• Quality interior materials
• Sharp-looking screens
• Refined at speed

How is the quality and layout?

If you’re familiar with the previous-generation Niro, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the progress Kia has made with the new model. It’s as if the car has leapt forward two generations. Gone are the plasticky trims and boxy styling of the old car – and, in their place are lashings piano black trim, high-quality switchgear, a swoopy new design language and some seriously upgraded infotainment.

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Kia has also made a big jump towards using sustainable materials in the Niro EV’s cabin, as they fit with the car’s eco-conscious image. For example, the headlining is made from recycled wallpaper, the seats are trimmed in Tencel (which is made from eucalyptus leaves) and the door cards are finished in solvent-free paint. And you can’t really tell the difference.

Infotainment and technology

There are a couple of infotainment options, depending on how much money you want to spend. The base-model comes with an 8.0-inch central screen, while mid-range cars and up are fitted with a 10.25-inch unit. Both are supported by voice control (which can be used to change the radio station and set navigation instructions) and some physical buttons on the steering wheel.

It works great for the most part, but it’s not without its faults. The 10.25-inch unit only displays Android Auto across two thirds of the screen, with the remaining third being occupied by a large ‘Android Auto’ logo. That makes the display quite small, and we found it difficult to read navigation instructions off it. What’s more, the display is offset to the passenger side of the dashboard.

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Mid-range ‘3’ cars and up get a three-year subscription to Kia Connect, which allows drivers to check the status of their car’s battery, schedule charging, pre-condition the cabin and lock and unlock the doors. There’s even a function that allows you to bounce navigation instructions from your phone to your car and programme a route before you get behind the wheel.

Comfort

• Supportive front seats
• Electric motor = quiet interior
• Jiggly suspension

The Kia Niro EV’s seats are very comfortable. They have loads of adjustment, a good lumbar support setting and they can be lowered to the floor. Our tallest tester had a criticism with the Niro’s driving position, though. When he first got behind the wheel, he felt the car’s steering column didn’t telescope far enough out of the dashboard – but he learned to live with it. The Niro’s a relaxing car to drive, so a reclined, stretched out driving position suits it well.

It’s quiet, too. On the motorway, wind and road noise is well suppressed and, because there isn’t a petrol engine whirring away under the bonnet, the cabin is a serene place to be. Kia’s engineers also made merry with the sound deadening so the car wouldn’t boom or resonate on the road.

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The hiccup (as with the previous Niro) is the ride quality. The suspension is rather firm, which makes the car unsettled at low speeds. You’ll get thrashed around in your seat over rough urban tarmac, it thuds over speed bumps and feels brittle down a pockmarked motorway. It isn’t ruinous, but it doesn’t have the same suppleness as the best Volkswagen Group alternatives.