Kia's 2023 Niro EV Is The Hatchback Answer To Your EV6 Dreams

Thinking of an EV6 but it's a little too spendy and a little too tight in the rear? Kia has a less expensive alternative in the Niro EV for you, if you can handle front wheel drive and a less exciting DC fast charge time.
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[@brady783]

First gen Niro EV owner here. We love our Niro. Best car we've ever had. Charge times on road trips aren't as slow as they might seem on paper. I told my wife Kia released a new model and she said I'd be in trouble if I traded her car...

[@Ezero8]

Thinking of doing the same to our first-gen Niro EV...

[@DeeBananaMan]

Whats the charge time like on l2?

[@PluginDuo]

That's tough. Niro EV is very appealing but, it's hard to ignore the price of the Bolt.

[@Bidyoworks]

good luck on your bolt

[@JohnnyKReviews]

Yeah Bolt get's a additional $7500 off due to Tax liability, plus it's $8,000 cheaper than the Niro.

[@Steve_in_NJ]

@@JohnnyKReviews And not as reliable -- BOLTS are discontinued in 2024.

[@Bidyoworks]

I JUST GOT MINE 23 KIA NIRO EV WIND IN DRK CHARCOAL GRAY. LOVE IT! ALOHA!!

[@jenesuispasbavard]

21:12 Lol when did y'all shoot this video? Chevy announced the 2023 Bolt price drop *four months* ago.

[@davidmccarthy6061]

Front charge doors would be a concern in Chicago where drivers push their way into tight parking spots. But I like the size since I find the Kona a bit to small.

[@_CarlosA]

I was hoping Kia priced this to start around the low 30s or 35k but I guess not. We need more affordable EVs here in the US.

[@james2042]

I just bought a 2020 ioniq ev and I love it. Hyundai/Kia are absolutely killing it with the EVs, granted I think the screens in the new ones are a bit much, that's just personal preference. It does make me sad the ioniq ev was such a unicorn car due to its low availability as it was a compliance vehicle sold in like 4 states . It was only sold in a few states and only for like 4 years total. It even had a healthy 170 miles of range too, like thats not terrible for an economy EV that has super high efficiency.

[@Steve_in_NJ]

I have the same Niro EV in Snow White Pearl with gray aeroblades. Going on 3rd month of my Niro EV Wave. Almost took the 2024 EV at the dealership, but then saw the 2023 sitting in the corner of the showroom. It was there inside for 8 months. Never test driven. Loaded. Too loaded (Nitrogen air in the tires!?). As I was leasing, the sales manager decided to give me a deal because he was anxious to finally "rid" himself of the 2023. In order for me to take it, they removed all the charges for those dumb add-ons, including the $4,000 dealer markup, and I still got the federal tax credit off MSRP (it is leased). Best part? I charge it at home (two incentives in NJ for home EV chargers) and when I charge from 30% to 100% -- good for 290 miles. Designed for 253 miles on a charge, always get much greater. Oh, and I love my Niro Wave, and would get it again in 2027. But by then, probably an EV3.

[@sprockkets]

Niro EV in the EcoRun 2023 somehow got 156mpge. Better than the Ioniq 5 or 6. Go figure. They all were tested at the same time too.

[@DesmoLocke]

Alex is so good, he can give an EV the gas! @13:15 😄

[@BoopSnoot]

Taco Bell hits like that sometimes

[@michaels3003]

Nitro?

[@coreyphillip5807]

Can you do a video comparing the different ev batteries? I’m curious to know you opinion on the different brands battery tech!

[@megaroeny]

Equinox is gonna be nicer I think. But exciting to see a new generation of this. I think it’s going to be quite affordable.

[@anthonyc8499]

This new Niro EV is a lot more attractive than the outgoing model but dang, Kia is going to need to figure out how to drop the price or where to build these in the USA because without the $7500 tax credit, they're looking at a $15,000 price difference against their competitors.

[@sylvainlaurin1012]

If you want credit on the Niro, just buy your car in Canada. Canadian government will give you 5,000$CAN back (not a tax credit but a rebate applied after taxes). On top of this if you buy in BC or Quebec province, you will get an additional rebate up to 7,000$CAN (in Quebec). Canada and provinces apply rebates on EV according to their price (no credit above 65,00$CAN) and not depending upon number of cars sold or where the car is built.

[@miky702]

@@sylvainlaurin1012 How does that help the US buyer?

[@sylvainlaurin1012]

@@miky702 It's a matter of «transparency». If you make a video about the implementation of a new technology, you have to explain both sides of the story and compromises you have done. By the way, an educated consumer is a better consumer !!!

[@brummie0007]

If your looking at the Niro EV like I was, I went to the Kia Niro EV Experience Centre in Vancouver, BC last week and was told that they don't know when the Niro EV is going to be available and they also didn't have one in the showroom, good luck.

[@alvin.holbrook]

That 3.9 mi/kWh is really good I think. Impressive stuff.

[@nevco8774]

Alex points out in a separate video that the Bolt EUV he was testing averaged 4.5 miles/kWh making the most efficient modern EV on the market in 2022 and during the next few years. The only huge advantage of Niro is the heat pump availability allowing to preserve range in cold weather but not in extreme subzero temperature.

[@chow-chihuang4903]

Once the Chevy Equinox EV is available, the Niro EV is going to have a much harder time in the market as the Equinox will address many of the deficits of the Bolt EV or EUV it has against the Niro, and will cost somewhere between the Bolts and the Niro.

[@tonyw2167]

And the Equinox EV will have tax credits but not the Niro EV

[@nevco8774]

One cannot swear upon exact price range of Equinox though and being based on new Ultium battery technology might be slightly more expensive than Niro. However Equinox will fare very competitively against larger SUVs like RAV4 or CRV.

[@sprockkets]

Well, ten months later, and GM still can't get their battery factory working to scale in Ohio, the Niro EV starts at $34k, that Equinox will not start at low $30's to start, and you can get the credit if you lease it. And their Blazer EV now costs more and is literally the same price as the Lyriq. IDK, GM really doesn't seem to be in any hurry, and they rather sell large ass SUVs like the Escalade IQ anyhow. Way I see it, buy a 3 year old Niro from a person who paid the initial tax credit and depreciation for about $22k. Buying the Wave Niro for around $45k is nuts, esp vs the EV6 or Ioniq 5.

[@chow-chihuang4903]

It is frustrating how brands in the US refuse to sell affordable BEVs, whereas they make and sell them in Asian, European, Latin American and Caribbean markets. They also put reasonably-sized wheels on in those markets, whereas we get giant wheels in the US that reduce efficiency, make ride quality harsher, get bent easily when hitting potholes or curbs and cost more to replace either tires or wheels. But that’s another issue.

[@jasoncaine2600]

So how did that work out.... 🤷‍♂️🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jamespaul2587]

Great overview and comparison, Alex. In Canada we are awaiting confirmed pricing, however I believe the wait list for this may be considerably shorter than for the EV6 or Ioniq 5, I believe the Soul EV may have better availability still

[@robdc4829]

Likely because the looks are a bit polarizing on the Niro.

[@jamespaul2587]

@@robdc4829yes, but production is also more established for the Niro and Soul and they probably have better supply for many components shared with the gas versions

[@treads2595]

Alex does a kick ass review as always. Unfortunately, all of these reviews are for naught as dealers are marking up Bolts and most certainly will mark up the Niro. I'm so glad I'm not in the market for a car.

[@darrelpeters]

This is going to be a great car for the price when it’s released But the new GM models coming out later on next year are going to make this a tough sell. Does the Kia Niro EV have a vehicle to load like the EV six and ionic five?

[@Jenna_]

He pointed out the V2L case in the back around 7:55, I would imagine that's only for the EV and not the plug-in or the hybrid.

[@Noah_E]

Putting the charge port in the center of the bumper makes it a hard pass. Bumpers are designed to be sacrificial. Deer are all over my area and it isn't an if, but a when situation as to when you have an encounter with a deer. Putting something that NEEDS to work properly 100% of the time in a location easily damaged makes no sense. Besides Bambi, it can freeze shut due to snow and is susceptible to getting bumped in traffic or while parked. Put it up high in the front, on a fender, rear quarter panel, or near a tail light like a Focus. Pretty much anywhere other than the front bumper.

[@jhemp71]

fair point

[@flolou8496]

We are almost 2 years and 3 months away from when this important break down review was done by Alex: So now when it comes to the used marketplace, you can beging asking yourself, Is the 2023 NIRO EX Wind Trim is worth or not worth the 5,000 higher purchase price than the 2022 Chevy BOLT EUV ? because that is about the difference in price in the used marketplace as we approach the 2025 model year coming up in less than 3 months.

[@emschaub]

I agree that this seems like a solid vehicle and probably would fit my needs well, BUT the loss of the tax rebate this would have qualified, and now that alternatives are now getting the rebate, and Chevy dropping the Bolt/Bolt EUV price, the value proposition was blown up. I think Kia would have to drop the price of this by 5-10k as a start and I wouldn't be surprised if they will put some money on the hood as an incentive mid year.

[@ATH_Berkshire]

Maybe, all they will reallocate production capacity to other markets where more money can be made. The US isn’t the only place in the world.

[@garrettw99]

The location of that charging port would annoy me every day. My charger is at the front right in my garage, so I would need to back up into my garage if I had the Niro EV.

[@joeisawesome540]

you said get the ev6 out on the road at 11:22 xD the inside look so similar to an EV6

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Details details LOL

[@bobd7384]

Oops, "now let's get the EV6 out on the road" @ 11:20. Unfortunately, still not enough front legroom for me. How about a electric golf cart?

[@ATH_Berkshire]

You must be huge for this not to have sufficient legroom.

[@markmiller3279]

What do you mean? Hyundai and Kia have the longest seat tracks in the business. Just push the seat back more. There will be plenty of room.

[@WumpusAmungus]

Scrolled to see if anyone else caught that. 👍

[@disla25]

Alex, could you compare it to the Nissan Ariya FWD? The lease prices are almost identical.

[@ruthareed4422]

I would love it if you would make an episode on off grid charging of an EV

[@Qrail]

How about the wheelbase? I appreciate that you post the length, but wheelbase helps me understand it better. Is it more than 107?

[@davidmccarthy6061]

Hold on while I Google that for you.

[@Qrail]

@@davidmccarthy6061 I will await your response.

[@Corvette1658]

Tomorrow my dad is getting his 2023 Kia Niro EV Wind in green.

[@Ezero8]

Hey, this is Alex on Autos! I thought he stopped doing car reviews.

[@oldebill1807]

Heads up for Canadians, the Niro is eligible for the CAD $5k federal ZEV incentive/credit.

[@BTC909]

20K more for this over a 2023 Bolt EV, i'll take a Bolt EV.

[@rsdwall466]

Niro is much better and real life tested vehicle than bolt

[@eloyzamora4461]

@@rsdwall466 $20k better? I agree I like the kia more but top bolt euv lt2 with an instant $7500 rebate is hard to beat.

[@anthonyc8499]

Agreed that the Niro EV is better but there's no way I'd pay that much over a Bolt EV. Hyundai & Kia are going to need to figure something out quick because with dealer markups plus zero tax credit, you're looking at $10,000-$12,000 or more of a price swing in the car. Toss in the fact Bolt EUV starts at $27,200 and it's not even close.

[@cablebox]

​@@eloyzamora4461 It's not an instant rebate. It's a tax credit which you have to qualify for.

[@microhaxo]

@@rsdwall466 How so? the Chevy Bolt has been out longer and has sold more than the niro. Now factor in $39k vs $25k starting prices EXCLUDING tax rebates. That's a really big stretch for consumers.

[@clivechinery9997]

What’s the point though. All these manufacturers are releasing all these EV and PHEV models which you can’t even get to buy unless you live in certain states and even then you have to pay cutthroat prices from the dealers

[@markmiller3279]

Except this is available in all states - as are most of the other recent intros. Supplies are a problem, of course.

[@mluc1111]

I'll wait for Chevy Equinox ev 2023 starting $30k + tax credits

[@ArneAsada69]

@18:30 I like that 0-06 times.😂

[@BoopSnoot]

Needs more gloss black plastic.

[@ChicagoBob123]

The car odd looking which makes it not much differnt than the Bolt. The Bolt still has bad seats and bad charging but the price is way better

[@sprockkets]

Too bad the original ioniq isn't coming back. Hope to see it come back in some form.

[@The_Observer72]

In Sweden EV6 is priced +10.000 USD over Niro EV.

[@mj42kramer]

How do you know the Bolt will get the full $7,500? What percentage of battery is from the US or fair trade agreement countries?

[@EVBuyersGuide]

According to GM’s spokesperson that I spoke with at the last event I attended they “believe it will qualify but are not prepared to disclose percentages at this time”

[@SNESmapper]

Kia needs to drop the price considerably for this new Niro otherwise it's DOA without the tax credit.

[@naveenthemachine]

This isn’t DOA. This is still way better than the laughingstock bz4x. So there’s that

[@ATH_Berkshire]

They will just move availability to other countries. There is a world market for cars, KIA will prioritise where the profits are best.

[@Noah_E]

There was one at my local dealer's lot for months before disappearing. I checked it out when if first arrived and they acted like it would sell immediately so weren't willing to budge much on the price. I went online to see if there were any others nearby and it had been shipped to a different lot in the dealer network. I know if was the same car because they sent me an eBrochure that included the VIN. It stayed in there network for at least 5 months. Real hot commodity there when every other model sells as soon as it can be delivered. (sarcasm)

[@jasoncaine2600]

​@@Noah_Ecool story

[@godofdun]

This will compare poorly to the ID.4 in its lowest 2 trim levels, 37.5 and 42.5, especially as that will likely qualify for at least half of the new tax credit

[@jamespaul2587]

Depends on the market and relative pricing, they may be closer in cost in other markets such as Canada

[@DocHoliday177]

But the id4 software issues are enough to pass on that model

[@jamespaul2587]

@@DocHoliday177 perhaps but software issues can be fixed, it's worth a look if it is otherwise good

[@godofdun]

@@jamespaul2587 New software is here and fixes the issues, they've had it in Europe for a bit now and any new ID.4 will have it on there. They are rolling it out for older 2022s, the model year 2021 people it's coming more slowly for unfortunately. Some of those poor souls do have some really valid complaints, never a good situation when someone feels like a beta tester.

[@jamespaul2587]

@@godofdun thanks, it's good to hear the fix is underway, it really seems like they rushed the software to market, or perhaps they were unaware of the complexity

[@be236]

Full highway range test for this upcoming?

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Indeed

[@jenesuispasbavard]

If only these were available nationwide...

[@FuncleChuck]

Are they not? I thought he said this was a 50 state model, unlike the last one.

[@KalleSWBeck]

@@FuncleChuck all the Kia EVs are sold out or heavily marked up

[@markmiller3279]

They will be, anywhere there are qualified dealers.

[@aquilles10]

I just turned in my ‘22 Kia Niro EV. The dealer service experience was nothing short of a nightmare. Zero communication, and bottom feeder customer service. Their cars could be state of the art but I’ll never, ever consider a Kia again.

[@fr373969]

Good car, but tax credit kills it 😅

[@hulkhogansgianttaint9451]

Appreciate your channel but more EVs we can't find.

[@RoxUnlimited]

0-06 in 7.7 and 8 seconds? Jeez these are turtles 🐢

[@jamespaul2587]

Not really, faster than many comparable gas vehicles

[@RoxUnlimited]

@@jamespaul2587 I was joking about the typo saying 0-06 instead of 0-60 :V

[@jamespaul2587]

@@RoxUnlimited I see, that would be turtle 🐢 or snail 🐌 acceleration rates :)

[@kkiran81]

Does this have the terrifying VESS?

[@gazzyT644]

It’s much quieter now.

[@michelellison9687]

Not everyone will qualify for the tax credit.

[@ATH_Berkshire]

But what proportion of the people that can afford a $35_40K new vehicle don’t qualify for the tax credit?

[@markmiller3279]

@@ATH_Berkshire Some older shoppers who have lots of assets that generate modest income, because that's all they need (house is paid off).

[@LJLion]

Mediocre at best, Kia dropped the ball on BEV Niro, charges so slow, old battery chemistry. I'll go for Ev6 RWD instead.

[@whiteandnerdytuba]

It better be much cheaper for that garbage recharge time

[@jermainec2462]

I don't care about tax breaks and incentives and all that stuff looks like a good buy to me it doesn't have the range that I want but no EV right now has the range that I want that's under 45k so I like it

[@blahblahblah9619]

You don't care about $7500?

[@L3x4Pr0ne]

@@blahblahblah9619 not everyone’s finances have the ability to take advantage of a 7500 tax credit, myself included.

[@eloyzamora4461]

@@L3x4Pr0ne that's changing in 2023

[@blahblahblah9619]

@@L3x4Pr0ne he said the vehicle is too expensive, but he said he doesn't care about $7500 tax credit. So, I'm missing something. Anyway, in 2023, the tax credit would be deducted at the time of sale itself. So we have to see how things would go.

[@robinhoodlum7180]

they want 2k more than a tesla model 3 , and the model 3 is wayyyy more car ..lol

[@ouch1011]

It seems like at least half of your videos have typos or editing errors. Someone should really be watching them before you release them for public consumption.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

What's the error? These had a very quick turn so sometimes issues happen.

[@jamespaul2587]

How many typos and editing errors were there on your last KZbin video, Kevin?

[@jasongorny1345]

I dislike this car because it’s the reason Kia won’t sell Soul EV in the USA 🙄

[@waynebrowne1063]

This thing is soooo ugly!

[@anthonyc8499]

you should see the outgoing model. Its face looks like a hippopotamus.

[@johnlamprecht7523]

Love the niro, but it's ugly

[@tambulee]

300 miles must be a standard minimum for ev these days.

[@ouch1011]

Why?

[@FuncleChuck]

Nonsense. Why the hell should I have to pay for a bigger battery I don’t need just because you can’t wrap your head around it?

[@anthonyc8499]

200-250 is perfectly fine for most people as a daily driving commuter car. The recharge speeds aren't awful like the Bolt EV so you could even road trip this in a pinch.

[@davidmccarthy6061]

The range doesn't matter as much as the charging rate and curve. If you typically drive 30 miles a day it is a lot of expense and weight if you don't need 300 miles of driving a day.

[@markmiller3279]

Silly. Realistically, most people don't even need 200. These will mostly be commuter and around town vehicles, with most buyers having another vehicle for road trips.

[@mikel4879]

Not good absolutely at all. The price is too high. The range of around 250 miles is unacceptable. The useful trunk volume of around 22 cubic feet behind the back seats is too small, highly unacceptable. All in all a very unuseful, non-practical electric car for masses. Absolutely unacceptable specs. Kia can shove it.

[@markmiller3279]

It's the same size inside as the RAV4, the best-selling vehicle in the US that isn't a pickup truck. Somehow all those hundreds of thousands of buyers find this the perfect size for their needs. It will carry four adults and their luggage. That's all I'll ever need from a vehicle. As for range, that depends on your needs. This is plenty of range for a commuter or for driving around an urban area. It's not a great road trip vehicle, but a large percentage of people never take those, and most buyers of EVs have another vehicle they could use for those.

[@eriknephrongfr8847]

Kia should’ve taken the Infinity Q45 approach: this thing is butt-ugly.

[@tinyexcell]

Don't buy electric

[@Digikidthevoiceofreason]

Ugly, IT IS A HATCHBACK, and too small. A fools EV at best.

[@johnholst]

All EV's are for fools. :)

[@FuncleChuck]

You look lost, Circus is that way 👉

[@jamespaul2587]

They could call it an SUV or crossover like other brands that also make hatchbacks

[@markmiller3279]

For a hatchback, this is huge! It's the size of some compact crossovers, including the bestselling RAV4. There are bigger vehicles coming, but this is mainly a car for commuters and around town driving. Maybe the occasional shortish trip to some Surrounding park. It's big enough to carry a family of four and their luggage.

[@masterod5728]

Most cars are only driven by One person, the US megalomania is only a waste of energie.😢

[@ihateshysters]

Dealerships being anticonsumer? What a surprise.

[@larkes8]

This is very plasticity