Kia e-Niro improves on perfection

EVER since the Kia e-Niro made its debut last year, it has been queuing up to accept awards from well-respected industry commentators.

The pure electric e-Niro won Car of the Year at the 2019 What Car? Awards and has been named a ‘Game Changer’ at the 2019 Autocar Awards. It also scooped the Best Electric Car gong at the Business Car Awards 2019 and grabbed the Eco Award at the 2019 CarWow Car of the Year Awards. Auto Express named the e-Niro the Best Affordable Electric Car at the 2019 New Car Awards and Driving Electric announced the e-Niro as Electric Car of the Year 2019.

But even with an ever-growing list of accolades, there’s no room for the e-Niro to rest on its laurels, and for 2020, it has been made even better than before. A new high specification ‘4’ grade has been added to the line-up, replacing the previous ‘First Edition’ model. Its standard equipment list is lengthy, and highlights include a new updated 10.25-inch touchscreen satellite navigation system with telematics system featuring UVO Connect Services, LED headlights with bi-function projection, ambient lighting and a battery heating system.

Inside there’s black leather upholstery, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an electronic parking brake with autohold, automatic air conditioning, adaptive Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go, a smart entry system with engine start and stop button, wireless mobile phone charging, Apple CarPlayTM and Android AutoTM smartphone connectivity, an eight-speaker JBL® premium sound system and DAB radio.

A full suite of safety equipment is included, too, with Lane Follow Assist (LFA), Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) fitted as standard, alongside seven airbags, including one for the driver’s knees.