Kia secured the ‘Affordable Electric Car of the Year’ prize in the UK at the Auto Express New Car Awards 2019 for the all-new e-Niro. Released earlier this year, the e-Niro has won many fans for its high range and low running costs. It blends a lot of good features to make it comfortable, relatively nippy and also with a comfortable amount of range. It has an impressive quoted WLTP range of 282-miles on a charge costing just under £33,000.
The crossover is powered by a 64kWh battery pack and a 150kW electric motor which allows it to sprint from 0–60mph in 7.5 seconds. While the e-Niro is hardly a stunning car its looks are inoffensive and it has enough tech on-board to be enamoured with.
It comes with Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Smart Regenerative Braking, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) and Lane Following Assist (LFA) as well as a large interior touchscreen display.
Also read: The 2019 KIA e-Niro
Auto Express judges were impressed by the vehicle’s level of specification, high build, and interior quality, an excellent offering of driver assistance features and its intuitive tech and connectivity. Driving experience, performance, refinement and ride was also highly commended.
Steve Fowler, Editor-in-chief for Auto Express said: “With a headline figure of a 300-mile range, the Kia e-Niro is the affordable EV that puts range anxiety back in its box. But it’s not all about the battery, because the e-Niro is a great car in its own right. It’s easy to drive, with light steering and good visibility, and the interior is spacious and versatile. Plus it’s packed with equipment, and the infotainment system is one of the most intuitive and smoothest around. All of which means the Kia e-Niro represents an unbeatable package.”
It is a great honor to win this coveted award, especially following a successful first six months for this outstanding EV, Said Paul Philpott, President, and CEO of Kia Motors (UK) Ltd
The CEO also added that ever since the announcement of the e-Niro early this year the consumers' interests have been unprecedented and its sales success has far exceeded our expectations. Therefore the award will continue to show the importance of the 192 dealers of their brands. It also strengthens their position as one of the leading battery-electric technology and AFV product offering.
