7 Reasons to Buy a Kia Niro EV Right Now

Key Points

• The Niro EV offers spacious passenger seating and a sizable trunk, making it a great choice for families.
• The Niro EV’s power-efficient drivetrain allows for better energy utilization.
• Despite its smaller battery pack, the Niro EV has a decent range of over 250 miles.
• The Niro EV supports 100kW quick charging, allowing for faster charging times on road trips.
• The Niro EV comes with a comprehensive suite of driver-assistive technologies as standard.
• The Niro EV is competitively priced, offering a good balance of features and affordability.
• The Niro EV features regenerative braking, which can be easily controlled with steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Are you looking for reasons to buy a Kia Niro EV? Kia’s crossover EV has proven to be a popular choice. Potential EV customers are likely looking for every scrap of detail they can get on a potential purchase.

EVs are here to stay, and the last few years have shown what can be done with the full might of the automotive industry driving things forward. With that in mind, is a Kia Niro EV the right choice for you?

This guide will go over some reasons why you might want to purchase the Niro EV. In the event it isn’t a great fit, there are some suitable alternatives already lined up to pique your interest.

What is the Kia Niro EV?

The Niro EV is a step below the EV6 in the Kia product line of EVs. It features similar performance, with the same rather glacial acceleration. The range is decent on the Niro, with ideal conditions netting over 250 miles on a single charge.

The Niro EV isn’t going to be your first choice for off-roading or hauling lumber, but makes for a comfortable and ideal solution for a family vehicle. Kia has a reputation for punching well above its weight in terms of build quality, so the fit and finish of the basic Wind variant are superb.

Specs

Reasons to Buy a Kia Niro EV

Here are seven of our favorite reasons to buy a Kia Niro EV.

Reason #1: The Interior is Spacious and There is a Sizable Trunk

You’ve got quite a bit of space when it comes to the actual interior of the Niro EV. Appearances can be deceiving, and the Niro EV is full of surprises. You’ve got over 100 cubic feet of passenger space, with a further 23 cubic feet of room in the rear trunk.

For a vehicle this size, this is a huge amount of space. The sheer space you get is just one of the many great reasons to buy a Kia Niro EV. It might not have the hauling capacity of something like the Rivian R1T, but given its size and price, it is pulling well ahead of its peers.

Reason #2: It is More Power Efficient

The Kia Niro EV has a front-wheel drivetrain with a single electric motor to power the entire vehicle. Now, for most EVs, the thought is more is more. However, since the Niro EV isn’t having to regulate and divide power between both axles, this allows it to be more efficient in its power delivery.

The 64.8 kWh battery wouldn’t be providing the same amount of range on an all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive vehicle. As such, if you’re looking for an efficient vehicle, this is one of the many reasons to buy a Kia Niro EV.

Reason #3: The Niro EV has a Decent Overall Range

The third reason directly relates to the second reason, especially when thinking of power delivery. You can get well over 250 miles off a single charge of the battery. When you consider the size of its battery against the likes of the comparable EV6 and IONIQ 5, it is doing quite well for itself.

Range is something EVs are sort of defined by, and is a major selling point. While the Niro EV isn’t getting the same level of performance as a Model 3 from Tesla, it is doing just fine on its own.

Reason #4: It Has 100kW Quick Charging

You’ll be doing most of your charging at home, presumably at least. However, when you go on any sort of trip, you’re going to be relying on public charging utilities. Now, not all EVs are created equal in regard to the amount of power they can take from a DCFC station.

The Niro EV is able to take 100 kilowatts of power from a DCFC, meaning you can charge the battery from 10% to 80% in around 20 minutes or so. This is great for road trips, as you can get back on the road that much faster. The fast charging is another of the great reasons to buy a Kia Niro EV.

Reason #5: Kia Has Packaged Numerous Driver-Assistive Technologies on the Niro EV

The Niro EV comes with a full suite of driver-assistive technologies to make your ride a smooth one. Whether you’re opting for the Wind or Wave trims, these are standard across the board. You get access to forward collision warning systems and automated emergency braking.

Kia has also packaged lane-departure warning systems and lane-keep assists on board. You also have access to adaptive cruise control. The full complement of safety features being standard is one of many sterling reasons to buy a Kia Niro EV.

You’ll find some EVs skimp on these sorts of features, like the comparable Chevy Bolt. The Bolt has these features, but you’ll have to pay for a higher trim level to get access to them.

Reason #6: The Pricing is at a Sweet Spot

The Kia Niro EV isn’t the cheapest EV on the market by a long shot. However, the pricing it does have is at a veritable sweet spot when looking at the rest of the market. You’re getting a dependable and reliable EV for under $40,000 when choosing the Wind trim.

You could get a Chevy Bolt for well under $30,000, but you’re not getting access to the same level of features as the Niro EV. The pricing allows for enough features and amenities to be high-tech, but not prohibitively expensive for the average household.

Reason #7: It Comes with Regenerative Braking

Regenerative braking is one of the great unsung features of owning an EV. When employed, you’re getting an electrical current running right back to your battery. Once turned on, you can actually drive with just a single pedal most of the time.

The layout and implementation of the regenerative braking is one of Niro’s strong suits. It is one of the best reasons to buy a Kia Niro EV because you can easily control it with the steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Alternatives to the Kia Niro EV

If the Niro EV hasn’t piqued your interest, here are three suitable alternatives in the same price range and vehicle class.

Chevrolet Bolt

The Chevrolet Bolt is the least expensive new EV you can purchase currently. While the basic trim level doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles of the Niro, it is a dependable vehicle. The Bolt isn’t going to win any speed tests but is a reliable daily driver for smaller families.

If you do plan on purchasing a Bolt, you should opt for one of the higher trim levels, as this gives access to some fantastic driver-assistive technologies. The lower trim levels function like an old-fashioned car, just with an all-electric powertrain.

Hyundai Kona EV

The Kona EV is perhaps the most immediately comparable EV to the Niro EV. Hyundai has one of the best warranties in the entire business, with even scheduled maintenance covered over the first three years of ownership.

Like the Niro EV, the Kona EV isn’t a particularly fast or nimble driver. It does offer a decent range for its vehicle class, and Hyundai’s BlueLink connectivity lets you keep a close eye on how your vehicle is performing.

The Kona is harder to come by readily than the Niro EV, thanks to Hyundai restricting sales to certain states.

Tesla Model 3

The Model 3 remains the most popular EV in the country, and for good reason. While the Model 3 costs more than the Niro EV, you get stellar handling and acceleration. If you decide to choose the Long Range model, you’re getting great mileage out of the EV.

Tesla does have some drawbacks, like the proprietary charging system that only is intended for EVs manufactured by the company. While you get stellar performance, you’ll likely have to purchase some adapters to make the most of charging utilities where the Supercharger network isn’t available.

Closing Thoughts

The Niro EV is a wonderful entry-level EV packed with features typically seen in more expensive vehicles. While it isn’t the most exciting EV to drive, it is a dependable EV that has scored high marks with users and critics alike.

If you’ve been debating switching to an EV for your mode of transport, it is hard to go wrong with the Niro EV.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Grzegorz Czapski/Shutterstock.com.