical adjustable seat and a 4 trim gets you an added memory recall setting. The steering wheel on the other hand is adjustable to all trims and has a generous range of moments.
Even with the driver’s seat dropped to its lowest settings the driver may find him/herself perched above the dashboard. As compared to the Hyundai Kona Electric and Nissan Leaf, Niro offers a better driving position. The wonderful thing about the dashboard is that its layout is conventional which gives the driver plenty of easy-to-find, physical buttons, and switches to operate features such as the climate control.
Parking can never be a problem as Niro comes with a decent over-the-shoulder view. The 2 trim comes with a rear parking sensor and a rearview camera, the 4+ trim on the other hand provides a front parking sensor and brighter LED headlights as an addition. 2 trim has low halogen headlights which sadly cannot be adjusted.
Moving on to satellite navigation and infotainment, the 2 trim will come with an 8″ touch screen that will operate the DAB radio, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring. Pushing on to the 3 trim it adds a larger 10.3″ touch screen, built-in sat-nav, and wireless phone charging. The 10.3 “touch screen displays larger icons and sharper graphics which makes it easier to find while driving. Most of the speakers in Niro come with a six-speaker stereo. However, the range-topping 4+ trim gives an impressive punch, an eight-speaker JBL sound system.
The Kia e-Niro has an abundance of space allowing for a 6-footer to easily settle in. The broad interior increases shoulder room meaning there will be much space between the two passengers. The same can be said about the rear space as it provides head and leg enough room. About 3 people can settle in comfortably including 6-footers. However, the rear seat does not provide any clever tricks such as sliding back and forth or reclining, and also no ski hatch.
Other than this there is a generous-sized glovebox, two cup holders between the front seats, and a couple of shelves for your phone and keys in front of the gear selector. However, there are pretty small door bins. The boot space is square-shaped allowing at least 5 carry-ons to fit in. The underfloor storage holds the battery and the charging cables.
Advance technology in Kia E-Niro
The technological features include a linked-up navigation system that analyses the route and indicates when to take your foot off the throttle pedal to maximize the range.
Battery and motors in Kia E-Niro
The Kia e-Niro comes with an entry-level 39kWh battery with a 134bph electric motor and 64kWh with a 201bph electric motor. The 39 kWh battery achieves 0-60mph in 8.2secs and the 64kWh battery achieves 0-60mph in 6.5sec. The first battery has a mileage of 140-180 miles and the second battery has a mileage of 252-282 miles. The charging time is estimated to be 1hr.
Conclusion
Selling at a lower price, Kia e-Niro has much to offer. This has already been proven as it is unbeatable by many EV SUVs available in the market. An EV SUV that matches the quality of Tesla and is financially available, Kia e-Niro seems to be a good choice for owning a ride.
