Two months ago, the folks on staff at the Whatcar.com
blog named the Hyundai Kona Electric the best car of its kind. This
past week, they ran a feature regarding our Niro, and seeing if they thought we
make better use of the very same battery and motor in our endeavor. Before they
even get into the nuts and bolts of driving details, they claimed off the bat
that the Niro's
package is more practical, appealing to those who are looking for a daily
driver with functionality and common sense.
This feature does a great job of stepping back in
time all the way to 1885, when the first patent Motorwagen auto roared
precariously to life. Even though so much has changed since then, it is true that
the overall popularity of the internal combustion engine has remained constant.
Even though electric power has offered up a quieter and cleaner alternative for
this entire 133-year period, it has always taken a back seat due to expense
concerns, and questions about range. After Tesla had killed off some of the
concern regarding battery capacity worries, the technology just had to wait to
filter down into a package that cost less. With the Hyundai Kona Electric, that
was offered up in a car that literally was on a mission to save the Earth.
This Kona instantly was the favored electric car
of this publication, but they now feel that its domination may be short-lived,
due to the arrival of our family-friendly and high-performing e-Niro.
The testing team really highlights the fact that any driver will be very
surprised at how much punch these cars have, whether you are already in motion,
or trying to go fast right off the line. After intense driving and taking
notes, the team agreed that the steering on the Niro is more accurate, leaving
you with a sense that the handling has a tidiness and pleasantly grippy
property. In the very crucial braking category, the e-Niro has the ability to
stop from both 30 and 70 mph, and the brake pedal feels more consistent, which
enables smoother stops.
You are able to adjust the level of regenerative
braking in both cars, which controls the amount of electricity harvested by the
car as you slow down, from noticeable to so strong that you can drive without
hardly using the brake pedal at all. As far as the all-important range
question, the Kona boasted a total of 259 miles to the e-Niro's 253, which is
most definitely a close matchup. Regardless of speed, the review concluded that
the “miles will certainly pass more pleasantly in the e-Niro,” where you'll
notice much less road and wind noise during the trip.
Finally, the experienced folks from the blog felt
the materials in the e-Niro's interior were of higher quality, and that
superiority was evident in layout as well as comfort. Come down to see us at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis this
January, and check out the electric options that are becoming more abundant as
the future collides with the present. The way in which cleaner energy sources
will change that future for the better are plenty, and we are proud of just how
frequently our vehicles have been praised by some of the most-read blogs and
news sources out there!
