We last had a glimpse of what the next-generation Kia Niro would look like with a concept preview in late 2021, and now Kia has revealed the series production car with the EV variant leading the show.
Kia’s signature Tiger Face front end is retained and has been further enlarged to now extend from the hood down to the front fender. Angular daytime running lights add to the car’s external signature look, while a skid plate that’s purely cosmetic give the car some SUV-like character even though it’s really not a car that you can go off-road driving in.
Boomerang-shaped LED taillights and what appears to be a totally cosmetic, non-functioning diffuser round off the car’s rear end design. Kia has recently been big on active safety in its cars, and the new Niro predictably takes it up another notch. Kia’s DriveWise intelligence Advanced Driver Assistance Systems is the long name for its safety suite, which includes Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist plus Junction Turning and Junction Crossing functions that provide an added layer of safety when negotiating turns. It can automatically stop the vehicle when there is an immediate danger of a collision at traffic light junctions.
Niro’s front view camera and inbuilt navigation system work in conjunction to display the current speed limit. The Intelligent Speed Limit Assist system will display current speed and issue a visual warning if the vehicle is exceeding the speed limit. The Niro EV produces 150kW of power and has instant torque rated at 255 Nm. With a top speed of 167km/h and 0-100km/h taking just 7.8 seconds, the Niro EV will enable drivers to make effortless and smooth progress in all conditions. Topping up the Niro EV’s 64.8kWh lithium-ion polymer battery from 10-80 percent takes just 43 minutes with a suitable DC rapid charger.