Hyundai Kona Electric vs Kia Niro EV

The 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric was known for its distinctive "bulldog" appearance, characterized by its short and stout build with minimal rear overhang. It managed to strike a balance between looking tough and friendly. For 2022, Hyundai introduced new wheels and updated the front and rear bumpers of the Kona Electric. The Ultimate trim, which was the top-tier model, featured Surfy Blue paint and 17-inch alloy wheels, making it quite eye-catching. However, the abundance of blue on the grille-less front bumper and painted mirror caps might have been overwhelming for some. The Kona Electric was available in two trims: Preferred and Ultimate, with the latter offering additional features like LED headlights and rain-sensing wipers. Inside, the Kona Electric provided excellent outward visibility, thanks to its short, sloping hood and large windows. The interior was user-friendly, with physical controls and a straightforward layout, making it easy to get accustomed to. The shifter had an unconventional "+" design, but it was intuitive. The centre console was basic yet functional, with storage bins and a 10.25-inch touchscreen display in the Ultimate trim. Despite its compact size, the Kona Electric didn't feel cramped in the front, and the Ultimate trim offered leather-trimmed seats and other niceties like a sunroof and heated rear seats.

The 2023 Kia Niro EV shared its design with the Niro Hybrid and PHEV models, featuring styling elements that set it apart from other entry-level EVs. It had a unique front end with divided headlights and a larger grille, along with block-like lighting elements. The Niro EV came with 17-inch alloy wheels, and its charge port was conveniently located in the middle of the front fascia. At the rear, it sported tall, boomerang-like vertical taillights and "Air Blades" for improved aerodynamics. While its 0.29 coefficient of drag wasn't the best in the EV segment, the Niro EV's upright shape provided a contrast to the pod-like silhouettes of other small EVs. Unlike the E-GMP platform used by other Kia and Hyundai models, the Niro EV rode on the K3 platform, accommodating hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Inside, the Niro EV featured a creative design with a crescent-shaped dashboard and sustainable materials like recycled wallpaper and eucalyptus leaves. However, it still had some piano black plastic, which was prone to glare and dirt. Overall, the Niro EV offered a more creative and sustainable interior compared to its predecessor.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric was part of Hyundai's growing lineup of electric vehicles, offering a 150-kW electric motor paired with a 64-kWh lithium-ion battery. This powertrain delivered 201 horsepower and 291 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels, providing a quick and enjoyable driving experience. The Kona Electric boasted an impressive Natural Resources Canada-estimated efficiency rating of 1.8 city, 2.2 highway, and 2.0 combined litres-equivalent per 100 kilometres. It had a total driving range of 415 kilometres on a single charge, although this could vary with temperature changes. Charging the Kona Electric took approximately nine hours and 15 minutes on a level 2 home charger, while a 100-kW fast charger could replenish the battery from 10 to 80 percent in 47 minutes. The Kona Electric featured three drive modes: Eco, Comfort, and Sport, and its short wheelbase and substantial torque made it fun to drive. Despite its weight, the Kona Electric handled corners well, and its suspension absorbed bumps effectively.

The 2023 Kia Niro EV featured a 64.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion polymer battery pack and a single electric motor producing 201 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque. It could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds, offering a smoother power delivery compared to its hybrid and plug-in hybrid counterparts. The Niro EV's handling was more planted, providing a refined driving experience. However, it lacked the nimble feel of some competitors like the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV. While it offered a pleasant driving experience, it didn't set new standards for EV handling or ride quality.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric offered reasonable headroom, with 1,005 millimetres in the front and 957 millimetres in the rear. Front passengers enjoyed ample legroom at 1,054 millimetres, but rear passengers had only 848 millimetres. Cargo space was limited, with 544 litres behind the rear seat and 1,296 litres with the rear seat folded. Despite its compact size, the Kona Electric made efficient use of storage cubbies and compartments, accommodating road-trip essentials. However, it wasn't suitable for towing.

The 2023 Kia Niro EV provided more headroom and legroom than competitors like the Chevy Bolt EV/EUV and Nissan Leaf. It also offered slightly more legroom than the VW ID.4, although the VW had more headroom. The Niro EV had 645 litres of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 1,803 litres with the rear seats folded. While it had more cargo space than the Bolt EV/EUV, it fell short of the ID.4. The Niro EV featured a small storage compartment under the hood, but it wasn't a true frunk. In-cabin storage was limited, with shallow door pockets and a narrow centre console. However, it had large cupholders and a decent-sized phone tray.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric featured a user-friendly infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen on the Preferred trim and a 10.25-inch display on the Ultimate trim. The Preferred trim supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the Ultimate trim did not. Dual USB ports were standard, with an additional USB outlet for backseat passengers in the Ultimate trim. The Kona Electric also offered a digital key and a Harmon Kardon premium audio system in the Ultimate trim. A 10.25-inch digital driver information display was introduced in the Ultimate trim.

The 2023 Kia Niro EV came with a standard 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system, featuring wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also included SiriusXM satellite radio and a Harman Kardon audio system. Limited models had a head-up display. The touchscreen was responsive and had appealing graphics, but it lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Niro EV featured a reconfigurable touch control panel for audio and climate controls, requiring toggling between functions. It also had Digital Key 2.0 functionality, compatible with Apple Watch and select smartphones.

The 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric was equipped with a range of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) under the SmartSense umbrella. These included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-following assist, lane-keeping assist, driver attention warning, blind-spot warning and collision avoidance, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Ultimate trim added front parking sensors and high beam assist, along with Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist technology. While crash-test ratings for the Kona Electric were not available, the gas-powered Kona received top scores from the IIHS.

The 2023 Kia Niro EV offered standard driver-assist features on the base Premium trim, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, driver attention monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit warning, rear occupant alert, and blind-spot collision avoidance. The Limited model added front and rear parking sensors. All trim levels had adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and navigation-based curve prediction, along with Highway Driving Assist. The Limited model featured Advanced Highway Driving Assist with automated lane-change capability. Crash-test ratings for the Niro EV were not available.