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By Jonathan Crouch
Introduction
The family-sized Kia e-Niro, on sale here between 2019 and 2022, was at launch the most complete affordable electric vehicle we had then seen to date. Key to its appeal in 64 kWh form is the kind of driving range you'd expect from a much larger full-electric car - WLTP-rated at 282 miles. Plus the e-Niro is practical, well equipped and easy to adapt to. There are certainly cheaper EV options in this sector from this period. But we're not sure that there are any better ones.
Models
5DR HATCH (FULL-ELECTRIC [2, 3,4, FIRST EDITION])
History
If you need a sensible family car and you've decided that some form of electrification needs to be included in your next one, then if you're looking for a used model from the 2019 to 2022 period, the Kia Niro ought to be on your radar. You can have it as a conventional hybrid or a PHEV plug-in hybrid, but it's the full-electric e-Niro model we're going to test here.
You might, quite understandably, view the thought of switching from conventional combustion engine motoring to full-electric ownership as being rather a big step to take. Bar stool experts may have put you off EV ownership by telling you that the only full-battery-powered models from this period with a decent driving range are the large luxury segment ones you probably won't be able to afford. Well that's not quite true. At the end of the 21st century's second decade, the Hyundai/Kia Korean conglomerate was pushing boundaries when it came to the kind of battery technology customers could expect from more affordable cars and the result in 2018 was the launch of two models; the Hyundai Kona Electric and its close cousin, this Kia e-Niro, which arrived here in 2019.
The e-Niro also shares its battery drivetrain with the second generation version of the model that kicked off Kia's efforts in the EV segment back in 2014, the Soul EV. The first generation Soul EV rather floundered here due to a combination of its relatively high cost and restricted driving range, meaning that only around 500 units were sold in our market in its four years of production. In contrast, this e-Niro model almost doubled that showing in its first month on sale.
A big reason behind this sales success lay with the driving range issue mentioned earlier. Most affordable electric vehicles from this period use a battery pack of around 40kWh in size; in most e-Niros though, there was the kind of larger 64kWh battery you'd get in a much larger luxury EV, which means, obviously, a much longer driving range, WLTP-rated at 282 miles. In the EV market's most affordable segment in this period, only the electrically-identical Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Soul EV models could match this kind of showing and both, though arguably trendier than this Kia, offer significantly less interior space for people and packages. All of which means that if you've been waiting for used battery-powered family cars to get serious, this one should interest you a lot. A smaller 39kWh battery version arrived in 2020. The e-Niro then sold in 64kWh and 39kWh forms until Spring 2022, when it was replaced by a second generation Niro EV model.
What You Get
In Kia range terms, the Niro's 4.37m-length positions it somewhere between a Focus-sized Ceed family hatch and a Qashqai-style mid-size Sportage SUV. The car is nominally an SUV (in this case, Kia prefers the term 'Crossover'), hence the chunky stance, the integrated roof rails and muscular wheel arches that on high-spec versions house large 17-inch diamond-cut two-tone aluminium rims.
Conventional-looking EVs are often compromised in their basic design by the need - in other forms - to accommodate a bulky combustion engine. But all Niro variants feature electrification to some extent and the priority with this one was to incorporate its bulky battery pack in a way that had as little impact as possible on cabin space.
At the wheel, key change from a Niro Hybrid to an e-Niro lies with the installation of a rotary gear selector dial for the single-speed auto gearbox. This frees up a useful extra lidded storage space between (on top models) heated, powered and leather-upholstered front seats that were redesigned to save space and weight. More subtle differences can be found incorporated into the 8-inch centre-dash infotainment touchscreen, which allows you to locate nearby charging points and set departure times to pre-heat and pre-cool the cabin. This display also has all the usual connectivity and entertainment features too of course. So there's navigation, voice control, 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring, Bluetooth and an 8-speaker 320-watt JBL premium sound system with a DAB tuner. Plus you get the full suite of 'Kia Connected Services'. Most other key functions are covered off by the instrument display you view through the leather-stitched three-spoke steering wheel, this cluster incorporating a mixture of circular LED dials and a central 7-inch LCD screen.
Back seat space is probably the biggest difference between this car and its Hyundai Kona Electric cousin, which offers a significantly smaller rear compartment with 90mm less leg space. Perhaps just as significant is the fact that this e-Niro offers slightly more rear passenger room than most more affordable conventional 'C'-segment family SUVs - Kia's mid-sized Sportage Crossover for instance, which may be lengthier externally but has a wheelbase 30mm shorter.
You'll fit in three adults in the back slightly more easily than would be the case with most similarly-sized rival models; that's thanks to the way that the relatively wide 1,805mm body provides 1,402mm of shoulder room.
Swing up the large tailgate and you'll find a very generously-proportioned boot that's usefully square in shape and 451-litres in size, which is 69-litres more than you get on the self-charging hybrid variant and a massive 127-litres more than is offered by the PHEV Niro model. That's better than you'd get from most family hatchbacks and pretty close to the luggage capacity you'd enjoy with a conventionally-engined family SUV.
What You Pay
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What to Look For
We had quite a lot of trouble finding anyone with a bad word to say about the e-Niro but there are a few things you need to look out for. The first issue concerns unwanted lurching away from rest, which could be a sign of impending trouble. We've heard that a transmission fluid flush and a switch to a revised transmission gasket will fix the problem. The second issue concerns possible issues with failed high voltage fuses - though this is extremely rare. If one of these blows without warning, there will be lots of hazard warning lights and error messages in the instrument cluster and the car may become inoperable - and probably won't start. Replacing the blown fuse with an updated fuse apparently seems to solve the problem, though in a few cases, further diagnostics and parts may be needed.
Finally, check the vehicle's charging equipment looking closely for indications of scorching, bent plug prongs, damaged plug ends and rips or tears in the insulation on the charge cable cord. Obviously, using a badly worn or damaged charge cord is a potential safety hazard. Otherwise, it's just the usual stuff. Give the electrical systems a thorough test and make sure the central screen has had all its necessary map updates. Check the alloys for scuffs. The interior for child damage. Make sure all potential recall issues have been attended to. And insist on a fully stamped-up service history. For more, check out www.kianiroforum.com
Replacement Parts
(approx based on a 2020 e-Niro 64kWh ex VAT) A pollen filter will be priced at around £15-£20. For a pair of front brake discs, you're looking at paying in the £71 bracket, with a pair of rear discs costing up to around £76. A pair of front brake pads are around £17, while a pair of rear pads sit in the £30 bracket for a set. A wiper blade can cost anything between £2-£14.
On the Road
Like most EVs, this one spears away from rest with almost hot hatch-style urgency, though in this case, Kia engineered in a split second of delay between throttle application and power delivery to make the whole experience feel slightly more combustion-like and linear. 60mph from rest still only occupies a mere 7.5s though, thanks to the 395Nm torque figure generated by the 201bhp electric motor, every bit of which is delivered to you right from the get-go, rather than building, as it would with a fossil-fuelled powerplant. It's all usually mated to a larger-capacity battery pack than you'd normally find in an affordable family EV, a 64kWh unit that delivers an impressive WLTP-rated driving range of 282 miles that sets a new standard amongst affordable EVs. A 39kWh version was also offered, but that can only take you up to 145 miles.
Conserving driving range requires careful management of the energy regenerative process that kicks in when you come off the throttle. Like some other EVs, this one provides you with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel that allow you to either intensify or reduce the regenerative braking feel. Alternatively, there's an 'auto' setting that constantly calculates the optimum level of braking regeneration, based on the positioning of vehicle ahead. There's also a 'Virtual Engine Sound System' for creating artificial noise to warn those on the pavement of your approach in urban areas. On the open road, this car struggles a little with weight (it's nearly half a tonne heavier than an equivalently-sized combustion-engined family hatch) but the even distribution of the battery pack across the floor plan helps with handling and a more advanced independent rear suspension set-up has allowed the engineers to deliver a decent quality of ride.
As usual with an EV, you get plenty of cabin screen options to allow you to plan your route around your remaining available charge. When it's depleted, you'll be able to recharge your 64kWh e-Niro to 80% of capacity in just 75 minutes if you can find a 50kW DC CCS charging point. Most of the time though, you'll be charging this Kia overnight using a 7.2kW EV Supply wallbox that you'll have to pay a little extra to get installed in your garage. You can revive the cells from empty in this way in around 9.5 hours (with the 64kWh model). If when out and about, you're fortunate enough to find a 50kW DC fast charger, you'll be able to recharge the 64kWh variant from empty to 80% of capacity in just an hour and a quarter.
Overall
Let's make this as clear as it can possibly be. On paper, the e-Niro makes more sense than any other compact family-sized electric car sold in the 2019-2022 period. The only two models from this time that can match this contender's driving range - Hyundai's Kona Electric and Kia's Soul EV - need the same powertrain to do so but package it in a smaller bodyshell that isn't really family-sized. The e-Niro isn't huge inside either, but it'll be big enough for most buyers. Otherwise, the problems here are those that afflict all EVs; a restricted public charging infrastructure, the need for off-street parking and, of course, an ultimate restriction in driving range.
The latter issue used to be the killer problem for most would-be EV buyers. Being able in the 64kWh version of this one to, say, drive from London to Sunderland without a stop should make a big difference here. But of course electric vehicle ownership is all about suitability for frequent shorter trips and in this regard too, an e-Niro is difficult to better. When we look back in a decade's time at EVs that really changed their market, we think this will be one of them.
