Kia Niro has come up with a better way to charge an electric vehicle at a gas station

2023 Kia Niro EV

Type: Five-door compact hatchback, front-wheel drive

Engine: Front permanent magnet synchronous EV motor, for 201 horsepower, 188 lbs.-ft. of torque

Estimated range: 407 km

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Cargo capacity: 645 litres, or 22.7 cubic feet; 804 l, or 28.3 cu. ft.

Price: $47,844

The Kia Niro has always had a bit of a strange feel. After all, here’s a vehicle with definite small or compact crossover vibes, but with a body shape reminiscent of the Kia Rondo minivan. In its styling, there weren’t many eye-catching details to write home about. That’s changed.

It has to be said that its main claim to fame was the variety of powertrain types, a list that included a fully electrified BEV (battery electric vehicle) model. (The powertrain is the engine and/or electric motors along with the other parts that deliver power to the wheels.)

Then the Hyundai Kona came along, eventually got a BEV variant of its own, and had a unique look. It won a massive following.

Well, Kia has set out to change things with its all-new 2023 model (EV).

The new Niro’s massive headlights and vertical tail lights are the defining factors that have it looking like nothing else, not even other Kias.

The contrast-colour side blades aft of the rear doors serve as a pass-through for rushing air, providing better aerodynamics and better range.

Range is said to be 407 km. I started with my battery at 97 per cent charge and 378 km of range. After driving 100 km, my computer told me I had 227 km remaining at 60 per cent charge; that’s off the pace a little bit, but range anxiety was never really an issue for me during my time with the Niro. When hooked up to a DC fast charger, the Niro will go from a 10-per-cent charge to an 80-per-cent charge in about 45 minutes, at speeds of up to 85 kW.

But it’s the way the Niro hooks up to a charger that’s truly useful. There’s no need to dodge posts painstakingly at a Petro-Canada fast charger in order to get a side-mounted charge port aligned with the (annoyingly stiff) charge cable; just drive in nose first, and you’re good, because that’s where the charge port is located, and where it should be on any EV. Thank you, Kia, for doing it right!

While the exterior, with its flashy headlight lenses and side blades and two-tone, 17-inch wheels is a head-turner, the interior doesn’t quite match it. For a long time, Kia’s buttoned-down interiors with their dark tuxedo-like ambience worked; but times have changed and things are going brighter and a little more, well, fun. Sure, Kia has tried to brighten things up a little by adding a splash of colour ahead of the front passenger and having twin digital displays for the gauge cluster and infotainment, but that’s about it. I’m also not fully sold on the dual climate-navigation button bank at the base of the centre stack — you can change what it controls with the press of a button. It’s a little finicky.

The cabin is a comfortable place to sit, though; that roof is high so headroom isn’t a problem either front or rear, and they’ve managed to jam the wheels into the corners and stretch the cabin for some pretty good legroom, too. Add handy features such as a front trunk — it’s shallow, but I’m glad it’s here — and low, rear cargo floor and you have a very practical and accessible small hatch … crossover … thing.

Power is rated at 201 horsepower and 188 pounds-feet of torque, fine figures for a small car, but down in torque, compared with the old model. That’s too bad, but the new car isn’t slow, racing to the 100 km/h mark in about 6.5 seconds and always seeming to have the juice required so you’re not left hanging during highway manoeuvres, especially in more responsive sport mode.

As responsive as the powertrain is, the handling is the highlight. With its 64.8 kWh battery stuffed neatly into the floor, the centre of gravity is low and body roll is kept to a minimum. The steering could have a little more feel — it’s a little squishy as is — but the front-end is responsive, so the Niro EV is a pleasure to thread through town in, as it should be.

The handling, the power and, even the interior accoutrements, have me thinking compact hatchback, not compact crossover. As the Niro EV greets 2023 with a properly fleshed-out identity and a base price of $47,844 (before incentives), it is about as within reach as you can get in the current market for EVs.

That’s a big win.

Editor’s note: Please be aware that availability of vehicles depends on supply.