Try Kia Niro EV – The top for most people

The list of best-selling cars in Norway is dominated by expensive electric cars from Tesla, Audi and BMW. But there are great alternatives for anyone looking to buy something cheaper. The new Kia Niro EV is a good example.

Niro is an old acquaintance in the context of electric cars. The first generation of the car has been in Norwegian stores for several years. He helped kickstart the Norwegian electric car adventure. Now the second generation is in his place. From e-Niro it changed its name to Niro EV. This is perhaps the smallest change.

Good space

The car became slightly larger than its predecessor. This means more space behind the wheel and, last but not least, better space in the back seat. Three adults sit comfortably here. Due to the fact that the seats are positioned high enough, children have a good view from here of everything going on around the car.

In addition, the car has a trunk of 475 liters. For comparison, the Tesla Model 3 is equipped with a 425-liter trunk. In addition, the Niro EV can tow a 750 kilogram trailer.

Niro is basically an SUV, but it’s probably more of a crossover, a cross between an SUV and a regular passenger car. The ground clearance is slightly higher, but the Niro EV is only equipped with front-wheel drive.

Good comfort

The experience behind the wheel is positive. We sit a little higher than in a normal passenger car, which makes for a good overview. The interior is not as futuristic as in the EV6, and therefore a bit clearer for those who are not comfortable with all the operations performed by the touchscreens. In addition, the seats fit very well.

Impresses

Driving comfort is good. The noise level in the cabin is low, at least on the relatively good roads we drove the car on. Also, the suspension is well tuned, although it can get a little blunt in small bumps. It is a weak point for electric cars that have a relatively heavy battery.

46 miles of autonomy

In addition to automatic emergency braking for other cars and pedestrians, Niro EV also features automatic emergency braking for children or other objects behind the car. In our test it worked very well.

We also drove the car in critical evasive maneuvering tests. There it is stable and easy to drive up to 80 km / h before it becomes difficult to control. This is a faster speed than many of the competitors.

The Niro EV is only available in one version, with a 64.8 kWt battery that should provide a range of 46 miles. This is a good range in a car that costs less than NOK 400,000.

Low consumption in the cold season

In addition, the car is equipped with heat pump technology which should help maintain the maximum range possible in the winter.

The outgoing Niro model took part in the great Dagbladet winter car test. There he demonstrated excellent winter properties, with the following conclusion:

“In minus ten degrees, we drove the car 333 kilometers on a single charge. The good range is due to both the large battery and the lower power consumption of the test. The charging port hatch locks again easily.” Hopefully the latter has improved on the new generation.

The car also got an OK for the heating, but a disadvantage for the poor heat in the seats.

Boring?

An absolute novelty on the Niro EV is that, like its bigger EV brothers, it can power electricity from the battery used for electricity in the caravan, to run the chainsaw in the cabin or to charge an electric bicycle.

One of the stars of autumn

Some have claimed that the Niro EV is a bit boring. Compared to the EV6, we can agree that the look is a little less exciting. But that’s definitely not boring with a car that has good interior space and good driving comfort, running 46 miles for a fee, priced at under NOK 400,000.

Finally, perhaps best of all: While Kia is struggling with long delivery times for its big brother EV6, dealers say they expect to be able to deliver the new Niro EV not long after the New Year if you order today.