Kia Niro BEV

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GRA said:
cwerdna said:
GRA said:
One oddity of the driver's display is that the speedometer readout is on the right rather than the left, for no obvious reason. Since it's all digital you'd think being able to switch the speed and DTE/capacity displays left to right, so that it's be more like the speedo left/tach etc. right displays ... would be easy.
Will respond to your other reply later but again, I've never heard of any convention nor uniformity as to which side on US market automobiles.

I had a '93 Dodge Caravan for awhile. https://www.ebay.com/itm/234606594092?hash=item369fa4882c%3Ag%3AZ84AAOSwMvFivQdm&fits=Year%3A1993%7CModel%3ACaravan%7CMake%3ADodge looks correct: tach left, speedo middle.

As for letting the driver switch, the two dials don't appear to be generic LCDs with totally addressable pixels. It seems they have discrete segments and even the centering of the numbers is different on the left vs. right. If you look at the cluster (pic at https://electrek.co/2019/05/07/kia-niro-ev-review/). you'll see the outer edges are different from the left and right. Left gauge has a break at the top and has different colored segments on the right.

Left gauge outer ring starts in red but it doesn't on the right one. Right one has a blue band the left one doesn't have. There's also a red band at the max. Inner ring of right side fills as you go faster, in place of a needle.

The middle between the two gauges is an LCD where you can display any arbitrary text or graphics. It doesn't seem like the round gauges and their interiors are that way at all. The gauge cluster on the '22 Niro EV is not one large LCD panel as far as I can tell, but I haven't examined carefully under bright light.

I wasn't saying that the Niro was currently set up to do this,it just seems like if you're going to the trouble of using a digital display which allows you to change the info shown, it would be fairly easy to allow for it.
As I said, it wasn't set up that way. Today, I looked more closely and realized that the right side of the left dial is actually part of the LCD w/individually addressable pixels. I don't change the drive modes (always have driven in normal) and today, after mucking with it I made that discovery. I uploaded a video. You can see a black dividing line between the left incomplete round gauge and the center LCD.
https://youtu.be/3jRVm3JVhcM

Back to lack of uniformity, I did some Google image searches for stuff ilke:
corvette c4 gauges - was digital w/tach left and speedo right
corvette c5 gauges - tach left, speedo right
corvette c6 gauges - ditto
corvette c7 gauges - speedo left, tach middle
camaro gauges - came up with a '14 and '15 on Ebay with speedo left and tach right
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpyjoJPQs2o - tach left, speedo right
 
cwerdna said:
GRA said:
cwerdna said:
Will respond to your other reply later but again, I've never heard of any convention nor uniformity as to which side on US market automobiles.

I had a '93 Dodge Caravan for awhile. https://www.ebay.com/itm/234606594092?hash=item369fa4882c%3Ag%3AZ84AAOSwMvFivQdm&fits=Year%3A1993%7CModel%3ACaravan%7CMake%3ADodge looks correct: tach left, speedo middle.

As for letting the driver switch, the two dials don't appear to be generic LCDs with totally addressable pixels. It seems they have discrete segments and even the centering of the numbers is different on the left vs. right. If you look at the cluster (pic at https://electrek.co/2019/05/07/kia-niro-ev-review/). you'll see the outer edges are different from the left and right. Left gauge has a break at the top and has different colored segments on the right.

Left gauge outer ring starts in red but it doesn't on the right one. Right one has a blue band the left one doesn't have. There's also a red band at the max. Inner ring of right side fills as you go faster, in place of a needle.

The middle between the two gauges is an LCD where you can display any arbitrary text or graphics. It doesn't seem like the round gauges and their interiors are that way at all. The gauge cluster on the '22 Niro EV is not one large LCD panel as far as I can tell, but I haven't examined carefully under bright light.

I wasn't saying that the Niro was currently set up to do this,it just seems like if you're going to the trouble of using a digital display which allows you to change the info shown, it would be fairly easy to allow for it.
As I said, it wasn't set up that way.


You misunderstand me. I wasn't saying that the Niro was capable of doing this, I was saying that if you're going to use digital displays anyway, why would you limit your flexibility by not making them capable of this?


cwerdna said:
Today, I looked more closely and realized that the right side of the left dial is actually part of the LCD w/individually addressable pixels. I don't change the drive modes (always have driven in normal) and today, after mucking with it I made that discovery. I uploaded a video. You can see a black dividing line between the left incomplete round gauge and the center LCD.
https://youtu.be/3jRVm3JVhcM


Try accelerating in Eco vs. Normal (and Sport if you want), and see if you notice a difference in accel. When passing I didn't notice any difference between the first two (and AFAIR didn't try Sport, as the steering feel was fine by me), just different throttle mapping. OTOH, the Ioniq 5/EV6 definitely felt like they limited power output in Eco mode.

BTW, do you change the regen level a lot as I do (at least on twisty and/or mountain roads), or do you find you just leave it at the same level all the time? I really noticed the lack of one-pedal driving around town, although it wasn't an issue on the highway, where I was often using ACC in any case when the road wasn't tight. But I like driving a stick (on more interesting roads) because it's more engaging, so I undoubtedly change the regen more often than someone who's a 'set it and forget it' type.



cwerdna said:
Back to lack of uniformity, I did some Google image searches for stuff ilke:
corvette c4 gauges - was digital w/tach left and speedo right
corvette c5 gauges - tach left, speedo right
corvette c6 gauges - ditto
corvette c7 gauges - speedo left, tach middle
camaro gauges - came up with a '14 and '15 on Ebay with speedo left and tach right
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpyjoJPQs2o - tach left, speedo right
 
I'm guessing that didn't want to go with a large fully addressable LCD for the gauge cluster. This let them go w/a smaller one.

Yes, I did try sport mode and they just adjusted the pedal mapping to make the car car feel faster than normal mode. I can't explain the behavior of the graphics on the right side of the left dial in modes other than the normal nor do I really care to understand it. Normal mode is fine for me.

As for regen level, I used to keep it at max but now I have it in "smart regen" which the manual IIRC doesn't really explain well. It feels basically like max to me. IIRC, max regen (w/o pressing the left paddle) is weaker than Bolt's L mode. And, unlike Bolt in L and BMW i3, Niro EV doesn't let you come to a complete stop if you press no pedals. You gotta use the brake pedal or press and hold the left paddle to come to a stop.

There is a left paddle quirk though. IIRC, while in smart regen, if the cruise control is engaged maintaining a speed, if you press the left paddle, it complains with a beep and message basically saying you can't do that. And, you won't slow down. You need to turn off/cancel CC or press the brake pedal to brake in this case.
 
cwerdna said:
I'm guessing that didn't want to go with a large fully addressable LCD for the gauge cluster. This let them go w/a smaller one.

Yes, I did try sport mode and they just adjusted the pedal mapping to make the car car feel faster than normal mode. I can't explain the behavior of the graphics on the right side of the left dial in modes other than the normal nor do I really care to understand it. Normal mode is fine for me.

As for regen level, I used to keep it at max but now I have it in "smart regen" which the manual IIRC doesn't really explain well. It feels basically like max to me. IIRC, max regen (w/o pressing the left paddle) is weaker than Bolt's L mode. And, unlike Bolt in L and BMW i3, Niro EV doesn't let you come to a complete stop if you press no pedals. You gotta use the brake pedal or press and hold the left paddle to come to a stop.

There is a left paddle quirk though. IIRC, while in smart regen, if the cruise control is engaged maintaining a speed, if you press the left paddle, it complains with a beep and message basically saying you can't do that. And, you won't slow down. You need to turn off/cancel CC or press the brake pedal to brake in this case.


I found the same effects re regen and cruise, although I didn't use Smart regen. My impression is also Level 3 regen isn't as strong as the Bolt in L, but as it's been almost two years since I drove the Bolt on the same trip and that was the first BEV I drove that allowed me to adjust the regen, I don't put a lot of trust in the accuracy of that.

Found a comparo of the ID.3 and 2023 Niro EV, which claims that the 2023 Niro has a lower max. charge rate (72 vice 77-78kW) than the earlier model which contradicts other sources, but says that the average rate is higher, which is how they get 45 minute charge times apparently from 10 to 80%. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_UHX_P1vr4, from 12:45-13-15.

Edit: BTW, that review also shows that the 2023 Niro EV has a power liftgate. Aaargh!, one more reason for me to prefer the earlier model.
 
GRA said:
cwerdna said:
My '22 Niro EV is actually leased. Lease ends near the end Jan 2025.

If the new and used car situation is still nutty at that time and the Niro EV is reasonably reliable for me and in CR, there is the possibility I might buy it at lease end.

Mine is the base trim (EX) w/no options.

Thanks. Since you've had it long enough for the 'new car halo' effect to wear off, any additional likes/dislikes/corrections you'd care to add?
Besides what I mentioned at https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=618697#p618697, here are a few other that annoy on Niro EV vs. '19 Bolt Premier or former '13 Leafs:
- off-center port still isn't great vs. center of nose. I ran into this w/an EA site where you had to bring in the handles from the side. It just didn't quite reach for the orientation I was parked in. I had to exit (was parked nose in) then back and use a different DC FC. It'd have probably reached if Niro EV had a centered inlet.
- the J1772 charging lock can be annoying. There's no never lock position. Best you can do is auto. If you try to unplug while it's still charging via J1772, even unlocking the doors may not be enough to release the stupid lock. You may have to use the unlock button on the key fob. Bolt doesn't have a J1772 lock. Leaf can be set to not lock.
- preferred how you toggled Bolt's auto high beam feature (Intellibeam) via a button on the left stalk. Niro EV's actuation method is inferior, IMHO so I almost never use theirs.

Bolt had some features like these that Niro EV doesn't have/doesn't do:
- Bolt had some nice touches like pressing the phone hang up button also muted the stereo.
- On Bolt, if you muted the stereo (e.g. by pressing stereo's "power" button), if you turned up the volume via its knob, it'd emit sound again.
- I kinda liked the speed limit warning chimes on Bolt. Once you reached a passed a user configurable speed (e.g. 75 mph), it'd emit a chime and show you a message that you exceeded it.
- follow distance display kinda forced me to keep my distance on the highway. I tried to keep it at 2.5 seconds or >2.5 seconds (that's what it displays if beyond 2.5 seconds).
- stop button on infotainment system to stop DC charging
- Bolt's target charge level screen let you set when to stop in 5% increments from 40% to 100%. Niro EV's is only in 10% increments and min is 50%. But, Niro EV lets you set separate stop charging levels for DC vs. AC charging.

Niro EV likes:
- do like the the stock nav system does support multi-touch (e.g. pinch and zoom for built in nav but I hardly use that).
- alert that the vehicle in front is pulling away
 
2023 Kia Niro EV first drive – where does this ‘intelligent EV’ fit in Kia’s lineup?
https://electrek.co/2022/10/09/2023-kia-niro-ev-first-drive-intelligent-ev-does-it-fit-kias-lineup/

2023 Kia Niro First Drive Review: One little SUV, three electrified flavors
It could be the perfect car for the times, but pricing is a serious question
https://www.autoblog.com/2022/10/10/2023-kia-niro-first-drive/
 
I see the 2023 has the charge port centered, so one issue fixed. Personally I didn't have any major problems with it at the EA sites I tried to use. The one charger on the side rather than the head of the stall required that I only drove the car partway into the space rather than pulling all the way in to get the cable to reach, but the car's short enough that it didn't stick out too much to be a hazard. The EV6 was worse (and the Ioniq would be as well); having the port at the rear corner of the car just in front of the taillight gave me the same problem as you describe. Not only did I have to move to a different charger, I had to back only partway into the space, sticking well out into the lane.

One other issue: None of these cars seem to have a good light to see the charge port, although the Niro was the best of the bunch. This means that connecting up is done by feel at poorly-lighted chargers. It's ridiculous, as both the EV6 and Ioniq have banks of presumably LED lights showing the SoC range right next to the charge port, so how difficult would it be to add one that illuminates the port itself? It would only need to be on for a minute or two. The Niro had a light that did a better job, but it was only on one of the three times I could have used it; not sure just what action's required to have it be on.

Oh, I thought the Niro's two separate, removable plastic cover plugs for the J1772 and DC pins, kept from falling to the ground by attached plastic tethers when not covering the ports, seemed kind of cheap and unnecessary. Even if you need two separate covers, something like the Bolt's spring-loaded fold-down cover for the DC pins seems a lot more elegant as well as less susceptible to damage or loss.
 
One more review of all the 2023 Niro variants, from GCR:

Review: 2023 Kia Niro EV, hybrid and PHEV up their efficiency credentials

https://www.greencarreports.com/new...ro-ev-hybrid-plug-in-hybrid-test-drive-review


From this and a couple of other reviews it appears the EX may no longer come with cloth seats. I hope that's not the case. This article also says the Niro EV comes with 500 'hours' of charging at EA chargers which is almost certainly wrong, as other sources say "500kWh". That's far more believable, as the larger battery EV6 gets 1,000kWh at EA chargers.

Also, the EV appears to be limited to either silver or black for the side 'wings', unlike the other versions where you can get it body color. I suspect there'll be a lot of complaints about that.
 
ABG:
2023 Kia Niro EV pricing starts around $40,000, seems fair

Pricing is competitive with most EV competitors, but the Bolt EUV massively undercuts it

https://www.autoblog.com/2022/10/19/2023-kia-niro-ev-pricing/


In our 2023 Kia Niro first drive review, we had pricing for the hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, but the 2023 Niro EV was still labeled TBD. Well, now we know, and it's basically what you'd expect given the last generation, the competition and Kia's other electrified options.

There are two trim levels: Wind and Wave. Pricing starts at $40,745, including the $1,295 destination charge, and comes very well-equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, a tire mobility kit (no spare), automatic LED headlights, heated mirrors, automatic wipers, privacy glass, a power liftgate, an eight-way power driver seat, an upholstery consisting of cloth and simulated leather (made out of recycled eucalyptus), heated front seats, a simulated leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, wireless phone charging, 10.25-inch instrument and infotainment screens, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, five USB ports, a Harman Kardon six-speaker sound system, and Kia's full complement of safety technologies.

The Wave then starts at $45,745 and is roughly equivalent to the other Niros' SX Touring trim level. It adds the vehicle-to-load inverter that lets you power electronics or even other cars, upgraded headlights, foglights, power-folding mirrors, a sunroof, an eight-way power passenger seat, driver memory settings, full eucalyptus "leather" upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, the upgraded Highway Driving Assist 2 system (adaptive cruise control is standard, but this adds automated lane changes and AI adaptation to your driving style), the Smart Park automated parking assist, parking sensors and rear automatic braking.

One notable difference between the Niro EV and the other two Niros. The same array of colors are available, but it would seem that the gloss black aero blade is not (pictured above right on a hybrid). It is body colored with the exception of the white-and-silver combination you see pictured above left. That's a shame. The black side trim does remain, however.

As you're probably wondering, the 2022 Kia EV6 starts at $42,695, or about $2,000 more than the Niro EV. It's bigger, more refined and will charge significantly quicker, but the base Light trim is good for only 232 miles. It's also RWD, which will be a no-go for folks in many parts of the country. The Niro EV is FWD only and should be good for 253 miles. It should also be a bit quicker. The EV6 Wind RWD trim, meanwhile, is a little quicker, should be good for more than 300 miles and is equipped similarly to the Niro EV Wave. It starts at $48,795. The Wind e-AWD version is $52,695, but remember that comes with a big-time power bump. . . .


So it would seem that you can still get cloth seats, and the aero blade is available body-colored in the BEV. Now if they would just get rid of the power liftgate and power driver's seat as well as the auto headlights and wipers, that should allow the Wind's base MSRP to be back below $40k, hopefully well below. Moving the heated mirrors from standard to a cold-weather option package would also help. You could also move the heated seats there, but on a BEV they're as much about maximizing range as they are comfort and convenience.

With the EV6 Light only $1,900 more I think the Niro Wind's price is a tough sell, except for people who are struggling to afford even that, or people like me who prefer a smaller car. Either car has enough range for local use, but while the Niro has 21 miles more EPA range than the EV6 Light, the latter charges so much faster that it's far better suited to weekend trips. Comparing the Niro EV Wave to the EV6 Wind RWD is even more of a mismatch, with only a $3,050 upcharge for the latter.

Saw my first 2023 Niro today, a blue HEV from behind. Can't say I care for the rear lights (reminds me of the Gen 4 Prius weirdness), but looks are way down my priority list.
 
Well Hertz continues to up.their EV game, and on this trip.to SanFran was offered a 23 Kia Niro EV when picking up my car.

Overall, nice car to drive. Interestingly, Hertz has the tires at 43psi (44F here today). I am beginning to wonder if only the Leaf suggests 35psi. Efficiency.so far is very similar to the Leaf. In mixed driving getting around 4 miles/kWh. Not enough of a sample yet to feel certain yet. (Car in eco, no heat/AC)

Besides the screen control learning curve, nothing to much to complain about. The seating is a bit more expansive up front and a bit more in the 2nd row. Trunk space is also pretty good.

We will see how charging an ev for rental compares to gas in terms of return in a few.days as I have to return it above 70% SoC.
 
DougWantsALeaf said:
Well Hertz continues to up.their EV game, and on this trip.to SanFran was offered a 23 Kia Niro EV when picking up my car.

Overall, nice car to drive. Interestingly, Hertz has the tires at 43psi (44F here today). I am beginning to wonder if only the Leaf suggests 35psi. Efficiency.so far is very similar to the Leaf. In mixed driving getting around 4 miles/kWh. Not enough of a sample yet to feel certain yet. (Car in eco, no heat/AC)

Besides the screen control learning curve, nothing to much to complain about. The seating is a bit more expansive up front and a bit more in the 2nd row. Trunk space is also pretty good.

We will see how charging an ev for rental compares to gas in terms of return in a few.days as I have to return it above 70% SoC.

Manufacturers recommendations should be ignored in all instances. The tires you were using likely has a max PSI rating of 48 which allows a higher pressure. The LEAF recommendation is laughable but the tragic part is so many choose to take their word over the reasonable process called logic.
 
I ended up.woth about 3.5 miles/kWh efficiency with mixed slow highway (55mph) and local roads. There were some hills, and temps were in the low 40s. No heat and only eco for the week..just seat heaters (no steering wheel heater...but did enjoy the power liftgate) used.

Not amazing efficiency...Given all of the large range claims made by Niro drivers, I was slightly disappointed by the results. This was with my normal grandpa driving style.
 
With the proliferation of PEVs and the resulting dispersal of MNL members to their own model-specific forums, I haven't been reading much or posting here at all for months, as MNL has almost entirely reverted to the model-specific forum it was originally established as, even though it also served as a de-facto general PEV forum for over a decade. Since early on it was clear a LEAF wouldn't meet my needs (nor would any car without a TMS), my interest has always been discussing other models, and AFV developments generally. However, I just took my usual trip up from the Bay Area through Yosemite over Tioga Pass and down to 395 in a 2023 Niro Wind EV, rented from Hertz (my thanks to DougWantsALeaf up-topic for mentioning they had them), so thought I'd post my review of the car. I was able to find an office that had a much lower price than I've paid to rent on Turo (couldn't find a 2023 there yet anyway), as Hertz gives a discount to AAA members. It cost me about $38/day plus fees (I've found them as low as $34/day), so the total was $134.34 for 3 days.


Driving.
Drives nice, not much more to say about that. Used Eco mode almost the entire time, and aside from pedal response accel seemed the same as in Normal or Sport. OTOH, A/C in Eco mode was pretty weak (temp hit 101 at one point in the Central Valley), but switching to Normal or sport mode would cause the DTE to drop 4-10 miles; up to 40 when switching the A/C on compared to just using the fan. For the whole 665 miles round trip, I averaged 4.0 mi./kWh.

Controls.
Has the same separate haptic dual-mode HVAC/infotainment switch panel below the touch screen as the EV6. I don't like it, but at least better than having virtually everything on the infotainment panel, like the ioniq 5 and ID.4. Still, the 1st gen's physical switches/buttons are better. As someone who's always owned and prefers sticks, I like the paddle-adjustable regen, as was also on the previous gen and the EV6, as it gives me something to play with to stay engaged, and allows me to maximize coasting and regen on trips in this kind of terrain. Other controls for windows, seat heaters, lights etc. were physical and well-placed, although the 2023 still has the hockey-puck gear selector on the center console where it takes up space, IMO needlessly compared to having it on a stalk on the right of the steering wheel column like the Ioniq 5, not to mention most cars with automatic transmissions.

Displays.
Doesn't display SoC% on the main driver display, only a curved bar with ticks every 25%. If you want % you have to have the EV mode on the infotainment screen, but allows you to split screen so e.g. you can also display the map. Also, the speedometer only has numerals every 20 mph, with tick marks every 5 miles in between. [Note: But it's back on the left side - see the discussion following my 2022 review, link in my next post]. As there seemed to be enough room to have them at least every 10 mph, I don't know why they skimped.

Charging.
I've driven a 2022 Niro EX EV on the same trip, and comparing charge rates and times I don't see much difference. Charging at the same DCFC the 2023 peaked at a higher rate (86kW vs. the 73kW max. I saw in the 2022) at around 40% SoC, was lower at 70% SoC (47kW vs. 58kW) and then was higher again at 80%, 30kW vs. 26kW. 37-80% took 30 minutes, vs. 31 minutes from 41 to 80% for the 2022; however, the ambient temp during the charge was 75 deg. for the 2022, and 96 deg. for the 2023, so that may have slowed things downed slightly for the 2023. All in all the difference was pretty minor, and no one in a hurry's going to be satisfied with the charging speed in either generation, especially when compared to their corporate cousins. The 2023 does have the charge port center-mounted rather than being offset a bit to one side like the 1st gen., a minor but useful improvement. Lighting of the charge port is still inadequate.

Range.
Despite the 2023 being credited with 253 miles of range vs. 239 for the 2022, the cars' ranges were basically identical on this trip that involves lots of climbing and descending: even though the 2023 is probably cleaner, much of the trip's at or below freeway speeds; the 2023's also heavier [Edit: No, it isn't, I flipped the numbers - these are correct: 2022, 3,854 lb.; 2023, 3,721 lb.].

Sleeping.
I always test cars by sleeping in them, as that's something I often do at trailheads especially in winter, and the 2023 is a major step backwards from the 1st gen. for one simple reason. It lacks a fixed or two-position cargo floor that's level with the base of the folded rear seats. [Note, see Edit below]. The low floor position, while providing more cargo height/space because it's low, is 5 2/3rd inches lower than the base of the folded rear seat backs, i.e. there's a big step up. I took both my bed pillows and laid them cross-wise one ahead of the other in an attempt to provide a flat floor for my sleeping pad, but unfortunately they weren't thick/stiff enough to work once my leg weight was on them, and I had to abandon the attempt to sleep in the car after an hour or so because it was simply impossible. Obviously, it would be possible to find pillows or make some other arrangement to provide a floor level with the base of the rear seats for sleeping or loading long awkward cargo like my bike, but why on earth should these kinds of workarounds be necessary in a $40k hatchback/wagon/CUV, especially since the 1st gen Niro EV didn't require them?

Interior overhead lights front and rear were physical push on/off, so good.

Cargo.
The lower cargo floor and maybe the longer overall car length did provide more length between the base of the rear seat and the rear hatch, 34" vs. 28.5-30" (sides/center) for the 2022. However, the rear window in the 1st gen. cars is more vertical, so the 2023 only has about 20" from the top of the seat to the rear hatch, while the 1st gen. had 23". The 2023 measures 23" from cargo floor to top of seat, vs. 18" in the 2022; width between the shock towers was similar in both cars, 41-41.5", so room to fit two 20" wide pads side-by-side. OTOH, the 2023 was 53" wide max. in the cargo area vs. 50" for the 2022. There does appear to be space designed for at least a compact spare under the floor. So, while there's definitely more cargo space back there, the lack of either a higher or two-height floor definitely limits the car's utility, and I'm dumbfounded that Kia did this. Maybe this is a fleet rental-only thing, and I need to get to a Kia dealer to look at a retail model and see if the normal cars don't do this. [Edit: It appears that it is, as photos I've found show the cargo floor level with the base of the folded rear seats. Now I need to make sure that this is available in U.S. models. See the link I included to an Electrek article couple of posts later].

There's also a small frunk, good for a laptop and small, low profile stuff. Cubbies in the cabin were generally good. Front map lights didn't illuminate the cell phone cubby at the front of the center console, so if you need to find one of the receptacles (USB-A, USB-C and 12V) and plug something in at night, you're doing it by feel. There's still only a single cargo area light in the right sidewall, but because of the low cargo floor it provides better illumination of the whole cargo area than say a Bolt/EUV or the 1st gen Niro, at least until you've got cargo that's as high as it is.

Power tailgate, which I'm never a fan of as I consider it completely unnecessary, expensive and one more thing to break, not to mention tediously slow. Every time I close one I feel like I should be ordering a henchman to "Begin the unnecessarily slow-moving dipping mechanism!": https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/3cf87e82-4a7e-4733-b964-1d9fe1e25bc9

The Niro's is at least faster than others I've used. Oh, and at least it's got normal door handles rather than the equally unnecessary power-operated flush-mounted ones on the Ioniq 5 and some other cars, that will likely be frozen in place with any ice on them, and will equally likely malfunction once some sand gets in there.

Visibility.
Okay, not great. Left rear vis at my height (6'0") is limited owing to the B-pillar, but unlike the EV6 I didn't have to peer through a tiny gap between the seat, the B-pillar and the headrest trying to see cars alongside me. Blindspot monitors are fine, but I shouldn't have to rely on them. Rear view's okay with all three headrests in place at their lowest position; the center headrest is low profile so mainly just blocks the view of the rear wiper, although the view's still better with it removed. The outer headrests block a lot more, but the area off to the sides isn't so critical. Upper forward view in the center/right of center is blocked by the cover of a radar? Lidar? Video camera surrounding the rear-view mirror mounting, for what I assume is for the AEB/ACC or driving assist systems. Even with the seat bottomed out I found it very annoying, and prefer the 1st gen as that seemed to have a smaller cover that didn't block quite as much of the view, at least that's my memory of it. I'd need to sit in them side-by-side to compare.

Room.
Not an issue. Plenty of front legroom for me with my 34" inseam, and I could have put the seat even further back. It's a power seat, which I fail to see the need for (I could if you had two regular drivers and also had a memory function). With the seat bottomed I had about 1.5 hands of headroom, so I suspect only very tall people would have any issues. Rear legroom in the sit-behind-myself test was also okay, although toe room under the seat was tight with the front seat all the way down. Rear headroom was about 1 hand-width, so also ample.

Performance.
Every BEV car I've driven has had more than adequate acceleration for freeway merging and passing on two lane roads, and the Niro (both generations) is no different. The 2023 reduced the max. torque from 291 to 188 lb.-ft. while keeping the horsepower the same, so as not to smoke the tires under max. accel from a stop; since I have no need or desire to win stoplight drag races I don't care, and the sum difference in passing speed per C&D is all of .1 sec. (3.6 vs. 3.5) from 50-70; passing accel from 30-50 is the same 2.4 sec. for both generations.


Summary.
All things considered, given my preferences and priorities the 1st gen. Niro EV is a better match. The 2023's small increases in range, charging speed, interior space and cargo volume are outweighed by its poorer visibility, lack of physical HVAC controls, unnecessary power options and most importantly the poor loading/sleeping due to the low cargo floor [see Note above for last point]. I half wish I'd leased a 1st gen: even lacking AWD and with a charging speed that makes it unacceptable to me for serious road trips, it would have been adequate for 3-season weekend trips, and semi-adequate for winter trips. Still, renting when I need one's a lot cheaper than leasing.

IMO, where Kia really blew it with the 2nd gen Niro EV, aside from the cargo floor, is in not using the higher voltage pack of the EV6 standard range, giving it the same 15 min. 20-80% charge time as that car. Even if they'd kept the smaller 58kWh pack that car has instead of the 64.8kWh one in the 2023 Niro EV, the faster charging speed would have been more useful for road trips than the slightly greater range. And it would have set it apart from the competition, at least partly helping to justify its $11,650 higher base MSRP than the Bolt EUV, never mind the lack of the tax credit. As it is, I find it hard to justify choosing it over the EUV, at least until that car's no longer available a few months from now.
 
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