Snapshot
- 2023 Kia Niro arrives in Australia
- Priced from $44,380 for the hybrid and $65,300 for the EV
- Hybrid and electric drivetrains largely carried over from existing model
UPDATE, July 1, 2022: 2023 Kia Niro pricing and features announced for Australia
Kia Australia has confirmed pricing and specification details for the second-generation 2023 Niro, ahead of its local launch in July.
Our first details story published in early June has been updated to reflect this information.
Kia is continuing its strong rollout of electrified products in Australia.
The 2023 Kia Niro small SUV will begin arriving in Australian showrooms in July in both hybrid-electric (HEV) and all-electric (EV) forms.
Pricing is up by $4390 for the entry-level S hybrid, now available from $44,380 before on-road costs.
Meanwhile, the base Niro EV has risen by $2710 at $65,300 – putting it within close proximity to the larger EV6, which rides on the dedicated E-GMP electric architecture.
Replacing the first-generation Niro – which first debuted in 2016 but only made its Australian launch last year – the second-generation model will not include a plug-in hybrid version to slot between the hybrid and fully-electric variants.
The new-generation model is an evolution over the outgoing version, retaining its internal-combustion underpinnings, albeit on a newer ‘N3’ platform shared with sister brand Hyundai’s i30 Sedan.
Damien Meredith, chief operating officer of Kia Australia, said the Niro represents a sizeable improvement over its predecessor, helping to bolster the Korean manufacturer's local line-up of electrified vehicles.
“The past year has been an exciting time for Kia in Australia, particularly when it comes to electric vehicles, with electrified variants being added to [the] Sorento range and the recent introduction of EV6 – which is proving to be more popular than we could have ever imagined,” he added.
Kia has conducted a full ride and handling tune for the second-generation Niro in Australia, making it the first vehicle from the Korean brand to receive steering map changes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Towards the end of this year, the 2023 Niro range will expand with the addition of the Niro Plus, a 'purpose-built vehicle' based on the first-generation Niro EV aimed at taxi and ride-share drivers.
2023 Kia Niro Australian pricing
Model | Pricing |
---|---|
S Hybrid | $44,380 (+$4390) |
GT-Line Hybrid | $50,030 (new, up $6140 over Sport) |
S EV | $65,300 (+$2710) |
GT-Line EV | $72,100 (new, up $6110 over Sport) |
A gloss-black C-pillar can be optioned at no extra cost for GT-Line variants finished in mineral blue or cityscape green, while a steel grey C-pillar and body cladding is available for the GT-Line EV in snow white pearl.
2023 Kia Niro features
For the new-generation Niro, Kia has kept the S as its entry-level variant, while the GT-Line replaces Sport as the flagship, as per the brand's other offerings.
Both grades are available in hybrid or all-electric form.
S Hybrid
16-inch alloy wheels |
8-inch infotainment system |
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wireless only) |
Digital radio |
Six-speaker audio system |
4.2-inch instrument cluster display |
Rear parking sensors |
Polyurethane steering wheel and gear shifter |
Cloth/artificial leather upholstery. |
GT-Line Hybrid, in addition to S Hybrid
Kia Connect |
18-inch alloy wheels |
10.25-inch infotainment system |
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired only) |
Satellite navigation |
10.25-inch digital instrument cluster |
Head-up display |
Remote smart park assist |
Wireless phone charger |
64-colour configurable ambient lighting system |
Rear autonomous emergency braking |
Safe exit assist |
Front parking sensors |
Powered rear child lock |
Leather-accented steering wheel |
Heated and ventilated front seats |
Heated steering wheel |
Keyless entry with push-button start |
Electronic gear shift dial |
Artificial leather upholstery. |
S EV
17-inch alloy wheels |
8-inch infotainment system |
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wireless only) |
Digital radio |
Six-speaker audio system |
Interior vehicle-to-load (V2L) adaptor |
10.25-inch digital instrument cluster |
Rear parking sensors |
Leather-accented steering wheel |
Keyless entry with push-button start |
Electronic gear shift dial |
Cloth/artificial leather upholstery. |
GT-Line EV, in addition to S EV
Kia Connect |
10.25-inch infotainment system |
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired only) |
Satellite navigation |
Eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system |
Premium relaxation seat |
Exterior and interior vehicle-to-load (V2L) adaptor |
Head-up display |
LED interior lighting |
Remote smart park assist |
Wireless phone charger |
64-colour configurable ambient lighting system |
Rear autonomous emergency braking |
Safe exit assist |
Front parking sensors |
Powered rear child lock |
Heated and ventilated front seats |
Heated steering wheel |
Power-sliding glass sunroof |
Artificial leather upholstery. |
GT-Line grades feature Kia Connect, the manufacturer's latest telematics-based service, which allows owners to link up to their car via a smartphone app, unlocking features such as:
Kia Connect
Automatic collision notification |
Emergency call |
Alarm notification |
Stolen vehicle tracking and immobilisation |
Valet mode |
Remote engine start (hybrid) |
Remote climate control (EV) |
Remote defrost and heat |
Remote door lock and unlock |
Destination Send to Vehicle |
Voice recognition |
Cloud-based navigation – live traffic updates, weather forecast and points of interest |
Electric vehicle charging station locator. |
Powertrain, driving range and charging
Niro Hybrid
The hybrid powertrain remains unchanged from the previous Niro, featuring a 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine producing 77.2kW of power and 144Nm of torque (down 3Nm on the outgoing model).
The engine is mated to a 32kW electric motor for a combined system output of 104kW and 265Nm.
A 240-volt, 1.56kWh and 6.5Ah lithium-ion polymer battery under the rear seat provides power to the electric motor, returning a fuel consumption rating of 4.0L/100km – up by 0.2L/100km.
As before, the Niro HEV delivers its power to the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Niro EV
For the Niro EV, its 150kW electric motor is carried across from the existing car, although Kia states it now develops just 255Nm – a drop of 140Nm compared to the outgoing model.
Kia has not explained why torque is substantially lower for the new-generation Niro, but claims "performance is not compromised whilst range has been improved".
Drive is still sent to the front wheels via a single reduction gear transmission, with the 64.8kWh battery pack enabling a driving range of up to 460 kilometres – a five kilometre bonus over the car it replaces.
Utilising a CCS2 charge port positioned on the front bumper, the Niro EV will take approximately 43 minutes to get from 10 to 80 per cent with a fast charger, due to a maximum rate of less than 100kW.
The WLTP-rated driving range for the Niro EV is 460 kilometres.
Safety
While its predecessor achieved a five-star ANCAP safety rating, the new-generation Niro is currently untested.
Eight airbags (dual front, dual side, dual curtain, driver’s knee and centre) feature across the Niro range.
Each variant includes the following active safety equipment as standard:
Autonomous emergency braking – car, vulnerable road user and junction turning |
Lane-keep assist |
Lane departure warning |
Rear-cross traffic alert with avoidance assist |
Blind-spot alert with avoidance assist |
Multi-collision braking |
High-beam assist |
Driver attention alert |
Lead vehicle departure alert |
Rear occupant alert |
Intelligent speed limiter. |
Dimensions
Although its mechanical underpinnings are largely unchanged, the Niro is now bigger than before, with every dimension (bar height) increasing over the existing crossover.
Now 4420 millimetres long, the HEV has grown by 65mm, while the EV is 45mm longer. The width of both variants has expanded by 20mm to 1825mm, while the wheelbase is also 20mm longer at 2720mm.
Only the height of the Niro is unchanged, with the HEV standing 1545mm tall, while the EV is 1570mm from top to toe.
Warranty and servicing
As with the rest of Kia's range, the Niro is covered by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, lasting prospective buyers to 2029 if they snap up an example this year.
Capped price servicing details are yet to be announced for the 2023 Niro.
Availability
The 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid and Niro EV are now on sale in Australia.
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