2023 Kia Niro EV Debuts As Chevy Bolt EV, Bolt EUV Rival
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The 2023 Kia Niro electric subcompact crossover made its official debut at the New York International Auto Show this week, arriving as a direct rival to the Chevy Bolt EUV.
The Kia Niro is offered as a pure EV, but unlike the Chevy Bolt EUV, it can also be ordered as a traditional hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Let’s start with the EV model, though, as this is the version that will likely generate the most interest. The Niro EV comes standard with a 64.9 kWh battery and a single 201 horsepower electric motor driving the front wheels. Kia is targeting real-world range of around 253 miles and says it will offer an optional heat pump and battery warming system to help improve range in colder climates.
The Niro HEV, meanwhile, features a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and a 42 horsepower electric motor, which together produce 139 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. The automaker says this model will return a targeted 53 mpg combined and will boast an estimated driving range of 588 miles. Lastly, there’s the plug-in hybrid model, which has the same 1.6-liter engine and an 83 horsepower electric motor, together producing 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. This model has an all-electric range of 33 miles.
Inside, the Niro EV continues its eco-friendly theme by using eco-friendly or recycled materials, including a headliner composed of recycled wallpaper, bio polyurethane fabric upholstery sourced from eucalyptus leaves and BTX-free paint on the door panels. Panoramic, dual 10.25-inch screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system are available as an option, along with a Harman/Kardon premium sound system and heated/ventilated front seats.
An impressive suite of active safety features come standard across all 2023 Kia Niro trim levels. This includes Forward Collision Avoidance (FCA) with Pedestrian detection capability, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Following Assist, Blind Spot Collision Avoidance, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance and Rear Occupant Alert, among more. Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go and Navigation-Based Curve, which is Kia’s version of highway drive assist, is also offered.
The 2023 Kia Niro will be available to order this fall.
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Competent car, but the styling is…woof
It’s the official Star Trooper EV.
Same power, almost same battery, slightly less range, slightly bigger.
Sticker price $7500 more expensive for base model.
I don’t now how good it looks but it’s definitely better than the fugly last gen!
That seriously needs to be available in a solid color.
Amazing that thing even left the design studio. Terrible.
A lot of these EV announcements are missing crucial information. For this one it’s the price. For the Equinox EV it’s the range & hp.
When they tell you how much they cost, how slow they charge, and how crappy the range is, it’s hard to get excited.
So they just don’t.
Spoken like a person who does not own or likEly has never driven an EV
Spoken like someone who can’t understand why they are impractical to most people.
They make sense for commuting to work for a lot of people. So they are a good replacement for an economy car. Except they aren’t economy cars.
Watch Bolt’s sales tank once again. The Kia will offer more for less and that is what sells.
It definitely looks better as a solid color in the TV commercials. The “Prius” version is most enticing given the MPG and range.
Up until now, availability of Kia’s EV offerings has been a problem here in the Midwest US, essentially nonexistent. Until the GM battery fiasco snd chip shortage, Bolts were available on the lots of many Chevy dealers near where I live. No Kia dealers stocked any EV models.
The Niro EV will probably be a competent if not pretty car. Seeing as walrus-like mini vans are a plenty on roads, styling may not be top of the list on what many consumers are looking for.
Personally, what I don’t like about the Niro is the intrusive center console that is connected to the center stack. That is the same complaint I have about the Prius. It makes it difficult to reposition my right leg, being hemmed in by the console. I rented a Prius for a trip to New Jersey a couple of years ago and found the restricted space pretty annoying.
There’s a car that doesn’t have an annoying center stack against your right leg? Even trucks have those now.
I understand that as I’ve “fixed” a few Prius’ for resale so I have had that same experience. It seems to be the way most every car and truck has gone to these days. Along with my old hot rods I own a 2014 Volt that I use as a daily commuter but I do like the idea behind the hybrid drivetrain as a long term commuter.
I have a Bolt and a Niro. The Bolt has surround vision, better acceleration, and superior one pedal braking. The Niro is quieter, more comfortable with more range and better suspension. It looks better. It also looks better than the 2023 Niro. I like them both.