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Kia Niro EV Reviews

Owner Reviews

5(73%)
4(6%)
3(8%)
2(0%)
1(13%)

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

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.
Hatchback for Pragmatics
5 out of 5 stars
Wishing for a station wagon, 09/19/2023
2023 Kia Niro EV Wind 4dr SUV (electric DD)
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. Update after 2.5 years: still a good EV. I have had no issues other than a weird incident with the front suspension, which made a really bad sound. Trip to the dealer resulted in a total change of the part (under warranty, free). This might be because of the dealer. My experience has been great. Other than that, nothing. It just works. The slower charging at DC chargers is somewhat frustrating on longer trips, but where I live, rural parts have only 50kwh chargers anyway. Was charging next to a Mercedes the other day - I pulled 47kwh, and they pulled 33kwh. Trip planning is impossible, but that is why there are apps. Navigation is good, but old school. The Kia app provides the bare basics for free - for other things, it is a subscription. I don't pre-heat or schedule charging, so I do not need it. I have the winter package, which allows battery pre-heating when navigating to a charger. That is important. Road tripping is possible, even long distance, but requires some patience. After 200 miles, schedule a 45 minute break... The interior is holding up, I love that I have a small spare tire in the back, large-ish trunk, small frunk for the cables and adapter, roof carrier for cargo. I still like the dashboard - no screen added as an afterthought. The car is no longer up-to-date, but especially as a used car, still a perfectly fine, if not great car. Battery has almost no dip. Summer in the city (under 50mph): over 300 miles. Cold winter on the interstate with snow tires: 180+ miles. No vampire drain (!!). Fun do drive - it is not a race car, but handles well. Find a used one for ~$20,000? No brainer.
Full Size Spare Tire
5 out of 5 stars
Shane in Winnipeg Canada, 02/08/2024
2023 Kia Niro EV Wave 4dr SUV (electric DD)
Of course in June 2025 I'm still VERY satisfied with my 2023 Niro Ev, BUT I remain a bit 'old school' and do NOT like driving out of town without a spare tire. WOW! when I looked at the space below the normal trunk space i discovered a "sub-woofer" speaker. I removed it and the styrofoam tool thingy and found I had space for a FULL SIZE SPARE ! It is tightened down to the bottom by … a slightly longer bolt than held the tool thingy, AND through one of the bolt holes. AND there is room for a nice pneumatic jack and lots of tools OF COURSE I can no longer shake cars stopped beside me at red lights with the Thunk - thunk of some sort of 'modern' music but I'm adjusting to that "loss" in my life. LOVE MY NIRO EV! UPDATE: 2025 Travelled from Winnipeg to Vancouver Island and back and Wpg. to Toronto and back NO PROBLEMS. AND 11,800 km east through Ontario, Quebec and LABRADOR..and the Matintimes. .. Yes with planning you CAN travel up there (Labrasdor)! Plugshare is equally calming AS IS having a spare tire, a REAL spare tire in those VERY far off places! I get, in the dead of winter, around town and short distanced 14-15 kw/100km (60 kph) So Approx 4kw/mi) in the winter I did a road test for 5 hours last June at 18 degrees C. (64 degrees F.) at 75 kph I got 12.5 kw/100km (515 km range) 46 mph - 329 mi range at 90 kph I got 14.4 kw/100km (450 km range) 56 mph - 280 mi range at 110 kph I got 20kw/100km (324 km range) 70 mph - 201 mi range But then I only do road trips in good weather so the range is just fine... I now have over 40,000 km on this wonderful car! LOVE everything about the car! The shiny parts ouside the winshield that I had to buff to make non-reflective have been fixed on the 2025 model. Kia is GREAT at the details that make driving pleasurable! Recently bought a Hyundai Ionic 9... more room for my dogs and better range. About RANGE: I needed the same range as the Niro 200+ mi BUT at higher speed (major turnpikes) so the greater range of the ionic 9 means same range but at higher speeds and faster charging! Really miss the Niro though!
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!
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2025 Kia Niro EV, so we've included reviews for other years of the Niro EV since its last redesign.

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FAQ

Is the Kia Niro EV a good car?

The Edmunds experts tested the 2025 Niro EV both on the road and at the track, giving it a 6.9 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2025 Niro EV gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 30 reviews) What about cargo capacity? When you're thinking about carrying stuff in your new car, keep in mind that the Niro EV has 22.8 cubic feet of trunk space. And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Kia Niro EV. Learn more

What's new in the 2025 Kia Niro EV?

According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2025 Kia Niro EV:

  • No significant changes for 2025
  • Part of the second Niro generation introduced for 2023
Learn more

Is the Kia Niro EV reliable?

To determine whether the Kia Niro EV is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the Niro EV. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the Niro EV's 4-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more

Is the 2025 Kia Niro EV a good car?

There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2025 Kia Niro EV is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2025 Niro EV and gave it a 6.9 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2025 Niro EV gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 30 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2025 Niro EV is a good car for you. Learn more

How much should I pay for a 2025 Kia Niro EV?

The least-expensive 2025 Kia Niro EV is the 2025 Kia Niro EV Wind 4dr SUV (electric DD). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $39,600.

Other versions include:

  • Wind 4dr SUV (electric DD) which starts at $39,600
  • Wave 4dr SUV (electric DD) which starts at $44,600
Learn more

What are the different models of Kia Niro EV?

If you're interested in the Kia Niro EV, the next question is, which Niro EV model is right for you? Niro EV variants include Wind 4dr SUV (electric DD), and Wave 4dr SUV (electric DD). For a full list of Niro EV models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more