2024 Kia Niro EV GT-Line review

The Kia Niro is about to get critically upstaged.

Not Supplied — 2024 Kia Niro EV GT-Line Credit score: CarExpert

The brand new Kia EV5 is ready to romp into the Niro’s turf with a bolder design and far stronger provide out of China.

In truth, Kia expects to have the ability to herald as much as 850 EV5s every month, which may see it promote 10,200 examples yearly. The corporate bought simply 1000 Niro EVs in 2023.

We haven’t pushed the EV5 but, so we will’t say for certain if it’s the higher automotive. We additionally don’t but know the way a lot it is going to price.

Nonetheless, the Niro is at risk of turning into much more ignored than it already is.

Ought to this electrical wallflower be in your shortlist?

How a lot does the Kia Niro price?

We’ve put the Niro EV GT-Line to the take a look at, which is the priciest member of the Niro vary at nearly $10,000 greater than the bigger Tesla Mannequin Y RWD and round $4000 greater than the associated Hyundai Kona Electrical Premium Prolonged Vary.

Primarily based on a Sydney postcode, you’re a drive-away price ticket of $78,282. Add one other $520 for premium paint.

The Niro EV GT-Line’s price ticket makes it ineligible for Queensland EV incentives.

2024 Kia Niro pricing

2024 Kia Niro EV S: $66,590
2024 Kia Niro EV GT-Line: $72,360

All costs exclude on-road prices.

To see how the Kia Niro strains up towards its rivals, take a look at our comparability instrument.

What’s the Kia Niro like on the within?

The angular strains of the Niro’s exterior proceed contained in the cabin, most notably on the door panels.

There’s additionally a neat alcove within the dashboard with ambient gentle parts.

Kia has sacrificed performance considerably for the sake of favor. The dramatically angled entrance door trims have big slabs of gloss black trim, whereas their ledges are too slim to comfortably relaxation your arm.

The abundance of gloss black trim carries by way of to the centre console, which is nearly completely completed within the smudge-, dust- and scratch-prone materials.

Different materials selections are higher. The sprint high is completed in a comparatively soft-touch materials with a textured end, for instance.

The ten.25-inch infotainment touchscreen has the fashionable graphics and logical interface anticipated of a Kia display screen in 2024, however the display screen itself is extensive but quick in stature.

Oddly, Android Auto doesn’t take up the complete display screen. It, together with Apple CarPlay, additionally nonetheless requires a twine to attach. It’s a USB-A outlet too, although there’s a separate USB-C outlet for charging units up entrance.

There’s a useful EV menu, which additionally features a graphical illustration of your remaining vary – each with and with out air-conditioning on – plus your nearest cost cease.

The digital instrument cluster has engaging graphics too, although there’s no map view accessible as you’ll discover in some rival manufacturers.

The Harman Kardon sound system is great, however there are some uncommon function omissions for a top-spec Kia at this worth level. You get the model’s useful Distant Good Park Help, however there’s no surround-view digital camera like you’ll find on autos costing 1000’s much less.

The Distant Good Park Help, in case you’re unfamiliar with the function, permits you to transfer the automobile ahead and again from exterior – useful if some impolite particular person has parked too intently to your door, or you probably have a decent storage. It appears like a gimmick, however it got here in useful for me on at the very least a few events. It’s additionally a enjoyable social gathering trick.

The rotary dial for gear choice is tactile, and the touch-capacitive local weather/media management panel – as seen in different Kias just like the Sportage – is easy to make use of and incorporates a pair of knobs.

A wi-fi charging pad sits on the base on the centre stack, whereas on the centre console there’s an open storage space with retractable cupholders. The enclosed centre console bin, nonetheless, is on the small aspect.

By way of different storage, there’s a decently sized glove compartment plus bottle holders within the doorways.

Every part feels screwed collectively properly, although the doorways don’t shut with as stable a thunk as I’d anticipate.

Step into the again and there’s a cushty rear bench and loads of headroom and legroom. At 180cm tall, I may sit within the barely greater, firmer centre seat and my head nonetheless didn’t contact the roof.

We’ve beforehand match three grownup males abreast in a Niro Hybrid for a visit to the airport with minimal grumbling, so the cabin is decently extensive, too. Toe room, nonetheless, is a bit tight within the Niro EV, although the ground is flat which is uncommon for an EV on a combustion-engine platform.

There’s a USB-C outlet in every entrance seatback, plus a vehicle-to-load (V2L) outlet on the rear of the centre console.

The latter permits you to energy exterior home equipment with a traditional three-prong plug at as much as 3.6kW; there’s additionally an exterior V2L outlet which you’ll be able to plug home equipment into with an adaptor. There are additionally three top-tether and two ISOFIX anchor factors for youngster seats.

Visibility out the again is common because of a chunky C/D-pillar and a slim rear window. The Niro additionally has fairly a excessive belt line, so the cabin isn’t as ethereal because it may very well be.

Open the powered tailgate and there’s a good 475L of cargo house, increasing to 1392L with the rear seats folded. There’s additionally a small cavity below the bonnet for additional storage.

What’s below the bonnet?

There’s only one powertrain accessible within the Niro EV vary. If you happen to don’t need pure electrical energy, Kia additionally affords the Niro with a hybrid powertrain in Australia.

To see how the Niro strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.

How does the Kia Niro drive?

The Niro is broadly competent with out being exceptionally memorable to drive.

Let’s get the not-so-nice stuff out of the best way. The steering is oddly heavy, with out being significantly communicative.

It doesn’t loosen up a lot at low speeds, with an uncommon quantity of resistance, which makes the Niro much less manageable in a car parking zone than, say, the bigger EV6. We additionally noticed an annoying delay with the reversing digital camera.

The trip can get a bit of bit unsettled on significantly patchy highway surfaces, with the load of the 443kg battery noticeable. For essentially the most half nonetheless, the Niro rides comfortably, absorbing impacts adeptly.

The Niro is fast off the road with out feeling overwhelming, with little in the best way of torque steer. Sport mode makes it really feel a bit extra sprightly, however you’re by no means actually left wanting in relation to efficiency.

The heavy battery positioned below the cabin leads to a low centre of gravity, and the Niro feels stable and planted. Dealing with is secure and predictable.

The cabin is quiet, even on coarse-chip roads or at freeway speeds. Little in the best way of wind and tyre noise will get into the cabin.

There’s a one-pedal drive mode, however you’ll must activate this every time you begin the automobile by pulling one of many paddles. The automotive will, nonetheless, keep in mind your auto-hold setting.

If you happen to’re new to the world of EVs, chances are you’ll discover the one-pedal drive mode daunting at first however you rapidly get used to it. In any other case, you possibly can toggle it to have as little regenerative braking as attainable, making this really feel extra like a really quiet Seltos.

By way of charging, there’s battery pre-conditioning. As anticipated, it’s also possible to set AC and DC cost limits.

With 460km of WLTP vary, it’s basically lineball with the bottom Tesla Mannequin Y RWD which has 455km… however prices round $10,000 much less.

The Niro’s suite of lively security and driver help options work with out drama. We significantly like how the blind-spot function will actively intervene as an alternative of merely sounding a chime when it detects hazard; it is going to additionally vibrate the steering wheel.

The pink gentle/velocity digital camera alert function proved annoying, nonetheless.

What do you get?

The GT-Line sits above the bottom S within the two-model Niro EV vary.

Niro EV S highlights:

Computerized headlights
Computerized high-beam
Halogen headlights
LED entrance fog lights
Keyless entry and begin
Rain-sensing wipers
6-speaker sound system
10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
DAB digital radio
Wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
Twin-zone local weather management
Leatherette-wrapped steering wheel
Tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment
Fabric/synthetic leather-based upholstery
Eight-way energy driver’s seat
Rear centre armrest
Kia Join linked companies

Niro EV GT-Line provides:

LED headlights
Rear privateness glass
Distant Good Park Help
Single-pane sunroof
Palms-free energy tailgate
8-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
10-inch head-up show
Heated steering wheel
Leatherette upholstery
8-way energy passenger seat
Heated and ventilated entrance seats
Alloy pedals
LED inside lighting
64-colour ambient lighting
Wi-fi cellphone charger

Is the Kia Niro secure?

The Kia Niro EV has a five-star security score from ANCAP, based mostly on testing carried out in 2022.

It obtained an grownup occupant safety score of 88 per cent, a toddler occupant safety score of 84 per cent, a weak highway consumer safety score of 76 per cent, and a security help score of 87 per cent.

Customary security tools on the Niro EV S contains:

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
Blind-spot help
Driver consideration alert with main automobile departure alert
Lane-keep help
Lane Following Help (lane centring)
Rear cross-traffic help
Secure exit warning
Rear occupant alert
Rear parking sensors
Reversing digital camera
Entrance, front-side, centre-side, driver’s knee and curtain airbags

Niro GT-Line provides:

Parking Collision Avoidance Help – Reverse
Secure Exit Help
Entrance parking sensors

How a lot does the Kia Niro price to run?

The Kia Niro EV is backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre automobile guarantee and a seven-year, 150,000km battery guarantee.

Kia affords three-, five- and seven-year pre-paid service plans, priced at $706, $1351 and $1997, respectively. Whereas that’s on par with the likes of the BYD Atto 3, it’s a extra typical, ICE-like strategy to upkeep than Tesla.

The American model doesn’t specify servicing intervals for its Mannequin Y and solely specifies some gadgets that must be changed each 2-4 years like cabin air filters.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Kia Niro

The Kia Niro is a type of autos that leaves little lasting impression.

That’s not essentially a nasty factor. In truth, its excessive degree of all-round competence means there are few flaws that linger in a single’s reminiscence.

Nevertheless it’s additionally not terribly thrilling, and at over $70,000 and dealing with some robust competitors, it should have a bit of bit extra pizazz. It doesn’t really feel low cost, however it doesn’t really feel like a $70,000 automotive, both.

It’s laborious to place one’s finger on simply what’s lacking right here. It’s fast sufficient, handles and rides properly sufficient, and has a good quantity of inside room.

It’s additionally extra attention-grabbing to have a look at than the final Niro, which was exceedingly conservative. There are distinctive angular lighting parts, plus the weird colour-contrast C-pillar trim is like nothing else on the market.

And but it doesn’t have fairly the visible influence general of the upcoming EV5. With doubtlessly sharp pricing for that mannequin plus stronger provide, the Niro is prone to recede even additional into the background.

It’s additionally laborious to disregard the elephant within the room: the reasonably elephantine-looking Tesla Mannequin Y, which isn’t solely Australia’s best-selling EV, however one of many market’s greatest sellers, interval.

It could possibly’t match a number of the luxurious gadgets of the Niro, however it affords extra space and slick know-how of its personal. The Niro’s lofty price ticket additionally pushes it up near rivals from luxurious manufacturers just like the BMW iX1.

It’s not a nasty automotive by any stretch, however it’s in an uncomfortable, precarious place that may solely be remedied with some worth cuts.