2023 Kia Niro EV Wave

For 2023, Kia fully redesigned its trio of eco-friendly Niro small crossovers—a hybrid, plug-in hybrid (see pages 118 and 115, respectively), and the EV reviewed here. The new design gives the formerly bland Niro some personality—bolder and more aggressive, ready for anything. But looks can be deceiving—the Niro EV performs well in some areas and comes up short in others. It has decent power overall, but it doesn’t jump off the line like many EVs. There's plenty of headroom and legroom in both the front and back seats, lots of interior storage and cargo space, and the front seats are heated and ventilated. But the interior fit and finish is just so-so, and the materials feel cheap, with a lot of piano black plastic in the center console. Fuel-efficiency ratings are excellent—113 MPGe in combined driving. And the Niro's 11-kW Level 2 onboard charger can recharge its battery in less than 7 hours. Arguably one of the ARC staff's biggest complaints was that the Niro's ride is jarring, its handling is unsettled, and it leans too much going around corners. Also, operating the infotainment and climate systems is distracting, requiring toggling between them using the same set of controls. Finally, lots of road and tire noise gets into the cabin, and the wide rear roof supports create a blind spot in the rear and to the sides.