KIA Niro EV 2023 electric car owner review

George drives a KIA Niro EV 64.8kWh 2023.

This is George’s first electric car, he’s owned the KIA Niro EV from new and drives 5,000-10,000 miles annually. The current mileage of the car is between 1,000-5,000 miles and he achieves 275 miles from a full charge.

Why did you choose the KIA Niro EV?

I checked the specifications of all EVs that cost no more than £40,000 and the KIA Niro EV provided the best features and range for the money. Also, all the reviews were extremely positive. One other EV (I won’t name it here) that looked interesting, had some less than complimentary reviews, with one concluding that “it wasn’t as bad as they expected”.

Positives

The KIA Niro EVs I looked at come in three models, simply named 2, 3 and 4. I test drove the EV2, which was great, but the EV3 is actually the Goldilocks model. The EV4 has some extra toys, and although the sunroof would have been nice, I can live without the other extras. Anyway, this would have pushed the price above £40k. So, the number 1 reason I love this car is that I feel I chose the correct model.
the second reason is the quiet drive
the third reason is the quick responsive acceleration
actually there are many more reasons to love this car, such as the long range (close to 300 miles), no fumes, high-tech dashboard display, 7-year warranty, large boot space and the frunk. I could go on and on…

Negatives

There’s really not much to dislike about the EV3.

If I was to be pedantic I would say that it does feel heavy, but not that much heavier than my previous Ford Focus diesel
The rear boot cover is quite floppy
a proper parcel shelf would have been preferred.

Personally though, I never like people putting anything on the parcel shelf, so it’s not a big problem. It was also be nice if the DC charging rate was a bit higher than the quoted 80kW.

Have you experienced any faults with the car? If so, what have they been?

I’ve had zero problems since I bought the car new in March 2023.

What are the standout technological features of the car?

WLTP range of 285 miles
large 64.8kWh battery
impressive large dashboard display
plenty of room in the rear seats
charging port at the front in the middle
0-62mph in 7.8 seconds.

Tell us something people wouldn’t readily know about this electric car

Initially I poo-pooed the idea of ‘iPedal’ mode, but after experimenting with the various regen levels and driving in ECO, NORMAL and SPORT, plus playing with the regen levers, I switched to iPedal and have not looked back. Once I’ve ‘started’ the car and driven away, I immediately turn on iPedal mode by flicking the left-hand regen lever, and then turn off lane following (which I don’t like, but forgot to mention earlier).

The mobile phone app is really useful with many remote features that you can use to monitor or even control the car. For instance, you can do things like remotely locking the car (in case you forgot), start the climate control to pre-warm or cool the car and set Valet mode to name a few.

What electric car(s) are you interested in next and why?

None at the moment, having only bought this one in March. As I meet and talk to other EV owners I am increasing assured that I made the right choice with the KIA Niro EV3.

Home charging unit

Pod Point Solo 3 – I had the unit installed in the garage in a position where I can charge the car if driven in forward or reversed in. However, I have only charged with the car outside the garage since I’ve had it.
I chose an untethered Solo 3 unit so that it is future proof. This means that anyone with a non-CCS charger can use the Pod Point with their own cable.

I purchased a 5m charging cable for use with the unit, which I leave plugged in, and I don’t need to use the one that came with the car. There is no need for a lock on the Pod Point since it is in the garage. I cut a groove in in the concrete below the garage door which enables the cable to go under the door without being trapped. With the unit inside the garage it also protects it from the weather and prolongs its life.

Electricity supplier & tariff

OVO Energy – they do offer an EV ‘Charge Anytime’ tariff which is highly compelling as it doesn’t have an inflated price for daytime use. However (at this time) neither KIA nor Pod Point are supported by the tariff but I am assured by OVO Energy that KIA will be supported eventually.

What public charging networks would you recommend to others and why?

The public charging networks I have used are MFG, Fastned, GRIDSERVE, ChargePoint and InstaVolt.
I’ve not had any significant problems with these chargers and have never had to queue.

Insurer

My insurance was through the AA.

Please itemise where you’re saving money owning & running a KIA Niro EV

The main cost savings are in electricity versus diesel, zero road tax and servicing. I purchased 3 years servicing when I bought the car. I don’t have sufficient records to be able to itemise the cost savings but it is definitely a lot less than my previous Ford Focus diesel which was starting to rack up some repair costs. I generally charge the car at home with occasional charging at public chargers when on a long journey. The trick is to charge to 100% at home before the journey and only put in enough charge to get home at the public charger with perhaps a safety barrier of 50 miles.