Hey Scotty my son is buying a new Kia Niro EV front wheel drive. Can you tell what you think of this vehicle so far. thx.
If it’s anything like the Hyundai Kona EV nightmare, I’d tell him to run away from this vehicle. -
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hyundai-motor-electric-recall-idUSKBN2BG3ET
It's a Kia and honestly I would personally avoid anything made in the recent years by Kia/Hyundai given their long record of making low quality cars. If he wants to buy this car because of gasoline prices I would say go with a Prius; it's hybrid but still gets very good gas mileage and Toyota has perfected making them and he can't go wrong with one.
Do you want him to get trapped in this?
As it seems that's an issue with all cars that use 'LG Energy Solution' cells - the same issue is affecting GM, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Stellantis (Chrysler) and Volkswagen.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/us-agency-investigates-electric-vehicle-batteries-1.6410136
-
It's still unclear who's the supplier for the new Batteries, probably SK Group? (Or as they have been known in the past, "Hyundai Electronics") They're making EV batteries for Ford but it's still unclear how they hold up either...
So far we only know that Panasonic's batteries seem to last quite a bit... (the choice of Toyota and Tesla), Although Model S batteries do seam to fail after about 10 years, at least they don't degrade like Nippon Electric's on the LEAF...
-
Yeah I agree on waiting until some day Hyundais/EVs stop randomly catching on fire and until it's clear who can make a battery that doesn't fall apart, degrade, or catch on fire...
Convince your son to lease the car if he has to have it, otherwise, get a Prius or another Toyota hybrid.
Stay away from Hyundai Motor Group products. They already have had a lot of issues with the ICE vehicles that I can’t see them doing any better with an all-EV platform especially one they just recently developed from the ground up. Why be a Guinea pig for that and especially from a company that does not stand by their products?
Don’t let your son make the mistake so many others have made and fall for the looks or supposed “industry best” warranty.
Look elsewhere:
https://carkiller.com/scottykilmer/qa/why-all-the-hyundai-hate/
There's nothing bad about the Kia e-Niro in particular, it's average for an electric crossover - but
EVs aren't a good idea in general - they all are money pits
So far? the reliability of all electric crossovers has been poor.
He'd be better off with a regular Niro, or trading improved reliability for less efficiency and practicality - a Prius.
AVOID other Hybrids - the new T-GDI Atkinson is too new and how terrible T-GDI engines have been in general..
Both can get about 45-55 mpg, meaning that even with the current price of fuel, an EV will never justify its cost.
He would be a fool to buy a Niro EV. If he really wants a Kia EV, he should get an EV6. Much better car all around. I test drove an EV6 and was blown away by how quick it was and how well it handled on the road.
