New Kia Niro EV brings 287-mile range | GRR
How do you make your compact crossover stand out in a crowded market? Paint its C-pillar a different colour! As USPs go it’s not earth-shaking but it doesn’t do the all-new Kia Niro any harm looks-wise, and in any event there’s plenty more going on under the skin.
Such as…electrification three-ways. Hybrid, plug-in hybrid or full battery electric, take your pick. That’s just as it was for the outgoing Niro family and Kia obviously saw no need to change the offer, despite the new model gaining a revised platform.
As well as accommodating the different powertrains, the new underpinnings are more rigid and larger than the old model’s, powering the now 4.4m-long Niro into more upmarket territory. It was a Nissan Juke rival but now it’s closing in on the Nissan Qashqai.
The chunky new looks, complete with that contrasting C-pillar and distinctive side cladding, are as we saw them at the car’s unveiling last November, and as they will be this summer when this new Niro family hits UK showrooms.
So how will you take your Niro? How much electricity do you need, a little or a lot? A big part of the answer to that will be down to prices. They have not been released so far, but what we can surmise is that the hybrid petrol model will be the starter Niro and the full electric model the top version, probably with a tag north of the £35k that the outgoing electric e-Niro costs when fitted with the same 64kWh battery.
In the new model, that battery is said to be sufficient for an electric range of 287 miles, just slightly up on what the old version offered. Equally, the car hasn’t been transformed into a performance machine. The Niro EV for 2022 gets a single motor system with 201PS (150kW) with 255Nm of torque, good for 0-62 in 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 104mph. Using a DC charger, Kia claims a 10-80 per cent top up takes 43 minutes.
The hybrids use Kia’s 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The hybrid has a combined 141PS (105kW) from the engine and a 32kW motor, but there’s nothing to plug in and thus no electric-only range – unless you count going backwards. In either of the hybrids there is no reverse gear, the electric motor just changes direction to drive you backwards.
The plug-in Niro gets a twice-as-powerful (62kW) electric motor for a total of 183PS (136kW). It also comes with bigger batteries and a charging cable, and if you plug it in to keep it topped up, you can enjoy an electric-only range of 40 miles. This will be the Niro for commuters in the ULEZ then.
Kia generally has an eye on practicalities and all of the new Niro family can tow, not always the case with electric cars. The hybrids can pull up to 1,300kg and the EV 750kg.
The increased dimensions allow more room inside for both passengers and luggage – Kia’s claim is that the Niro is now class-leading (though that does rather depend on what class you are talking about).
Sustainable cabin materials (think recycled wallpaper and eucalyptus tree fibres) and a good assortment of safety and drive-assist features are other claims Kia makes for the car. They bolster what the company views as an ideal blend of form and function for a family’s first foray into electrification.
All of which leaves just one question: what colour C-pillar to have? There are three different colours available, plus different finishes for the body cladding, to contrast with the nine exterior colours. Orange Delight with a dash of Interstellar Grey anyone?