It's not right that the Kia Niro EV arrives with not even a whiff of the anticipation that swirled around the Chevrolet Bolt EV, and without the star power to rival anything from planet Tesla. Quietly joining the Niro lineup of hybrid and plug-in-hybrid models, this feature-rich electric-only crossover is no phone-it-in compliance EV, despite being sold in only 12 states. Rather, it's an entry-level electric with substantial range plus ample back-seat and cargo space that posit Hyundai/Kia as the dark horse in electric excellence. This is arguably what the EV-hungry masses should be lining up to buy, but rationality and car purchases often go together like Valium and Schlitz.

The Same, but with Less Wheelspin

Powering the Niro is the same 201-hp motor and 356-volt 64.0-kWh battery pack used by the Hyundai Kona Electric and the coming 2020 Kia Soul EV. Dimensionally, the Kona and Soul are near clones while the Niro gets a few more inches of wheelbase and overall length. The similarities stop at the motor tuning, however. Someone steeped in the Gospel of Hoon got hold of the Kona, which encourages frequent and excessive wheelspin, whereas the Niro can barely squawk a tire when pointed straight. Yet the 152-pound-heavier Kia with its mature tune is but a tenth of a second off the Hyundai's pace to 60 mph.

View Photos Michael Simari Car and Driver

That sophistication carries over to the Niro's driving experience, where the front seats coddle and wind and road noise are more hushed than in the Kona, Bolt, or Model 3. The Kia is not sporty, and it occasionally clomps heavily on its 17-inch Michelin Primacy MXV4s, but it looks and feels solid, sturdy, and well built in a way that the Chevy and Tesla don't. Less impressive are some of the economy-car finishing details, including large sections of soulless black plastic. But the need to package the large battery leads to a few compromises. The floor in the rear cabin is raised almost two inches, which pinches footroom under the front seat. It also elevates knees, which is particularly noticeable for tall riders, although the legroom is more than adequate and more than what the Model 3, Leaf, or Kona offer.

Well Equipped

The Niro EV is offered in two feature-rich trim levels: EX ($39,495) and EX Premium ($44,995). Standard content includes passive entry with push-button start, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, automatic climate control (single zone), and a host of driver aids such as adaptive cruise control, lane-centering steering assist, and blind-spot warning. The Premium trim we tested adds LED head- and taillights, a sunroof, leather front seats that are heated and ventilated, an 8.0-inch center touchscreen rather than a 7.0-inch unit, and Harman/Kardon stereo. The Niro also has standard 100-kW DC fast-charging capability, which is more than both the Nissan Leaf and the Bolt EV, even though Chevy charges extra for the feature. Hooking up to a 100-kW fast charger—if you can find one—can get the pack to 80 percent in an hour. A 7.2-kW onboard charger enables recharge times on a 240-volt Level 2 power supply of 9.5 hours.

Car and Driver

We suspect the car's optional heat pump—an expensive piece of hardware that's a much more efficient way to warm a vehicle's cabin than the resistive heat found in most competitors—was much of the reason why the Niro delivered an impressive 180 miles on our highway-range run, a 20-mile advantage over the Kona (both were tested in mid-20-degree winter temperatures).



One-pedal driving is possible but not without fiddling with the wheel-mounted paddles, which are at first engaging, then tiresome. Brake feel is fine when the pedal is used gently, but large or quick stabs show the typical blended-brake nonlinearity of many of these systems. On-center steering effort is a bit heavier than the small-crossover norm, but it imparts a sense of security in shepherding the half-ton battery pack. That's right: Today's state of the art requires a claimed 1008 pounds to house the same amount of energy that's found in 1.9 gallons of gasoline.

View Photos Michael Simari Car and Driver

Limited Market

Kia isn't helping its sales prospects by limiting the Niro EV to only 12 states (California and seven of the other ZEV states—but neither Vermont nor Maine—plus Georgia, Texas, Washington, and Hawaii). The Niro EV is being produced in Kia's Hwaseong, South Korea, plant and, at $39,495, starts $1500 higher than the Kona Electric. Something that makes any of this electric trio—Niro, Soul, or Kona—a smart buy is that Hyundai and Kia have sold so few electrified vehicles that theirs will get the maximum $7500 federal tax credit for years to come—a perk for which Teslas and Chevys no longer qualify.

Specifications Specifications 2019 Kia Niro EV VEHICLE TYPE

front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback PRICE AS TESTED

$47,075 (base price: $39,495) MOTOR TYPE

permanent-magnet synchronous AC Power

201 hp @ 8000 rpm

Torque

291 lb-ft @ 0 rpm BATTERY

liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 64.0 kWh TRANSMISSION

1-speed direct-drive CHASSIS

Suspension (F/R): strut/multilink

Brakes (F/R): 12.0-in vented disc/11.8-in disc

Tires: Michelin Primacy MXV4, 215/55R-17 94V M+S DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 106.3 in

Length: 172.2 in

Width: 71.1 in

Height: 61.8 in

Passenger volume: 97 cu ft

Cargo volume: 19 cu ft

Curb weight: 3919 lb C/D

TEST RESULTS

Zero to 60 mph: 6.5 sec

Zero to 100 mph: 17.6 sec

Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 6.5 sec

Standing ¼-mile: 15.1 sec @ 93 mph

Top speed (governor limited): 108 mph

Braking, 70–0 mph: 170 ft

C/D

FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 86 MPGe

75-mph highway driving: 115 MPGe

Highway range: 180 miles EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/city/highway: 112/123/102 MPGe

Range: 239 mi Expand Collapse

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