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The Niro EV isn't the best in any one particular area, but it does a lot of things very well. It's comfortable, packed with in-car tech and has impressive real-world range. It's not the cheapest EV out there, but Kia's long list of standard features and excellent warranty help offset that.
The 2023 Niro EV is part of Kia's Niro family of subcompact SUVs. There's the Niro hybrid, the Niro Plug-in Hybrid, and this model, the EV. Although Kia refers to the Niro as a "crossover," to our eyes, it looks like a hatchback. The redesigned 2023 Niro EV has a slightly larger footprint than current models and features increased headroom, legroom, shoulder room and cargo capacity.
In addition to its roomier cabin, the second-generation Niro EV's redesign showcases bolder exterior styling, an increased amount of technology, and an interior that's environmentally friendly. The new "Aero Blade" feature is likely to catch your eye — located on each rear quarter panel, it is a design element that also provides assistance with aerodynamics. The Aero Blade can be ordered to match the vehicle's color if you're not into the two-tone look.
What's under the Niro EV's hood?
The Niro EV is powered by a 64.8-kWh battery pack and a 201-horsepower motor. Kia says it is targeting a range of 253 miles of range, though if the last Niro EV is any indication, it should have no trouble exceeding that range in the real world.
The Niro EV has an 11-kW onboard charger, which it uses to recharge the battery in under seven hours on a 240-volt Level 2 charger. DC fast or Level 3 charging capability is included as a standard feature and can get the battery from 10% to 80% in under 45 minutes. The maximum charge rate tops out at 85 kW.
How's the Niro EV's interior?
The 2023 Niro EV leans into its eco-conscious spirit, with a cabin filled with animal-free fabrics and recycled materials. It borrows some of its interior elements from its corporate sibling, the Kia EV6: the driver-centric dashboard, optional digital instrument and infotainment clusters, dial knob gear selector and climate controls. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as in our experience with the EV6, they were all intuitive and easy to operate.
You might be disappointed, however, if you were looking for some differentiation between the EV and the hybrid model. All 2023 Niros appear to have the same interior layouts, save for some of the materials used. The good news is that there is more room inside the cabin than before, though we don't have exact numbers at the time of this writing. Cargo space behind the rear seats has improved to 22.8 cubic feet, up from 18.5 cubes on the outgoing model.
How's the Niro EV's tech?
The Niro EV will be available with vehicle-to-load onboard generator functionality, which allows you to use the vehicle's battery to charge other devices. It may be slower than a traditional charge station, but you can use the Niro to charge your laptop or even another electric vehicle.
Premium technological safety features including adaptive cruise control (with stop-and-go functionality), a head-up display, wireless smartphone integration, plus an optional heat pump and battery warmer to conserve range in cold climates, will all be available in higher trims.
Edmunds says
The 2023 Kia Niro EV is one to keep an eye out for in the coming months. We rated the outgoing model highly, and this new generation looks to improve on an already solid foundation.
270 milesThe range for a used 2023 Kia Niro EV is estimated to be 270 miles because electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year, with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.
EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 270 miles.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.
Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.
SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.
Plug Type
7.5 hrs
240V Home ChargingEstimated total charging time when using a 240V outlet. This is either a 3-prong or 4-prong outlet used for appliances, for example a clothes dryer.
EV batteries should be kept at 30-80% charged to extend battery life.
10 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.
According to GeoTab’s data, if the observed degradation rates are maintained, the vast majority of batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle.
Estimated battery warranty remaining is 8 years or 72,000 miles for this car.Warranty remaining value is based on the vehicle year, and on driving 14,000 miles per year. Confirm exact warranty coverage for each vehicle with the dealers and the manufacturer before purchasing.
EV Tax Credits & Rebates
$4,500
Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.
Restrictions:
Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers taxpayers a Used Clean Vehicle Tax Credit equal to 30% of the sale price up to a maximum credit of $4,000 for the purchase of a used plug-in electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Beginning January 1, 2024, Clean Vehicle Tax Credits may be initiated and approved at the point of sale at participating dealerships registered with the IRS. Dealers will be responsible for submitting Clean Vehicle Tax Credit information to the IRS. Buyers are advised to obtain a copy of an IRS "time of sale" report, confirming it was submitted successfully by the dealer. Not every version of the vehicle models will necessarily qualify. Please check with the dealer/seller to determine the eligibility of your specific vehicle.
For the vehicle to qualify:
Price cannot exceed $25,000.
Need to verify the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Must be at least two model years older than the current calendar year in which the vehicle was purchased.
Must be sold through a dealership, private sales not permitted.
Not have already been transferred after August 16, 2022, to a qualified buyer.
For individuals to qualify:
Must meet income eligibility, depending on modified adjusted gross income (AGI) and tax filing status.
Must not be the first owner of the qualifying vehicle.
Has not been allowed a credit under this section for any sale during the 3-year period ending on the date of the sale of such vehicle.
Purchased for personal use, not a business, corporation or for resale.
EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.
If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.
Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.
In the absence of station wagons in the US market, this car is perfect for those who are pragmatic. It has enough space for a medium to large sized dog, plenty of space in the backseats, and driving can be anything from urban crawling to sporty enough. This is lower than SUVs, which is great because when you drive an EV you notice that wind resistance actually does matter.
I got my Wind … (which has more than enough features) with the Preserve package (heat pump / rear heated seats) and drove it off the lot (including registration) for 40,500. Compared to an ID.4 with similar features, it has a smaller cargo area, but is actually cheaper and is much more efficient. This must be one of the only cars where the EPA numbers are understimated. 3.4 miles/kwh I get when I have a roofbox on top and drive 60 mph. Or when you get on the interstate and go 70. Other than that, it is pretty impossible to get less than 4 m/kwh, which translates to an average range of +/- 300.
The slow(er) charging speeds are not an issue for most people. I can live with that because I don't drive more than 300 miles in one stretch except a few times a year. Roundtrips to places 200 miles away are not an issue - just leave 45 minutes to charge it. So far charging mine at home with level 1, and it is absolutely sufficient. What you get instead is a smaller battery pack (thank you for saving lithium that you never would use) and an efficiency that makes people's head spin. A Rivian or a Hummer have less efficiency than my old Prius V - what's the point?
I wish the backseat was adjustable forwards and backwards, and that the switch from navigation/media to climate control was not that sensistive - every time I try to turn down down or up the volume, I accidentally turn on auto climate control. That's it. I like the regen paddles - I drive my car kind of like a manual, which is great. The driving assists can get a bit annoying - lane keep works perfectly, but it comes on over 40 mph, which can get annoying - but all of that can be turned off or on in the car setup. For those who need a spare wheel, they are available on the aftermarket and fit in the back, under floor.
This car simply works. I don't need more. Perfect. When you compare this car, be sure to compare efficiency and similar features. I wanted an ID.4, but I need a heat pump. I looked at the Aryia, but trunk space is not larger. I was looking at a Chevy, but I don't want a rectabgluar screen in a baroque rounded shape. I do not need an 800 volt system. I do not need to get to 60 in less than 7 seconds.
Thanks, KIA, for makiing a practical, pragmatic car that has everything I need. Now, could someone please import a station wagon EV?
Update after six months: Winter range (including intersate travela and snow tires) is still around 220 miles. Multiple road trips later, this is still a great car, and very efficient. With snow tires, and in cold temps, gets about 3.1-3.4 m/kw on the interstate (depending on wind). In the city, it gets routinely 4.5-5.2 m/kw without snow tires and in 50 F temps. Charging with preheating is still between 30 and 50 kw in the real cold. Not the quickest, but the efficiency makes up for it - running costs are excellent and much better than a large EV.
Build quality is excellent, comfort is excellent.
Still waiting for a station wagon EV. First one to import one, I will buy one. Looking at you, VW.
Love this car... just one little issue
4 out of 5 stars
DRW, 04/02/2024
2023 Kia Niro EV Wind 4dr SUV (electric DD)
We bought our 2023 Kia Niro Wind because it had all the safety and convenience features we were looking for at a good price, as well as the economy of:
- maintenance free reliability of an EV
- fewer moving parts
- no oil changes or tune-ups
- lower fuel cost than an ICE vehicle.
I typically get more than 4 miles per kWh and that's less than 3 cents per mile for 'fuel'.
My first problem … happened after two months, when auto regenerative braking was activated, and this disables i-Pedal (one pedal driving). That was resolved by a quick trip to the dealership. Shortly thereafter, the car began to interrupt the charge after about 10 to 20 minutes of charging. That's a pretty serious problem because if I plugged in the charger and went to bed, I might not have enough charge to get to work in the morning! Kia will not proactively fix this problem -- you have to complain about the charge interrupt problem. Then they will update the car's firmware with a patch that lowers the charge current instead of interrupting the charge. That slows down the charging, so if you're in a hurry for a charge, this is not an ideal solution. The problem is resistance in the contacts of the charge port on the car. At high current, the resistance causes heat. The on-board charger senses the heat, and reduces the charge current to avoid heat damage to the charge port. Better contact design (and maybe some gold plating) would be a better solution to the problem, but Kia is not inclined to do that. It's too bad. This problem is unique to Kia, Hyundai and Genesis EVs, so it's clear they really need to redesign the contacts in the Korean charge port!
The Niro doesn't come with a charger. Well, that's not exactly true; the charger is on-board. The thing hanging on my garage wall is an EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment). and I'm very pleased with our Emporia. It has all the features you want in EVSE and the price is $399. I spent another $100 on a 60 amp breaker and wire, conduit and fittings for installation. Now my EVSE can supply 48 amps (about 12kW) to the Niro, but becaus of the deficient charge port on the car, the car limits the charge to about 7.4kW most of the time.
All in all, we really like our Niro, and I would have greater respect for the Korean EV manufacturers if they would proactively replace the charge ports with a properly designed charge port so the car would maintain its highest charge rate without over-heating the charge port.
Kia Niro 2023, frugal but fun
5 out of 5 stars
Anton, 12/10/2023
2023 Kia Niro EV Wind 4dr SUV (electric DD)
I have had my 2023 Niro EV (Wind plus heat pack) for a year now. It has been a lot of fun and no problems I don’t understand Edmund’s comment about it not being as sporty as some. Transitioning from a Honda CRV it seems almost dangerously fast. Everything feels solid. Even the Wind trim version has lots of features. When I bought its tax credit status was unclear; in the end I didn’t … get it. Too bad. But now you should be able to recoup some of that from the dealer. I paid $1,500 over MSRP; now try $3,000 below!
Super Car!
5 out of 5 stars
Martin Kron, 03/25/2023
2023 Kia Niro EV Wave 4dr SUV (electric DD)
I have my Niro EV Wave for 4 months. After 5,000 miles, I can say I am thrilled with this car. I have had no issues whatsoever. I was originally considering an EV6, but the rear visibility was a deal breaker. The Niro has excellent visibility all around. The seats are comfortable and Niro takes bumps and pot holes very well. The Harmon Kardon sound system is over the top. Tech is … abundant, easy to learn and fun to use. Being able to heat/cool the car remotely is a very nice touch. The safety feature make this vehicle very compelling. Excellent heated seats and heated steering wheel. The EV range is 253, as advertised. The Niro is not the cheapest EV available, but you get a lot for the price. What's missing? Wireless Apple Car Play, a wireless hot spot and no AWD. Not issues for me. I highly recommend this car.
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