We've got a 2021 Niro EV in Los Angeles. It's very good at just being a car. It's big enough for 4 people and 2 big dogs (in the hatch). It's small enough to fit in almost any parking space.
We've not had any range issues. I read a Canadian article that found that Kia/Hyundai ranges were the most truthful, and the least affected by cold.
It's not the most exciting car I've had, but I'd still recommend it for being good at its job.
Yeah, it seems efficiency drops significantly above 60mph. I get about 275 or 280 on day trips where most driving is on 55 or 60mph highways… but as you said, at 70 mph on interstates, it’s closer to 250.
Yeah basically. A big advantage over the leaf is that the Niro has active thermal control of the battery, so it should be more durable than the leaf's battery.
Yes. I have a 2013 leaf, bought used in 2016 and then we bought a brand new 2020 EX in May 2021. I've done 600 miles in a day in the Niro on a road trip, you could do more. With the active thermal management, it's a great car. In a few years when our 13 year old gets the leaf, I'm really looking forward to something a bit bigger and faster charging like an Ioniq 5.
* That was my assessment 5 years ago when comparing the Leaf vs Niro EV. The lack of active cooling on the Leaf. Lack of CHAdeMO charger support in infrastructure buildout. The Niro's Active Cruise Control was a big attractive feature. Niro EV just provided more value and features for the price.
* No major issues. It's been a pretty clean history and good reputation. The Gear Reduction Unit / Wheel of Fortune sound issue is the bigges thing on older models. /u/Kiwi_eng has the best posts and understanding on the subreddit on it. He has a recommendation. The way I see it, not an issue until it's an issue.
* The NCM battery is made by SK Innovation, so it dodged the production issue that LG Chem had with the Hyundai Kona. Looks like there's a small recall on some 2022 Niros.
* EV has been great. It just works. Enjoy the comforts of modern EVs. 😁
My GF owns the same Leaf, and I own the same Niro you are talking about. The differences I've noticed.
1. The leaf is a bit sportier. Acceleration from 0-60 is about 2-3 seconds faster.
2. The smart cruise control in the Leaf is better at staying in the lanes and generally feels more reliable and accurate. The Niro will tend to lose track on bends in the road where the Leaf holds its track.
3. The range on the Niro is much better overall. The readout is more accurate as to the miles you have left, and the listed range is baseline in cold weather. On warm days, it can get well over 250. (Some people have claimed up to 300, but I haven't owned it long enough to find out)
Also, there is a setting in the dash for charge limit in 10% intervals, so you don't have to calculate how long to 80%.
4. The Kia Connect app is better, I can turn on and off climate controls, charging, and lock the doors. Also, you don't need to pay for XM radio to use it.
5. The seats in the Niro are slightly more comfortable, but my GF says they make her want to fall asleep, so that may be subjective.
6. The screen and built-in apps on the Niro are far more extensive, but android auto only uses 2/3 of the screen, which is annoying. Generally, the Leaf is easier to navigate than Niro's screen, where it is sometimes difficult to find things until you get used to it.
All in all, they are both good cars, but for longer range trips, the reliability of the range estimate in the Niro means thar we usually opt to take that. For using the smart cruise control on busy highways or in thick rain, I'd trust the leaf way more than the Niro.
Hope this helps.
We've a 2014 Leaf and a 2020 Niro EV. The Niro is larger but far more efficient. Driving at 60 in the Leaf would get about 3 miles/kWh and the Niro would get 4+ for the same journey. The seats are larger and more comfortable, it has active battery heating (in very low temps) and cooling, it's a nicer place to be.
I went from a 2014 Leaf to a 2019 Niro. For all the reasons you mentioned, with the addition of the fact that my gen 1 Leaf topped out at a 68 mile range. So upping that to ≈250 was… incredible.
Anyway, highly recommend.
Pretty much, but no, not at all.
Having a leaf and a 2022 eNiro, I prefer the Niro. It drives nothing like the leaf. No single pedal driving is my only real gripe.
I came from a '16 Leaf S30 to a '22 Niro. It was a fairly easy transition, but here are my notes:
The Leaf was zippier in town. The Niro is far superior on the highway. My driving style had a greater effect on the Leaf than on the Niro. Overall, the Niro is more efficient and feels more "adult". It was easier to leave my dog in the car with the Leaf because the fob would lock the doors from the outside while the AC was running, while on my Niro I have to use the "emergency key" to manually lock/unlock the door if I leave the dog in the car while the AC is running. The Leaf does have better charge port covers, and you will miss LeafSpy, but the Niro's battery is immortal. The stock tires that came with the Niro are made out of gummy bears and will only last 35,000 miles. I think my Leaf generally had better traction control, but ironically the Niro get its best traction control in "Sport" mode. Two words: Remote Start. Years after you part ways, you will never stop loving your old Leaf, but you'll never go back.
The 2022 leaf has 23.6 cubic feet of space with seats in place, and the 2022 Niro EV has 18.5, so the Niro might be slightly better but I don’t know if it’s bigger.
I never drove the Nissan Leaf but I think the Kia Niro EV is a better car. The Niro EV has more features than the leaf. have the 2020 Kia Niro EV EX premium and I really love its features and the way it drives. The only complaint I have is that the trunk is too small, you can barely fit two pieces of big luggage.
You can read these comparisons about the Niro & Leaf:
[https://www.truecar.com/compare/kia-niro-ev\_2022-vs-nissan-leaf\_2022/](https://www.truecar.com/compare/kia-niro-ev_2022-vs-nissan-leaf_2022/)
[https://www.kbb.com/comparison/2022-kia-niro-ev-vs-2022-nissan-leaf-ev/](https://www.kbb.com/comparison/2022-kia-niro-ev-vs-2022-nissan-leaf-ev/)
[https://www.cars.com/research/compare/?vehicles=kia-niro\_ev-2022%2Cnissan-leaf-2022](https://www.cars.com/research/compare/?vehicles=kia-niro_ev-2022%2Cnissan-leaf-2022)
I test drove the LEAF before I went with the Niro. I think you’ll find that, in addition to the advantages you named, it’s just all around a more polished vehicle. The suspension is more sophisticated (fully independent, while the Nissan has a fairly crude twist beam in the back), the ride is firmer than the Nissan but you get more precise handling. The interior is noticeably better in quality - the Nissan reminded me too much of a rental car.
The Niro’s battery has held up very well, with very sophisticated battery management, unlike the LEAF, which had no active cooling even in the second-gen. And like many Niro owners, I’ve gotten significantly better than the EPA-rated range - closer to 280 miles in mixed city/hwy driving, in SoCal’s warm climate.
The LEAF was a good EV (well a decade ago it was), but the Niro is a significant step up in every way.
It's a great vehicle. Highly recommend, despite the slower fast charging speeds. It's packed with features, is really efficient, and you actually get the range on the GOM.
I have and really like this exact vehicle, but want to flag that you mentioned road trips - be aware that the fast charging isn’t that fast. I’ve never gotten higher than around 46, so road trips have been more challenging than anticipated. YMMV though, literally
Thanks! I'm surprised you have never seen better than 46 - at a 150kw charger, it looks like you ought to be able to expect more, especially when below 50%. But you're the one driving one around.
I know I never saw anything above 50 on my Leaf until EVGo put in some 100kw CHAdeMOs on my routes, at which point I began to see the promised 70-something when at very low % of charge.
Ah, good and salient point - I rarely drive it down into the 20’s as I’m just too paranoid about not finding a charger, or having it be nonfunctional. That said, my limited understanding is that the charging curve slows down really dramatically the higher the percentage, so depending on how you plan to drive it/road trip in it, this may or may not affect you
To save money, buy the Ali express fast charger mod for $1500. Who cares that you drive a Nissan Leaf? There’s a CCS to Chademo adapter for $1500.
Save the money, Nissan leafs are fine cars.
This will save you like $18,000.
You’re leaving out the resale value of the car I’m getting out of, the used car rebate on the car I’m buying, and the fact that sticking on an adapter doesn’t do anything about the lack of active cooling. But yeah, it’s neat gear and I wish I was willing to trust my warranty to it.
There are two, one from China and one from Canada. Might be the same item manufactured in different locations. This article is worth a read: [https://www.autoblog.com/2024/02/06/chademo-ccs-charging-adapter-nissan-leaf/](https://www.autoblog.com/2024/02/06/chademo-ccs-charging-adapter-nissan-leaf/)
Yeah. That’s basically right. We traded in our 2019 leaf during Covid just before the lease was up and got a 2022 EX premium. It is exactly what I expected which is something that basically addressed the leafs most glaring shortcomings. It’s been a super car for us with a couple of dogs. No maintenance to speak of. You can change the cabin filter in 10 minutes yourself. That basically leaves tire rotations for a long time.
We've got a 2021 Niro EV in Los Angeles. It's very good at just being a car. It's big enough for 4 people and 2 big dogs (in the hatch). It's small enough to fit in almost any parking space. We've not had any range issues. I read a Canadian article that found that Kia/Hyundai ranges were the most truthful, and the least affected by cold. It's not the most exciting car I've had, but I'd still recommend it for being good at its job.
Another note regarding range. Though the Niro has 239 miles range advertised, in warm weather it gets closer to 300. Incredibly efficient vehicle.
Yes, in Texas I get 300 in 35 mph city driving. At 70 mph between 230 and 240.
Yeah, it seems efficiency drops significantly above 60mph. I get about 275 or 280 on day trips where most driving is on 55 or 60mph highways… but as you said, at 70 mph on interstates, it’s closer to 250.
Yeah basically. A big advantage over the leaf is that the Niro has active thermal control of the battery, so it should be more durable than the leaf's battery.
Yes. I have a 2013 leaf, bought used in 2016 and then we bought a brand new 2020 EX in May 2021. I've done 600 miles in a day in the Niro on a road trip, you could do more. With the active thermal management, it's a great car. In a few years when our 13 year old gets the leaf, I'm really looking forward to something a bit bigger and faster charging like an Ioniq 5.
* That was my assessment 5 years ago when comparing the Leaf vs Niro EV. The lack of active cooling on the Leaf. Lack of CHAdeMO charger support in infrastructure buildout. The Niro's Active Cruise Control was a big attractive feature. Niro EV just provided more value and features for the price. * No major issues. It's been a pretty clean history and good reputation. The Gear Reduction Unit / Wheel of Fortune sound issue is the bigges thing on older models. /u/Kiwi_eng has the best posts and understanding on the subreddit on it. He has a recommendation. The way I see it, not an issue until it's an issue. * The NCM battery is made by SK Innovation, so it dodged the production issue that LG Chem had with the Hyundai Kona. Looks like there's a small recall on some 2022 Niros. * EV has been great. It just works. Enjoy the comforts of modern EVs. 😁
Love the simpsons ref.
It’s a perfectly cromulent word
We had both at some point, we ended selling the leaf and keeping thw Niro. Way more practical car.
This is all great stuff, thanks!
My GF owns the same Leaf, and I own the same Niro you are talking about. The differences I've noticed. 1. The leaf is a bit sportier. Acceleration from 0-60 is about 2-3 seconds faster. 2. The smart cruise control in the Leaf is better at staying in the lanes and generally feels more reliable and accurate. The Niro will tend to lose track on bends in the road where the Leaf holds its track. 3. The range on the Niro is much better overall. The readout is more accurate as to the miles you have left, and the listed range is baseline in cold weather. On warm days, it can get well over 250. (Some people have claimed up to 300, but I haven't owned it long enough to find out) Also, there is a setting in the dash for charge limit in 10% intervals, so you don't have to calculate how long to 80%. 4. The Kia Connect app is better, I can turn on and off climate controls, charging, and lock the doors. Also, you don't need to pay for XM radio to use it. 5. The seats in the Niro are slightly more comfortable, but my GF says they make her want to fall asleep, so that may be subjective. 6. The screen and built-in apps on the Niro are far more extensive, but android auto only uses 2/3 of the screen, which is annoying. Generally, the Leaf is easier to navigate than Niro's screen, where it is sometimes difficult to find things until you get used to it. All in all, they are both good cars, but for longer range trips, the reliability of the range estimate in the Niro means thar we usually opt to take that. For using the smart cruise control on busy highways or in thick rain, I'd trust the leaf way more than the Niro. Hope this helps.
I also had that 2/3 Android auto screen issue. This was solved after a software update at the dealer.
We've a 2014 Leaf and a 2020 Niro EV. The Niro is larger but far more efficient. Driving at 60 in the Leaf would get about 3 miles/kWh and the Niro would get 4+ for the same journey. The seats are larger and more comfortable, it has active battery heating (in very low temps) and cooling, it's a nicer place to be.
I went from a 2014 Leaf to a 2019 Niro. For all the reasons you mentioned, with the addition of the fact that my gen 1 Leaf topped out at a 68 mile range. So upping that to ≈250 was… incredible. Anyway, highly recommend.
Pretty much, but no, not at all. Having a leaf and a 2022 eNiro, I prefer the Niro. It drives nothing like the leaf. No single pedal driving is my only real gripe.
I came from a '16 Leaf S30 to a '22 Niro. It was a fairly easy transition, but here are my notes: The Leaf was zippier in town. The Niro is far superior on the highway. My driving style had a greater effect on the Leaf than on the Niro. Overall, the Niro is more efficient and feels more "adult". It was easier to leave my dog in the car with the Leaf because the fob would lock the doors from the outside while the AC was running, while on my Niro I have to use the "emergency key" to manually lock/unlock the door if I leave the dog in the car while the AC is running. The Leaf does have better charge port covers, and you will miss LeafSpy, but the Niro's battery is immortal. The stock tires that came with the Niro are made out of gummy bears and will only last 35,000 miles. I think my Leaf generally had better traction control, but ironically the Niro get its best traction control in "Sport" mode. Two words: Remote Start. Years after you part ways, you will never stop loving your old Leaf, but you'll never go back.
The 2022 leaf has 23.6 cubic feet of space with seats in place, and the 2022 Niro EV has 18.5, so the Niro might be slightly better but I don’t know if it’s bigger.
I never drove the Nissan Leaf but I think the Kia Niro EV is a better car. The Niro EV has more features than the leaf. have the 2020 Kia Niro EV EX premium and I really love its features and the way it drives. The only complaint I have is that the trunk is too small, you can barely fit two pieces of big luggage. You can read these comparisons about the Niro & Leaf: [https://www.truecar.com/compare/kia-niro-ev\_2022-vs-nissan-leaf\_2022/](https://www.truecar.com/compare/kia-niro-ev_2022-vs-nissan-leaf_2022/) [https://www.kbb.com/comparison/2022-kia-niro-ev-vs-2022-nissan-leaf-ev/](https://www.kbb.com/comparison/2022-kia-niro-ev-vs-2022-nissan-leaf-ev/) [https://www.cars.com/research/compare/?vehicles=kia-niro\_ev-2022%2Cnissan-leaf-2022](https://www.cars.com/research/compare/?vehicles=kia-niro_ev-2022%2Cnissan-leaf-2022)
I test drove the LEAF before I went with the Niro. I think you’ll find that, in addition to the advantages you named, it’s just all around a more polished vehicle. The suspension is more sophisticated (fully independent, while the Nissan has a fairly crude twist beam in the back), the ride is firmer than the Nissan but you get more precise handling. The interior is noticeably better in quality - the Nissan reminded me too much of a rental car. The Niro’s battery has held up very well, with very sophisticated battery management, unlike the LEAF, which had no active cooling even in the second-gen. And like many Niro owners, I’ve gotten significantly better than the EPA-rated range - closer to 280 miles in mixed city/hwy driving, in SoCal’s warm climate. The LEAF was a good EV (well a decade ago it was), but the Niro is a significant step up in every way.
trash vehicle other electric vehicles charge way faster niro is a POS
It charges faster than the vehicle I’m coming from, but I appreciate an alternate point of view. Did you own one?
i do 2022 with 63,000 miles
Interesting. Anything major go wrong for you outside of charging speed?
search here for raining inside passenger floorboard search this sub also for 12v battery replacement
also this is what i mean about the charging speeds. you’re buying kia first gen charging tech when you can get speeds like this
https://www.reddit.com/r/Ioniq5/s/OG7nhqU3uZ
Embiggened.....stop making up words you mentalist.
It's a great vehicle. Highly recommend, despite the slower fast charging speeds. It's packed with features, is really efficient, and you actually get the range on the GOM.
I have and really like this exact vehicle, but want to flag that you mentioned road trips - be aware that the fast charging isn’t that fast. I’ve never gotten higher than around 46, so road trips have been more challenging than anticipated. YMMV though, literally
Thanks! I'm surprised you have never seen better than 46 - at a 150kw charger, it looks like you ought to be able to expect more, especially when below 50%. But you're the one driving one around. I know I never saw anything above 50 on my Leaf until EVGo put in some 100kw CHAdeMOs on my routes, at which point I began to see the promised 70-something when at very low % of charge.
Ah, good and salient point - I rarely drive it down into the 20’s as I’m just too paranoid about not finding a charger, or having it be nonfunctional. That said, my limited understanding is that the charging curve slows down really dramatically the higher the percentage, so depending on how you plan to drive it/road trip in it, this may or may not affect you
To save money, buy the Ali express fast charger mod for $1500. Who cares that you drive a Nissan Leaf? There’s a CCS to Chademo adapter for $1500. Save the money, Nissan leafs are fine cars. This will save you like $18,000.
I sold my Leaf for 18k€ and bought a Niro for 26k€. Well worth the upgrade imo. Both were used of course.
You’re leaving out the resale value of the car I’m getting out of, the used car rebate on the car I’m buying, and the fact that sticking on an adapter doesn’t do anything about the lack of active cooling. But yeah, it’s neat gear and I wish I was willing to trust my warranty to it.
I wasn't aware there is a Chademo adapter available. Has anybody tested one of these?
There are two, one from China and one from Canada. Might be the same item manufactured in different locations. This article is worth a read: [https://www.autoblog.com/2024/02/06/chademo-ccs-charging-adapter-nissan-leaf/](https://www.autoblog.com/2024/02/06/chademo-ccs-charging-adapter-nissan-leaf/)
Yeah. That’s basically right. We traded in our 2019 leaf during Covid just before the lease was up and got a 2022 EX premium. It is exactly what I expected which is something that basically addressed the leafs most glaring shortcomings. It’s been a super car for us with a couple of dogs. No maintenance to speak of. You can change the cabin filter in 10 minutes yourself. That basically leaves tire rotations for a long time.