[This article was first published on carbuyer.com.sg]
Kia’s feature-packed Niro EV crossover makes for the perfect electric family runabout, with its impressive practicality and generous range
SINGAPORE
What is the Niro EV?
The Niro EV is Kia’s first electric car to go on sale in Singapore, and like all Kia models, it offers excellent value for money. The Niro EV takes the form of a crossover EV, which means it has plenty of space and practicality for the family.
It is also quite generously equipped. Standard equipment includes 17-inch wheels, full LED headlights, ventilated seats, electric driver’s seat, a sunroof, wireless smartphone charging, auto lights and wipers, keyless entry and go.
There’s also a 7.0-inch TFT infotainment display with Apple CarPlay, and the driver’s instruments are fully digitised. Safety features include seven airbags, a blind spot monitor system, rear cross traffic alert, and a reverse camera, while boot space is rated at a generous 451 litres.
The Driving Experience
The Niro EV’s electric motor produces 201hp and 395Nm of torque, powered by a 64kWh lithium-ion battery pack, giving it a quoted range of 455km on a full charge. Charging takes about 9 hours via a 7.2kW AC charger, but that time drops to around two hours for 80 percent charge via a 50kW DC fast charger.
The Niro EV’s generous power and torque swooshes the car along with silent ease. It’s also very enjoyable to accelerate and feel the Niro EV surge forward with authority. For the inner city grind, it’s perfect for slipping quickly into gaps and neat overtakes, and the anchor of the battery means the car’s surprisingly capable around corners. Also, a big battery and crossover body style means the Niro EV handles larger road undulations well, but pitter-patters over the small stuff.
What the Niro EV is really good at though is getting from one place to another with silence, no fuss, and zero-emissions. Wafting along in relative quiet, cooled seats, adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitors taking some of the load off the driver, the car simply excels at zero-emissions mile-crushing.
So, why this car?
The Kia Niro EV presents a strong case for an electric future, and might be one of the most important EVs in Singapore. Its crossover body style offers plenty of practicality as a family runabout, while its impressive range and feature-packed equipment list makes it a truly attractive package for those wanting an EV with few compromises.
[Source article: carbuyer.com.sg/ev-weekend-singapore-2021-kia-niro-ev]
