The Kia e-Niro is an award-winning, spacious EV, providing remarkable range for its price
Kia e-Niro Review
The Kia e-Niro – along with the Hyundai Kona Electric – was a game-changer in the UK EV market in 2019. It was a fully-electric, spacious SUV offering fantastic value for money. You no longer had to pay £60,000+ to get 250 miles of range on a single charge.
In January 2019, What Car? magazine voted the e-Niro “Car Of The Year 2019”. Think about that. It didn’t just win “Electric Car of the Year”, but also “Car of the Year”. It beat all types of car – including traditional petrol / diesel cars – to the top spot.
Now in 2020, Kia is offering three versions of the car: the e-Niro 2, e-Niro 3 and the e-Niro 4+. Scroll down to read our review.
Positives
- Excellent, dependable range on a single charge
- Spacious
- Very good value
- 7-year manufacturer’s warranty
Negatives
- None that come to mind
Range
Both the e-Niro 3 and e-Niro 4 can cover roughly 254 miles before they need recharging.
If you are worried about buying an EV due to range anxiety, you need worry no more. The 64 kWh battery is big and allows you to drive a considerable distance in one go.
It’s worth pausing for one moment to think about the range. 254 miles. That’s one heck of a long way. With careful driving, it will go even further.
The e-Niro 2 has a smaller 39 kWh battery, good for about 163 miles on average.
Kia e-Niro UK Price
Here are the current prices of all the versions of the e-Niro, including the government grant:
- e-Niro 2: from £29,595
- e-Niro 3: from £33,850
- e-Niro 4+: from £36,145
How competitive is the e-Niro? If you look at the lower range 39 kWh e-Niro 2 and compare it against other large hatchbacks / SUVs below £30,000, this is how it stacks up:
- MG ZS EV: from £25,495 with 147 miles of range
- Nissan Leaf: from £26,845 with 151 miles of range
- Peugeot e-2008: from £28,665 with 185 miles of range
- Kia e-Niro 2: from £29,595 with 163 miles of range
- Hyundai Kona Electric (39 kWh): from £29,900 with 162 miles of range
So, pretty good on range, but towards the more expensive end.
However, when you consider the longer range 3 and 4+ variants, the e-Niro does better compared to rivals. Here are electric cars under £40,000 with at least 250 miles’ real-world range:
- Kia e-Niro 3: from £33,850 with 254 miles of range
- Kia Soul EV: from £34,295 with 252 miles of range
- Hyundai Kona Electric (64 kWh): from £35,900 with 250 miles of range
- Kia e-Niro 4+: from £36,145 with 254 miles of range
- Ford Mustang Mach-E: from £37,350 with 252 miles of range
One of the key differences between the 3 and 4+ is that the e-Niro 4+ comes with a 3-phase 11 kW on-board AC charger for faster charging at certain, non-residential charging points.
Specifications
The new 2020 versions of the e-Niro have the following main features:
e-Niro 2
- 8-inch touchscreen display, radio, and DAB
- Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Reversing camera
- Rear parking sensors
- Smart cruise-control inc. Stop & Go
- Smart key & button start
- 7-inch supervision cluster inc. TFT colour display
e-Niro 3
- 10.25-inch touchscreen Sat Nav with European maps
- Telematics system with ‘UVO Connect Services’
- Black leather upholstery
- Heated front seats
- Wireless phone charger
- Smart key & button start
- Reversing camera system
- Smart cruise control (SCC)
- Powered driver’s seat adjustment
e-Niro 4+
- 11 kW on-board AC charger (3-phase)
- LED headlights with bi-function projection
- Telematics system with ‘UVO Connect Services’
- Front and rear parking sensors
- 10.25-inch touchscreen Satellite Navigation with European maps
- 8-speaker JBL Premium Sound System
- Heated front & outer rear seats
- Ventilated Seats
- Blind spot detection (BSD) with Rear cross traffic alert (RCTA)
Who is the Kia e-Niro for?
This front wheel drive Kia electric SUV is a well-proportioned, 5-seat electric vehicle.
The e-Niro is a perfect family car. Why? It fits 5 adults, has plenty of space in the rear seats, and has a relatively big boot. The interior cabin size really is very generous. You can have long-legged adults in the front two seats, and still tons of legroom in the back. There is also no feeling of claustrophobia in the rear seats – it’s light and airy.
The 254-mile range of the 3 and 4+ variants means you can go on weekend trips wherever you want, without worrying about running out of charge. If your trip is more than 250 miles in a day, simply stop for lunch, recharge, and off you go again.
The e-Niro has an 77 kW rapid charging DC socket, using the CCS connector type. Although most public charging points are only 50 kW at the moment, the e-Niro is ready for the faster 100-150 kW charging stations already being installed.
The Hyundai Kona Electric (64 kWh) is a very similar car, but the e-Niro is more spacious in the middle row, has a bigger boot, and is better suited for families, especially with older, larger children. Also look at the Kia Soul EV which has the same drivetrain and battery pack, but comes in a funky shape.
Could the e-Niro be your next company car? Yes, of course. It looks smart, is tax efficient being an EV, and its impressive range (3 and 4+ versions especially) won’t restrict your business activities.
There really is very little to criticise about the Kia e-Niro. It’s an award-winning, EV all-rounder.
- If you would like more information about EVs in general, please see our main Electric Cars page.
- For specific details about the e-Niro itself, see the main Kia UK e-Niro website.
- Still undecided about which electric car you want? Try our interactive Car Selector tool.
