The brand’s intention to release this model in our market has been widely known since a few years ago but it is only today that the Kia Niro EV has made its official debut in Malaysia. Aptly timed with the Bermaz Auto Showcase in Pavilion Bukit Jalil this weekend, the new model is Kia’s second all-electric release in our market after last year’s EV6 GT-Line.
Kia Niro EV Malaysia pricing and warranty
The Kia Niro EV in Malaysia is available in just one variant and it’s officially priced at RM255,888. Do note that this price tag does not include related fees such as number plates, handling & inspection, registration, and ownership claim.
Once you consider all those fees, then the Kia Niro EV’s on-the-road (OTR) price would be RM256,668. As per usual, this OTR price tag does not include insurance.
The Niro EV is fully imported from South Korea and buyers can enjoy exemptions for import duties, excise duties and road tax until the end of 2025. The new EV also comes standard with a 5-year/150,000km warranty for the vehicle itself while the high-voltage battery inside the vehicle has its own 8-year/160,000km warranty.
For those who are wondering about the hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Niro, Kia Malaysia has no plan to bring those models into our market for the time being.
Performance, battery, range, charging time, and V2L
Built at Kia’s Hwasung facility in the Gyeonggi Province, all Niro EV that come to Malaysia are fitted with a front-mounted electric motor that produces 150kW (201hp) of output alongside 255Nm of torque. It allows the vehicle to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 7.8 seconds in addition to having a maximum speed of 167km/h.
The new EV also comes standard with a 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack that allows it to deliver a WLTP range of 460km. Built with a CCS2 charging port on the front of the vehicle, it takes around 6 hours and 20 minutes to fully charge the Niro EV from 10% through its 11kW onboard AC charger.
If you need need to top up the battery quickly, it supports DC fast charging of up to 80kW which would take around 49 minutes to bring the battery from 10% to 80%. The car will also be provided with a portable charger but it is going to take up to 27 hours and 30 minutes to fully charge the EV through the charger.
Since we are still on the subject of the battery, the Kia Niro EV also features Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability. Using a V2L adapter, owners can power up electrical appliances using the high-voltage battery inside the battery and Niro EV’s V2L feature is able to deliver up to 3.6kW of power.
Three exterior colourways and leatherette interior
While there is only one performance and battery setup for the Niro EV in Malaysia, it can be obtained in three different colourways including Snow White Pearl, Cityscape Green, and Mineral Blue. Regardless of the colour choice, all of them have been fitted with similarly designed 17-inch alloy wheels.
As you can see from the on-ground images throughout this article, Kia has implemented two-tone colourways on the Niro EV units for Malaysia despite their names. In general, the contrasting secondary colours on the C-pillar, overfenders, and doors help accentuate the primary colours as well as the car’s profile.
On the inside, the Malaysian unit comes only in dark grey leatherette. It has also been fitted with a 10.25-inch infotainment cluster that supports Android Auto and Apple Carplay in both wired and wireless setups while there are also eight audio speakers throughout the EV.
Kia has also provided Niro EV’s driver with a 10.25-inch screen of their own to display all the necessary driving information. Speaking about screens, there is another touch screen right underneath the centre aircon vents which users can toggle between climate and media control.
Similar to the Kia EV6, the Nira EV also uses a rotary drive mode selector instead of a traditional drive stick. Likewise, you can also locate the vehicle’s start button nearby on top of the selector.
Safety features aplenty
Being a new release especially at this price range, it is not surprising to see that the Niro EV has been loaded with plenty of safety features. Naturally, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) is a standard as well as Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), and Auto Hold.
There are also seven airbags throughout the EV to protect passengers and drivers while the new EV also comes standard with Safe Exit Assist (SEA) and Tire-Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The Niro EV also has Level 2 driving automation thanks to several features that come with its Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) such as the Stop & Go Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), and Lane Following Assist (LFA).
Other than that, the Malaysian variant of Niro EV also has Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, and High Beam Assist. For those who frequently embark on long interstate journeys, the EV has been fitted Driver Attention Warning for your safety.
If you have young children and are planning to make the Niro EV as a family vehicle, then the ISOFIX anchor points and Child Lock feature could be something for you. Not to forget, there is also the Rear Occupant Alert that can help you ensure that there is no one being left behind as you are about to exit the EV.
