Kia’s all-new 2023 Niro EV is practical by design

The refreshed Niro compact SUV lineup will be coming to North America in 2023 with new styling and more interior space. The Niro HEV, Niro PHEV, and Niro EV will be on display at the New York International Auto Show. The Niro EV, which was only available in select states, will be released nationwide.

The Niros all have the same profile panel that gives the car a swoosh-like appearance. The front and rear of the car have new daytime running lights and grilles. The new low drag coefficient of 0.29 will make these front-wheel-drive CUVs even more efficient.

The new fully electric Niro EV has an improved range of 253 miles over the previous model. The Niro EV had an option for a smaller 39 kWh battery, but now it will only come in a larger 64.8 kWh pack. The battery doesn't get in the way of space, so you get more passenger room and cargo space, but it's less than the Model Y.

• The “aero blade” panel style looks like a swoosh with the like-colored cladding. Image: Kia
• The Niro EV’s all-new interior.
• Image: Kia
• The Niro EV has a small front cargo space that can hold one personal item like a backpack. Image: Kia
• The Vehicle-to-Load feature allows household appliances to be powered by the battery. Image: Kia

The Niro EV has the ability to run appliances off of the Niro EV's battery pack. This uses an older platform instead of the E-GMP platform that allows up to 350 kW DC fast charging. You can get from 10 to 80 percent charge state in about 45 minutes with the Niro EV's 85 kW DC fast charging.

The Niro EV has not been priced at this time, but the previous model started at just shy of $40,000, which is not much cheaper than the new one. If you like the look of cars that don't try to stand out too much and just want the practicality of a modern CUV, then the new Kia Niro EV might be the one for you.