The beloved Kia Niro electric cars were released in 2018 under the name Kia e-Niro. In recent times, however, Kia has gone for a rebrand of the newer models. So now you get the Kia Niro in all its forms, including electric. The purpose behind this seems to be the idea that electric drivetrains are much more common and so should be integrated into the same group as other drivetrains. Electric cars did, after all, outsell diesel in 2022 for the first time.
Okay, so the name has changed. What else is different between the original Kia e-Niro of 2018 and the new Kia Niro that started being rolled out in 2022. Read on and we will have a look at both to see what you can expect when the new Niro rolls into EVision.
hire an electric kia niroThe EVision Kia e-Niro
You could tell pretty quickly that the Kia e-Niro was going to be a special car from the early days. In 2019 the Kia e-Niro won the prestigious WhatCar? Car of the Year Award. It was, in fact, the very first electric car to take home the accolade. And, as you would expect, you don’t win that award just by looking pretty. There has to be real substance to the car. However, we must say that the Kia e-Niro definitely is a good looking car.
What “substance” does the Kia e-Niro have then? Well, for a start, the car is a really great size. A small family SUV/Hatchback crossover that has plenty of room in it. Before this car came along there weren’t too many small electric vehicles around. Most of them were very large and very expensive. The e-Niro broke this mould somewhat.
There is also the incredible performance of the car. Even now you won’t get a lot of electric cars that can match the 250 miles of real world range that the Kia e-Niro boasts. The 150kW charging capability also helps you to get back on the road pretty quickly whenever you have to recharge. There is a top speed of 104mph and you can get from 0-60mph in just 7.8 seconds. That’s what made this a real game-changer.
A Brand New Dawn
In 2022 Kia decided that their cars needed a makeover. Among those to undergo a transformation was the Kia e-Niro. The new generation would be referred to as the Kia Niro EV. It wasn’t just the name that changed. Kia really switched it up with a whole new look. The 2022 version of the Niro would be much edgier and look fresher.
As grille changes go, this one was quite exceptional. A fantastic looking mosaic style at the top with the main part of the grille being a really nice and intricate pattern, allowing air intake for battery cooling. For me, the new style Kia badge is a great improvement on the old one. Seeing this badge on the new vehicles makes me happy.
Looking on the Inside
The new Niro, just like the previous incarnation, is not built on EV dedicated architecture. This means that you do get the raised floor going through the middle of the car. However, in the Kia Niro it isn’t offensive and it doen’t take anything away from the car. There is a familiarity about it that reminds you of the smaller cars of old days.
The seats and steering wheel all contain vegan friendly material, which in itself is a move into a more modern way of thinking. Sustainability is a keyword that means a lot to the current generation of EV drivers in general.
The new Kia Niro does retain that great amount of space that we saw in the original version. This is good news as the spaciousness was a key ingredient that helped make the first e-Niro such a popular vehicle. The infotainment screen is still as app-packed as before but with further software updates since the last time. It is responsive and comes with ease of use.
hire an electric kia niro
A Modern Kia Niro Performance
Not too much has changed when it comes to the performance of the updated Kia Niro EV. There is a 64.8kWh usable battery that gives you 288 miles of range on the WLTP scale. Top speed is still 104mph and the 0-62mph acceleration is still 7.8 seconds.
We aren’t going to complain about those stats, though. These are all really good figures and they come in a really nice package. Overall, the Kia Niro EV is a highly desirable electric car that is going to continue doing well on the market over the next few years. Particularly when many manufacturers are still concentrating mainly on bigger SUVs and saloon cars.
I cannot wait for more of the new Kia Niro EV to arrive at EVision. You will be kept informed of its arrival and when the new models can be booked for hire. In the meantime, we are still providing the original, award-winning Kia e-Niro and the Niro EV for hire. Get yours now to see what the fuss is all about.
