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2019 Kia Niro EV Review and Buying Guide | Long-range fun

Kia entered the increasingly competitive small crossover game with the Niro hybrid, followed by the Niro PHEV shortly after. Now it offers the 2019 Kia Niro EV, which retains the same desirable body style but adds a big battery good for an estimated 239 miles of driving range on a single charge, and with the ability to charge at up to 100 kW on a DC fast charger. Even better, the Niro EV is funky and spunky, with an attitude that translates to genuine on-road fun without sacrificing practicality or driving range. What's new with Niro for 2019? The all-electric powertrain is new to the Niro lineup, making this the very first model year of the Niro EV. What are the Niro EV's interior and in-car technology like? The interior design is a little bit funky, with some interesting geometry and blue-green accents here and there. It's not too far-out, though, and we like the intuitive usability of the hard button controls for audio and climate control on the center stack below the central touchscreen. The plastics don't stand out as particularly cheap, the seats feel high-quality and supportive (though we had a little trouble finding a natural seating position), and the leather steering wheel feels good in hand. Amenities like heated and ventilated seats, and a heated steering wheel are available. Kia's infotainment system is attractive and easy to use, with either a 7- or 8-inch touchscreen depending on trim. There's also a 7-inch TFT LCD display panel in the center of the digital instrument cluster, providing useful information directly in front of the driver. Bluetooth and voice recognition are standard, as are Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. Wireless phone charging comes standard in the higher, EX Premium trim. How big is the Niro EV? The Niro EV fits into the subcompact crossover segment, alongside its cousin the Hyundai Kona Electric. It's 172.2 inches long, with a 106.3-inch wheelbase. That's 7.6 and 39 inches longer than the Hyundai, respectively. It's longer than the Chevy Bolt, Mazda CX-3 and Jeep Renegade, but smaller than the Honda CR-V. This should be a just-right size for many, and it means more room and highway stability while still maintaining maneuverability in tight parking lots. Its 71.1 inches wide, 61.8 inches tall, with a ground clearance of 6.1 inches. Inside the Niro EV, there is 36.0 inches of rear legroom, which makes it comfortable for two adults.

Kia wants to keep Stinger fresh with frequent variants

Kia is apparently feeling confident enough in the early sales figures of its new Stinger sedan to be mulling ideas for future variants of its GT-inspired fastback. The brand's North American product planner tells AutoGuide it wants to keep the nameplate's lineup fresh with frequent updates and additions. "The reaction has been phenomenal to (the Stinger)," Orth Hedrick, Kia North America product planner, told AutoGuide. "We're doing great, we have a very high mix of buyers, a lot coming from Optima, so we're looking to see if we can grow that. And I think there might be other opportunities down the road." He added that it was still early in the product's lifecycle and that the brand will wait to amass more data from consumers before building out the Stinger lineup. "We're going to be very aggressive for the lifecycle of this vehicle," Hedrick added, "we're going to be very aggressive with the colors. It's a fashion statement. You have to keep the car going with powertrain variants and other stuff coming down the road." Through March, Kia has sold 3,920 Stingers in the U.S., including 1,555 in March alone and not including the 843 it sold in late 2017. That's a fraction of the 50,645 vehicles Kia sold overall during the month, and it puts Kia on pace to sell nearly 16,000 for the full year. It's hard to independently assess whether that should be seen as a successful mark for a performance sedan that starts at $32,795 for the standard 255-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder, much lower than many of the German competitors it's established as benchmarks. Hendrick last year told Wards the Stinger was intended to increase both sales and brand recognition and was aimed squarely at auto enthusiasts. Its U.S. sales are slightly above those of the Alfa Romeo Giulia, which has sold 3,085 through March (this Stinger owners forum thread also offers some interesting guesstimates). And as long as Kia is pleased ... Anyway, if Kia wants to release variants, we're totally cool with that. It's already announced the limited-edition Atlantica, and we're down with more colors and maybe a manual transmission. And while they're at it, why not borrow the 5.0-liter V8 from the Korean version of the K900? Related Video:

2019 Kia K900 First Drive Review | The Stinger GT grows up

The Kia K900 has been an afterthought in the luxury market almost since it was launched about 4 years ago. Or maybe a never-thought. Through September of this year, Kia sold just 260 examples, which was about 90 fewer than the same time last year. And with sales like that, most of us figured Kia would just let the model quietly disappear into the ether, especially with the launch of the new Genesis luxury brand, and Kia's new halo, the Stinger. Considering the car's yacht-like demeanor and forgettable looks, we wouldn't have missed it. Yet Kia is determined to keep the K900 alive in America, and has introduced a completely redesigned model. Perhaps even more surprising than the fact that the model is back, is that it's actually quite good. Think of it as a bigger, more plush Kia Stinger. That may be hard to believe by just looking at it. While it's certainly better proportioned than its predecessor, with a body that highlights its rear-drive bones, it's boring. It hides its roots well, not getting the onlooker excited or leaving a major impression. There's hardly a sharp crease or bold character line to be seen – a stark contrast to the fierce, outre Stinger. It doesn't even look much like other Kias, which all share a family resemblance in their grilles and athletic stance. The K900 is a lot larger than the Stinger, too. The wheelbase is about 8 inches longer, and overall length is up by nearly a foot. Width and height are greater by roughly 2 and 3 inches respectively. This all puts the K900 in the size territory of full-size luxury flagships, but Kia says it's targeting buyers of midsize luxury sedans such as the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series with a price of around $60,895 for the base model, and $64,895 for the VIP model. These are close estimates. It's a "more for your money" sort of argument, but there are more direct competitors to the K900 that muddy the water, like the Volvo S90, Lincoln Continental, and Cadillac CT6. On paper, all three seem to be compelling options to the K900 with lower base prices, similar size, and more distinctive styling. But the K900 has a major power advantage with its standard 365-horsepower twin-turbo V6. The S90's standard engine makes just 250 horsepower, and the optional non-hybrid engine just makes 316 horses. To beat the Kia, you have to get the hybrid S90 with 400 horsepower, and a base price of over $64,000.