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 230 odd 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 2022, Kia is offering four versions of the car: the e-Niro 2 (39 kWh), e-Niro 2 (64 kWh), 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
The e-Niro 2 (64 kWh), e-Niro 3 and e-Niro 4+ can cover roughly 231 miles before they need recharging. Official WLTP range is 282 miles.
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. 231 miles. That’s one heck of a long way. With careful driving, it will go even further.
The base e-Niro 2 (39 kWh) has a smaller 39 kWh battery, good for about 148 miles in the real world, on average. Official range is 180 miles.
Kia e-Niro UK Price
Here are the current prices of all the versions of the e-Niro, including the government grant, where applicable:
- e-Niro 2 (39 kWh): from £32,845
- e-Niro 2 (64 kWh): from £34,945
- e-Niro 3: from £37,100
- e-Niro 4+: from £39,395
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 £31,000, this is how it stacks up:
- MG 5 EV: from £26,095 with 175 miles of range
- Nissan Leaf: from £26,995 with 138 miles of range
- Volkswagen ID.3: from £29,400 with 177 miles of range
- Hyundai Kona Electric (39 kWh): from £28,950 with 156 miles of range
- MG ZS EV: from £29,495 with 147 miles of range
- Kia e-Niro 2 (39 kWh): from £32,845 with 148 miles of range
- Nissan Leaf e+: from £32,945 with 239 miles of range
- Hyundai Ioniq Electric: from £33,050 with 158 miles of range
- Peugeot e-2008: from £33,230 with 169 miles of range
- Citroen e-C4: from £0 with 178 miles of range
So, the smaller battery e-Niro is really up against the competition.
However, when you consider the longer range 2 (64 kWh), 3 and 4+ variants, the e-Niro does pretty well compared to rivals. Here are electric cars between £32,000 and £40,000 with at least 200 miles’ real-world range:
- Skoda Enyaq iV: from £34,850 with 210 miles of range
- Kia e-Niro 2 (64 kWh): from £34,945 with 231 miles of range
- Kia Soul EV: from £34,945 with 230 miles of range
- Volkswagen ID.3: from £34,995 with 216 miles of range
- Hyundai Kona Electric (64 kWh): from £35,050 with 247 miles of range
- Kia e-Niro 3: from £37,100 with 231 miles of range
- Kia e-Niro 4+: from £39,395 with 231 miles of range
- Polestar 2: from £39,900 with 224 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 2021 versions of the e-Niro have the following main features:
e-Niro 2 (39 kWh)
- 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 2 (64 kWh)
- 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
- Smart cruise control (SCC)
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 231-mile range of the 2 (64 kWh), 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 230 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 (2 (39 kWh), 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 fancy trying the e-Niro out on a subscription for a month or two, check out Elmo’s short-term EV subscriptions.
- 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.
