Green Car Reports Deems Kia Niro EV Best Car to Buy 2020 Nominee

In some ways, the switch to full-on electric-vehicle presence has not taken place the way it was predicted to a few years back... with mass-market models nailing down incredibly-long range batteries or being able to boast the sheer affordability needed to be always sustainable. While the focus on quality will get better and better for the everyday consumer, there is already one shining star out there in the form of our Kia Niro, which was one of three vehicles to qualify as a nominee to be Green Car Reports' Best Car to Buy 2020.

The folks on staff at Green Car Reports claimed after a few drives that the Niro EV piles the features on: a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is included, as well as a power sunroof, heated and ventilated leather front seats, Harman Kardon Premium audio, adaptive cruise control, active lane assist, and automatic emergency braking. Underneath the passenger floor is where the 64 – kwh battery pack is positioned, making for added capacity under the rear seat, and the entire battery is sealed and liquid-cooled together alongside the power electronics.

The motor that sends power to the front wheels in the Niro EV is permanent-magneted, cranking out 201 horsepower and 291 lb-ft of torque. The testing team for Green Car Reports enjoyed the simply-laid out interface for the predictable regenerative braking and the range meter that proved to be extremely reliable. The brake regen comes in three steps and an added coast mode, and holding the left paddle during deceleration allows for an eventual complete stop without any touching of the brake. There's even an “Auto” regen mode that puts radar and camera inputs to the task of conserving and recreating energy.

What everyone understandably is most concerned within the long run is how fast charging is, and what it means is they are relying on the car for their very necessary daily driver. Incorporating 100 kw, fast-charging on CCS DC fast charging hardware can yield 100 miles of charge in 30 minutes or finish at 80 percent in around an hour. On a 50 kw charger it just takes 15 minutes more, and if you're on Level 2 standard 240V charging, you can do an overnight stint of just less than 9.5 hours. This writeup also states that among the three finalists for the year, the 2020 Kia Niro EV is the only one that has the capability to find a place in the mass market, and all of us on staff here to serve you for the holidays at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis would have to wholeheartedly agree!

Amazon and Kia's Partnership For At-home Electric Charging Stations Featured on Autoblog.com

It's definitely no secret that Amazon desires in a major way to be the one-and-only destination people go to worldwide to get their online shopping done, and they are now expanding a bit further into the car world with their latest partnership. All of us here at Jim Butler are very proud to announce that Kia is teaming up with Amazon to make Level 2 chargers available for your home! To purchase the chargers up front on offer, you just need to lease or own an electric Kia or have one securely on order.

Included are the Niro EV, Soul EV, Niro PHEV, and Optima PHEV, and is a bold-and-boisterous attempt at making, buying, and installing these kinds of chargers less difficult. Many consumers out there already know and understand the navigation and process of Amazon well, so buying everything you may need to get your new electric car charger up and running from them could provide a smooth process that entices many to get on board.

Amazon really is planning to handle the transaction thoroughly here, by calling out an electrician to inspect your house to see if any changes need to be made to properly support it, then take on the task of fully installing the charger. Bosh, ChargePoint, and JuiceBox are the three brands stepping up to the plate for the summer to provide level 2 car chargers. The 2020 Soul EV and the 2019 Niro EV both get to a full charge in a little more than nine hours on a Level 2 plug, versus a nearly 60-hour wait from a Level 1 charger. Juice at the fastest rate is what benefits electric car owners during the night's rest, and the convenience of portals such as Amazon will no doubt provide a strong interest in the time-saving service.

This other great feature from Autoblog covers the unveiling of the Niro hybrid at the Geneva Motor show, as well as many new options such as 18-inch wheels. New projector headlights adopt what is now known as the “ice cube” design above a brand-new bumper, and paddle shifters for the six-speed double-clutch have been grafted onto the steering wheel. You get to enjoy the 8-inch screen for infotainment options, with an upgraded spec providing a 10.25-inch TFT infotainment window, with the capability to run Uvo Connect. We are excited for this powerful partnership to provide offerings to many who are eager to capture the quickest available charge for the EV and take any unnecessary worry out of the ordering process.

Car and Driver Hails 2019 Kia Niro EV as Perfect Alternative to the Tesla Model 3

Dave VanderWerp of Car and Driver was definitely on to something when he said that in his opinion, our esteemed Niro EV came out with perhaps not near as much anticipation as the Chevy Bolt and without the illustrious star appeal of “anything Tesla.” It's our addition to the lineup that is an electric-only crossover, and Dave also states here that it is a thoroughly impressive engineering effort that is painting Kia as the daunting dark horse in electric-vehicle prowess.

With the EPA mile rating situated at a very substantial 239 miles, it also offers up more back-seat room and nearly 25 percent more cargo space than the Model 3. Whenever customers come to talk to us here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis about the potential of buying an all-electric car, they are usually very savvy individuals who are great at the all-important task of stretching their valuable dollar. The Niro's price tag is situated at an attractive $10,000 less than that of the small Tesla sedan, one reason why Dave claims it is an “EV that the masses should be lined up to buy.”

The Niro comes in two feature-heavy trim levels: the EX and EX Premium. Among included standard features are passive entry with push-button start, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, automatic climate control, and a slew of driver aids such as adaptive cruise control, lane-centering steering assist, and blind-spot warning. Stepping up to the Premium trim adds LED head and taillights, a sunroof, leather front seats that are heated and ventilated, an 8.0-inch center touchscreen instead of the standard 7.0-inch model, and the eccentrically excellent sounds of the Harmon/Kardon stereo.

After a lengthy test drive, Dave ranked the driving experience as “serene,” and great at quelling the wind noise that is hard to avoid during the winter. The electrical hardware provided minimal whine, and everything inside feels solid and built with longstanding expertise. The Niro is tuned to be more comfortable and have a bit less sporty of a stance, and the brakes possess the quick and protective response expected from any current offering. After comparing it in detail to the Tesla Model 3, the final verdict from the Car And Driver troupe was that the powertrain has a mature tone that “brings on the power in a more progressive manner,” and the group was happy to see range estimates peaking out at a bit higher than the 239-mile stated figure, which may have been helped along by a very optimal 60-degree temperature outside.

Ask us about the optional cold-weather package, which includes heated steering wheel plus battery heater and heat pump to further comfort the cabin. Also of great interest is the standard 100-kW DC fast-charging capability, quicker than both the Nissan Leaf and the Bolt EV. If hooked up to a 100 kW onboard charger, you can get your pack up to 80 percent in just an hour. As the future of automobiles appears to be embracing electrification with no slowdown in sight, 2019 may be the perfect year for your family or business to verify what volt-powered victory over fuel consumption feels like!