Kia e-Niro (2017-2022) review
The Kia e-Niro is the best do-it-all EV in its class, with practicality, performance and range all in its favour
The Kia e-Niro is one of the very best electric cars on sale, combining impressive range, strong performance and decent levels of comfort and refinement. Kia claims a range of 282 miles – something that should be achievable with a light foot.
The Hyundai Kona Electric runs the e-Niro close thanks to its near-identical underpinnings and arguably more interesting design, but the Kia is more practical, with a big boot and lots of space for passengers. For many, the e-Niro could easily replace a small family SUV powered by a traditional internal combustion engine – there are almost no drawbacks for lower-mileage users.
About the Kia e-Niro
The Kia Niro is a small family SUV that’s always been all about electrification. The Niro Self-Charging Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid use a combination of petrol power and electric motors to cut emissions and running costs, but it’s the all-electric e-Niro that’s the real star of the range when it comes to efficiency.
Kia designed the Niro to accept an EV drivetrain from the outset, which means the e-Niro is a well resolved proposition. Its large battery sits under the floor so not to reduce boot space, the car handles very well and is one of the most comfortable in its class, regardless of powertrain.
Kia offers two battery options for the e-Niro, each powering a single electric motor. The entry-level 39kWh version produces 134bhp, with a range of 180 miles, while the 64kWh variant delivers 201bhp and manages to return a claimed range of 282 miles from a single charge. The smaller battery can be charged in six hours and 10 minutes via a 7.2kW home charger, while it takes around nine and a half hours to take an empty 64kWh battery to 100% charge.
Performance is great: the most powerful e-Niro takes 7.5 seconds from 0-62mph and top speed is 104mph, but it’s the electric motor’s instant torque that impresses most, making short work of overtakes and slip-road acceleration.
There’s no compromise on practicality. Room for passengers is more than adequate, with plenty of legroom and headroom for rear-seat occupants. There’s lots of interior storage space and the boot itself is a generous 451 litres.
The Kia e-Niro offers fantastic value for money in comparison to other mid-size electric cars like the BMW i3, Hyundai Kona Electric and the Nissan Leaf. Standard equipment includes part-leather upholstery, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity and wireless phone charging, plus a host of active safety systems. Most rivals – including the barely cheaper Kona Electric – can’t match the Kia for standard kit.
The e-Niro can also be considered as a very viable alternative to the most frugal conventionally powered family SUVs, such is the level of usability granted by its excellent range.
Engines, performance and drive
The Kia e-Niro is a great car to drive: comfortable and refined but with warm-hatch levels of performance and neat – if not terribly exciting – handling. The car is nicely set up, its suspension working well despite the increased weight of the batteries over the hybrid versions. Bumps are ably soaked up, while body control is really good for a heavy SUV.
There’s lots of grip through corners, but it’s easy to overcome the car’s traction when accelerating from low speeds with the electric motor’s dump of low-down torque spinning the wheels before the traction control realises what’s happening. Driving with smooth pedal inputs helps avoid this (and will prolong the life of the front tyres).
Drivers are likely to be most taken aback by the e-Niro’s remarkable performance – there’s loads of punch even at motorway speeds, with the hefty 395Nm of torque instantly available with a prod of the throttle at any speed. It’s easy to keep pace with traffic, join motorways safely and perform swift overtakes.
There are three driving modes on offer: Eco, Comfort and Sport. The latter tightens up throttle response and adds some weight to the steering. With this mode selected, it’s feasible to have fun on a B-road, where the e-Niro’s acceleration out of corners never gets old.
Perhaps more helpful in and around town is the decent level of brake regeneration. The driver is able to adjust the settings via steering wheel-mounted paddles - moving between level 0 which delivers free-wheel coasting, up to level 4's strong levels of deceleration allowing for one-pedal driving.
Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed
The Kia e-Niro is powered by a single electric motor with either 134bhp or 201bhp; both are quick off the mark with 0-62mph taking 9.5s and 7.5s, respectively.
Kia offers either a 39kWh or 64kWh battery for the e-Niro, which is the same powertrain set-up as the Kona Electric; both are market-leading, offering a better balance between range and performance than the BMW i3 or Nissan Leaf.
Top speed is not entirely relevant in an electric car – the e-Niro 64kWh model has a 104mph maximum, but running this speed on a derestricted autobahn would see the battery drain very quickly.
MPG, CO2 and running costs
Like any EV, the Kia e-Niro should cost very little to run when compared with conventionally powered rivals. It should only cost around £8 to fully charge the e-Niro from a domestic power supply (based on an average unit price of 12.5p per kWh of electricity on an off-peak tariff), which undercuts every combustion-engined rival available by a considerable margin.
Similarly, the Kia e-Niro’s lack of traditional engine, gearbox and other associated moving parts should mean that costs of spares and repairs will be far lower than in a conventional car. Kia’s excellent warranty applies as normal to the e-Niro too, so you’ll have peace of mind during ownership.
Electric range, battery life and charge time
The e-Niro is available with either 39kWh or 64kWh batteries, providing claimed WLTP-measured ranges of 180 and 282 miles, respectively. These figure that should be achievable if you drive with a light touch. During our test of the 64kWh model, we calculated that a more accurate range in mixed driving is around 250 miles – still more than enough to fend off even the worst case of range anxiety.
It should take around six hours and 10 minutes to fully charge the e-Niro via a wallbox installed at home, while a 50kW fast charger will get the car to 80% capacity in around one hour; find a 100kW charger and that time will drop to around 54 minutes.
The e-Niro comes as standard with a Type 2 cable for public chargers and a three-pin plug for connecting to a mains supply. Charging via a domestic supply will take a long time, though – somewhere around 18 hours for a full charge.
Insurance groups
The e-Niro occupies insurance groups 20-27, which is similar to its Hyundai Kona Electric relative in group 22 to 27 (depending on trim and battery size). You should find the BMW i3 in the same ballpark to insure, as it sits in group 21 to 29, depending on specification.
Depreciation
The Kia e-Niro is forecast to hold onto a decent chunk of its value come resale time. According to our expert data, after a typical three-year/36,000-mile ownership period, the all-electric family SUV should retain around 60-61 per cent of its original list price.
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Interior, design and technology
To the untrained eye the Kia e-Niro looks more or less exactly like its hybrid siblings – only a few detail changes like a closed-in grille, blue accents on the bumpers and slightly different LED daytime running lights set it apart.
It’s a similar story Inside, where the very familiar cabin has a finish that’s better described as functional rather than luxurious; a large rotary drive select dial on the centre console is the biggest change versus other Niro models. The Kia Niro range was always meant to include an EV so its platform is devoid of some of the packaging drawbacks encountered in some of its rivals. There’s loads of interior space and the e-Niro is a very comfortable car to travel in as a result.
There’s useful tech fitted, including a linked-up navigation system that analyses the route and can tell you when to take your foot off the throttle pedal to maximise the range.
Those looking to put their stamp on their e-Niro will be disappointed – a limited range of colours and a few accessories are all that appears on the options list. The Kia comes very well equipped as standard, but those looking to express their individuality will be better served by the chic BMW i3.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The e-Niro’s infotainment is much like that in other higher-spec Kias, which means it’s good. The entry-level 2 trim features an eight-inch touchscreen which responds fairly quickly to inputs, although the screen resolution could be a little sharper. Customers opting for the 3 and 4+ equipment levels benefit from an upgraded 10.25-inch display.
Yet it’s the overall functionality included as standard that should be praised. Sat-nav, wireless phone charging, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay all feature, as do DAB radio, Bluetooth, a reversing camera and Kia’s connected services (powered by TomTom to show live traffic and other info). On the e-Niro it’ll also show charging points near your car, along your route or at your destination.
The layout is fairly logical and easy to navigate, while the screen is well placed. There are still a few foibles –there’s one process too many for something simple, such as entering a destination into the sat-nav, and no full digital dash. But that is coming on updated Niro models.
The e-Niro gets a couple of EV-specific menus, including an Energy Consumption page, which shows how much energy has been used by driving, as well as consumption by the lights and climate control. Another page shows predicted range and charging times.
Practicality, comfort and boot space
There’s no arguing with the e-Niro’s credentials as a family car. It’s a mid-size SUV that looks more like a large hatchback than a rough-and-tumble off-roader, with a shape that’s almost entirely dictated by practicality. There’s space inside for four adults to sit in comfort and the boot is large, while the cabin boasts plenty of storage space – including a particularly useful space where the gear lever would be found on an internal combustion car.
The e-Niro is a relaxing car to drive thanks to a great driving position, clear all-round visibility and great refinement. Overall, the e-Niro beats its nearest rivals hands down when it comes to flexibility for family life – the Hyundai Kona Electric has considerably less space inside, while the i3 is even smaller. These two are a little easier to drive around town as a result, however. Much like other EVs, the Kia e-Niro isn’t rated for towing – it’s worth considering a diesel-powered SUV if you need this option.
Dimensions and size
The Kia e-Niro is 4,375mm long, 1,805mm wide and 1,570mm tall including its built-in roof rails. It weighs in at a substantial 1,812kg – EVs tend to be heavy due to their batteries.
The broadly similar Hyundai Kona Electric is based on the same architecture and is just about the same height and width as the Kia, but is shorter by a couple hundred milimetres.
Leg room, head room & passenger space
The Kia e-Niro is the best EV in its price range when it comes to carrying passengers in comfort. The front seats are very roomy indeed, while the rears offer more than enough space for six-foot adults. ISOfix points are supplied in the outer two rear seats.
There’s more space for passengers in the back of the Kia than in the slightly cramped Hyundai Kona Electric – and there’s a huge difference when compared to the much smaller, more city-focused BMW i3.
Boot space
Boot space – while 52 litres down on the capacity of the Kia Sportage – is still a commendable 451 litres. There’s actually more space in the back of the e-Niro than you’ll find in its hybrid siblings – the Niro Self Charging Hybrid has 382 litres, while the Niro Plug-in Hybrid has 324 litres. Fold down the e-Niro’s seats and there’s an impressive 1,405 litres to play with.
The Kona Electric has less load space than the Niro – 332 litres with the seats up, 1,114 litres with them down.
Reliability and safety
Kia has a reputation for building reliable cars – something that’s backed up by the firm’s third-place finish in our 2022 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. Running costs, reliability and infotainment systems were all rated highly, while the Niro model placed 12th out of 75 cars in the best cars to own poll.
Safety is great too, with the whole Kia Niro range having been awarded a five-star rating by Euro NCAP following its crash tests. Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), a Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS) and seven airbags (one more than in the Kona Electric and BMW i3) all come as standard.
Warranty
The Kia e-Niro boasts great warranty cover – seven years or 100,000 miles, plus three years of roadside assistance. This beats the similar Hyundai Kona Electric’s unlimited five-year warranty on length if not miles.
Servicing
You’ll need to book your e-Niro in for a service every 10,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first – a relatively short service interval for an EV. Kia is known for its servicing deals that can cover up to five years of servicing, so running costs should still be very affordable.
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