Kia‘s updated electrified Niro small SUV series will be available in North America in 2023, featuring new exterior styling and additional internal capacity.
At the New York International Auto Show this week, the company will unveil three new Niro models: a hybrid Niro HEV, a plug-in hybrid Niro PHEV, and a completely electric Niro EV.
Kia aims to sell them across the country, including the completely electric Niro EV, which was previously only available in a few areas.
Dark-colored door cladding and a “aero blade” profile panel are shared by all Niros, giving the car a swoosh-like appearance. The front has new daytime running lights and a “tiger-nose” grille, while the back has boomerang-shaped taillights that no longer connect with the hatch.
The improvements allow for a new low drag coefficient of 0.29, increasing the efficiency of these front-wheel-drive CUVs.
The new completely electric Kia Niro EV, in particular, now boasts a range of 253 miles, up from 239 miles in the previous model. Previously, the Niro EV could be ordered with a lesser 39 kWh battery, but it will now only be available with a larger 64.8 kWh battery.
The battery, on the other hand, doesn’t obstruct space; you get eight more cubic feet of passenger space and a generous 22.8 cubic feet of cargo capacity — albeit it’s less than the Tesla Model Y’s 30.2 cubic feet.
The Niro EV also features the same vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality as the Kia EV6, allowing you to use the Niro EV’s battery pack to power appliances.
However, instead of the Hyundai-developed E-GMP platform that supports up to 350 kW DC rapid charging, this model employs an older platform. Instead, the Niro EV will be limited to 85 kW DC fast charging, which will bring you from zero to 80 percent charge in around 45 minutes.
The updated Niro EV hasn’t been given a price yet, but the previous model started at little under $40,000, which isn’t much less than the sportier Kia EV6’s $42,000 starting price.
The 2017 Kia Niro EV, on the other hand, might shine if you enjoy cars that don’t strive too hard to stand out and just want the utility of a modern CUV.
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