2020 Kia Niro

By Alex Forrest

Finally, Kia’s little electric SUV, the Niro, is on sale in Australia about three years after it went on sale overseas.   

The Niro is a particularly unusual vehicle because it’s the only SUV in Australia that can be had as either a pure electric vehicle (EV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or a regular hybrid (HEV).

The one we road tested was the EV, and because it has a relatively big battery pack at 64kWh, it’s pricey but offers good range, at a claimed 455km. Pricing for the Niro EV starts at $67,490 for the entry level S variant, with the range-topping Sport model costing $70,990.

The Niro is based on the same platform as the Hyundai Kona, which has a similar battery range. But to get this kind of range in other EVs, you’ll need to pay quite a lot more. So it’s reasonable value from that standpoint, at least.

If your budget doesn’t stretch that far, the Niro Hybrid’s pricing starts at $41,990 and the Niro PHEV’s pricing is in between at $49,990.

On test, the best aspect of the Niro as an EV was the fact it could be used over several days without having to worry about battery range, because it’s only slightly less than many liquid fuelled cars.

The Niro’s performance is stronger than virtually any other small petrol or diesel SUV, with acceleration limited more by the grip of the front tyres due to the substantial but silent torque coming from the electric motor.

The interior is comfortable and functional, but not at the level of luxury you would get if you stumped up $70,000 for a conventional vehicle.