Kia Electric Event
Why we loved the Kia Electric Experience.
Last month, our four Kia branches all held their own Kia Electric Experience Roadshows. Showcasing the all-electric Kia EV6, all-new Kia Sportage and the hugely anticipated All-New Kia Niro EV!
All four branches had a great turn out, with new and existing customers all wanting to be one of the first in the UK to see the Niro up close and personal! Thank you again to all of you that came.
So why do we all love the All-New Kia Niro EV so much? Here’s a run-down on the changes Kia have made to the Niro EV!
Starting with the exterior, it’s a very obvious change in design. Taking its sharper looks from the All-New Kia Sportage making it an amazing looking cross-over. With the charge point now central, it’s easier to charge on the go, without having to try and get the cable to reach across the car. From the front you’ll also see the new heartbeat design daytime running lights adding to the contemporary look.
Moving round to the sides of the vehicle, possibly the biggest, most obvious addition, the new coloured C-Pillar! From a far, it just looks like a stylish extra that Kia decided to add, but there’s more to it. If you look closely, the C-Pillar is actually slightly away from the vehicle, allowing air flow through the middle. This clever design trick helps to improve aerodynamics which in turn improves the range and also makes the cabin even quieter!
Now to the rear of the car, carrying on the boomerang design from the rest of the car, the back features boomerang brake lights. One thing that many of the previous model customers kept asking for, was for the power tailgate on the e-Niro. Well, Kia have taken that on board and the all-new Niro EV does have the power tailgate!
Boot capacity has always been something Kia has always just got right; they’ve carried that on again with the new design. The Niro EV boasts a 475 litre boot with the rear seats in use, going up to 1,392 litres when the rear seats are folded! An annoying feature of an electric car is having to keep those charging cables in the boot, then packing for your stay-cation to then get half way there and realise you need to charge! Well Kia have thought of this and added a ‘frunk’ aka a front trunk. With 20 litres of space, its perfect for the cables, meaning it no longer has to be hard work when stopping to charge!
A huge benefit of the All-New Niro EV is that we can finally tow with it! With a tow capacity of 750kg it gives Kia’s electric customers that little bit more freedom!
If the exterior isn’t enough to show you how much better the All-New Niro is, here’s some of our feedback on the interior of the all-new Niro!
We’ll start from a passenger’s point of view in the back of the car, one thing you will definitely notice is how much leg room there is now! Kia have redesigned the seats in the Niro to be thinner and more comfortable than the previous model, helping to save space and make the overall journey a lot more comfortable. On the sides of the front seats, you will find USBC ports, meaning that on those long journeys it’s easy to make sure phones, tablets and other devices stay charged, because let’s face it, there is nothing more annoying than getting half way through a long journey and you get that ‘low battery’ warning!
Moving into the drivers seat, you certainly won’t be disappointed! The first thing you’ll notice is the high-tech dual 10.25-inch panoramic digital display screen integrating both the driver information cluster and infotainment features into one, a modern feature that can also be found in the EV6 and the All-New Sportage! Kia have also added the two spoke steering wheel, the same as the EV6, giving that futuristic feel. On the steering wheel, Kia have always added those easy-to-use buttons meaning we can keep our eyes on the road, this hasn’t changed on the all-new Niro EV! Speaking of keeping our eyes on the road, Kia have now given us heads up display, meaning we can still follow the sat nav and check the speed limits, all without having to take our eyes off the road! The seats are made from vegan leather and recycled plastics, helping to reduce our carbon foot print. Driver and front passenger seats are also electric, making it even easier to get the prime driving position and ultimate comfort.
A little gadget we are glad that’s been carried over from the new Sportage and EV6 is the ambient lighting in the cabin! You can change the colours to suit your mood or even your football team colour!
A great feature of the Niro (PHEV and HEV models from ‘3’ upwards) is that it now has an Intelligent Green Zone Drive setting. It automates the use of electric power in zones marked as Green Zones. You can set these zones in Nav and the Niro will also begin to learn your driving habits. So as you drive towards the Green Zone, the car will automatically switch into electric-only driving to reduce the exhaust emissions.
To summarise all of the great things Kia have changed and added in the All-New Niro, if you’re looking for a futuristic looking, intelligent car with enough space for the family and enough tech to keep everyone amused AND reducing your carbon footprint all at the same time, then the All-New Kia Niro really is for you.
Want to know more? Head over to our Kia Niro page here, or contact a member of our Kia sales team.
*Blog based on the all-new Kia Niro EV ‘4’ spec. Specification does vary on each model (HEV/PHEV/EV), please speak to a member of our Kia sales team for more information on other specifications and models.