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.