HOLDING OUT FOR A NIRO
Kia’s all-electric SUV is practical, reliable and a wonderful family car
I was in a tight spot and in a hurry. A van – white van man – had parked in front of me and was unloading.
I reckoned, however, with a bit of manoeuvring I could make it out of the empty space to my left and get around the van – but would this Kia Niro EV be up to it? Ha! Does Lewis Hamilton have a fast right foot?
The dexterity of the Niro was astounding but I should not have been surprised because everything about this latest offering from the Korean firm is tight, compact and incredibly positive.
It is yet another step forward in Kia’s continuing drive towards excellence that makes driving its cars so rewarding.
The Niro is a compact SUV with a sporty-like stance on the road, neat roof bars and an integrated spoi ler on the rear.
This version is the 2, the entry level, but like all Kias comes with a vast array of equipment as standard.
Let’s look, however, at its electric credentials first. This
EASY TO USE is an all-electric car following in the footsteps of the original e-Niro but now in a much more sophisticated form.
It comes with an electric motor power ed by a 64.8kWh battery, which can be charged overnight on a home charger or in one hour and five minutes on a 50kW charger.
This wi l l g ive you a combined range of 285 miles with the ability on board to boost this by means of the paddles behind the steering wheel or by the usual regeneration methods of braking and lifting your foot off the gas.
Amazingly, this results in the range rising as you drive.
The other thing I liked about this car was that the mileage was more or less real-world mileage and not – as in some cases – two electric miles to what would have been one internal combustion mile. Well done, Kia.
Next up – the tech. In this 2 model, that means an 8in touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility along with voice control, Bluetooth, reversing camera, rear parking sensors, a 10.25in instrument cluster and two ports in the front, one for a C-type connection and the other for a USB.
The interior is bright and airy with good visibility and the infotainment system is easy to work.
There is plenty of storage space and the rear seats can go down all together or for that 60/40 split, which is so useful when you need passenger spaces as well as room for the pram.
The auto window defogger is brilliant in the winter and you do not miss the gearstick. Here, the gears change by means of a rotary dial, which is becoming more common in electric cars and which I am growing to really quite like.
And there is plenty to drool over for the driver. There are Eco, Normal, Sport and Snow modes, Hill Start Assist, Lane Keep Assist, smart cruise control, Forward Collision Avoidance and a system that monitors pedestrians and cyclists. It keeps you as safe as possible and others too.
The Niro EV is brilliantly practical and offers great EV range – definitely one for today’s green family.