The 3-Year-Old EV That Outshines New Models In Reliability

Modern electric cars benefit from impressive reliability standards thanks to their omission of ICEs and their technical collection of lubricated and moving parts. Despite this, some new EVs for 2025 sit with poor reliability ratings, predominately because the technology is still misunderstood by a lot of new car buyers, which contributes to the perception of reliability. Just based on the simple mechanics of an EV, however, you can expect them to be a lot more mechanically dependable than ICEs, with the battery pack being the only part you can

expect to replace after 10 to 15 years of regular usage
. Another factor to consider when buying a new EV is the fact that you’ll be paying a hefty premium, even if the model is eligible for any tax cuts.

An ideal solution to get around this is by

consulting the used vehicle market
. EVs lose a lot of their value after the first year of ownership, which means you can find exceptional deals on relatively new EVs with low miles. If you are someone who prefers to take reliability review standards to heart, there is a specific compact EV crossover reigning from South Korea that has been awarded impressive reliability ratings from some of the most respected publications. It also benefits from impressive performance, range, and efficiency ratings and features a comprehensive list of standard features across the range.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Kia’s websites and other authoritative sources, including Consumer Reports, the EPA, the IIHS, and the NHTSA.

The 2022 Kia Niro EV Outshines New Models In Reliability

According to Consumer Reports, the

2022 Kia Niro EV
is one of the most reliable three-year-old EVs you can consider today, with its 93/100 reliability rating. It also benefits from an attractive 4/5 owner satisfaction score, with its impressive range, quick acceleration, great noise insulation, and accommodating practicality being key highlights of the ownership experience. We do have to note that 2,209 examples are subject to a recall relating to a high-voltage battery safety plug that may overheat, which could cause a loss of drive power.

Kia will replace the safety plug at no cost to the owner and commenced the recall just shy of six months ago. Beyond this, there are no noteworthy concerns or faults that you should be concerned about during your ownership experience, provided you keep the EV maintained according to the manufacturer’s servicing outlines.

The 2022 Kia Niro EV Produces 201 Horsepower

The 2022 Kia Niro EV features a pretty much

identical EV drivetrain to the current-generation model
. This includes a single permanent-magnet synchronous motor fitted to the front axle, producing a modest 201 horsepower and 291 pound-feet. The brand claims that you can expect this to cover a 0-62 MPH sprint in 7.8 seconds before hitting a limited 104 MPH top speed.

2022 Kia Niro EV Performance Specifications

The Niro EV’s EPA estimated energy consumption and range figures are the most attractive aspect of the package. The agency’s testing reveals that you can expect to cover 239 miles on a single charge and benefit from a highly preferable 30 kWh per 100 miles average energy consumption on the combined cycle. You can expect to save as much as $4,750 in fuel costs over five years and cost you $700 to charge over the course of a year, which equates to a $1.13 cost to drive 25 miles.

How Much A 2022 Kia Niro EV Costs Today

The Kia Niro EV was a surprisingly expensive option in 2022, with a $39,090 starting price for the base S derivative. The EX cost $39,990, while the flagship EX Premium would have set you back $44,650. The Cold Weather Package costs $1,100 and includes a battery heater, heat pump, and a heated steering wheel. Kia’s destination charge during this time was $1,295. Today, you can find examples for as little as $15,500. Low mileage examples sell for just over $20,000. J.D. Power estimates that you’ll pay anywhere between $18,921 and $23,377, depending on mileage, condition, and specification.

2022 Kia Niro EV Accessories Catalog

The Clean Vehicle Tax Credit provides up to $4,000 for buyers of eligible electric vehicles under the Internal Revenue Code Section 30D. The 2022 Kia Niro EV qualifies because it meets the key requirements set by the IRS, including a battery capacity exceeding five kWh and being a new vehicle purchased for personal use. However, the

Inflation Reduction Act
, which revised the tax credit criteria in August 2022, introduced stricter rules that the Niro EV does not meet.

The IRA mandates that eligible EVs must undergo final assembly in North America, use battery components sourced from the US or free trade partners, and fall under specific price caps. It’s $55,000 for cars and $80,000 for SUVs, trucks, and vans. The 2022 Kia Niro EV is manufactured in South Korea, making it ineligible for the IRA tax credit, despite previously qualifying under the older program. This shift in eligibility aims to strengthen US EV manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. While buyers of the 2022 Niro EV may still claim the original Clean Vehicle Tax Credit if purchased before the IRA changes took effect, they will not qualify for the new incentives unless Kia shifts production to North America.

2022 Kia Niro EV Standard Features

The Kia Niro EV’s three trims are well-balanced and comprehensive. Opting for the base trim gets you 17-inch alloy wheels, Bi-function projection headlights with auto control functions, LED fogs and DRLs, rear LED combination lamps, and privacy glass. Within the cabin you’ll find a 7.0-inch TFT LCD and analog instrument cluster combination, cloth and artificial leather combination seat upholstery, heated front seats, automatic climate control, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a Harman Kardon audio system. You also get a wireless smartphone charger.

Upgrading to the EX gets you access to an electrically adjustable driver’s seat and a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The flagship EX Premium includes artificial leather seat upholstery and front ventilated seats.

2022 Kia Niro EV Interior Dimensions

The Niro EV also benefits from some very impressive interior dimensions, despite it being a compact crossover. This includes a 40.1-inch headroom and 41.7-inch legroom space at the front and 37.7-inch headroom and 36-inch legroom at the rear. You also benefit from an 18.5-cubic-feet trunk, which you can expand to 53 cubic-feet by folding the 60:40-split rear bench.

The 2022 Kia Niro EV’s Impressive Safety Standards

From a safety standpoint, the Kia Niro EV benefits from a high level of equipment, which includes airbags covering the driver and front passenger, driver’s knees, sides, and curtains. It also features a rollover sensor, impact-sensing automatic door locks, and a tire pressure monitoring system. There’s also a fair level of active and passive advanced driver assist systems, including pedestrian and park distance warning systems, blind-spot collision warning with rear traffic collision sensors, lane-keep and following assist, high-beam assist, a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines, a rear occupant alert, and forward collision-avoidance assist with a radar for pedestrian and cycling detection. Additional features include adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and highway assist.

The IIHS crash-tested the hybrid and PHEV models, which feature very similar structural designs and identical safety features. The test reveals good ratings for the front overlaps, sides, and roof, as well as good ratings for all the crash avoidance and mitigation systems. The NHTSA’s test of the hybrid reveals a four-star overall rating, but it places a special note for the frontal passenger barrier, highlighting that a high passenger dummy chest acceleration injury value was measured in the frontal crash test, which indicates a higher likelihood of chest injury.