Compare the2022 Kia Niro EVVS 2022 Nissan Leaf

Both the Niro EV and the Leaf have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available rear parking sensors.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Niro EV the rating of “Top Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 214 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Leaf has not been fully tested, yet.

The Niro EV comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Leaf’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro EV 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Nissan covers the Leaf. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Leaf ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Niro EV’s reliability 18 points higher than the Leaf.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 21st.

The Niro EV’s electric motor produces 54 more horsepower (201 vs. 147) and 55 lbs.-ft. more torque (291 vs. 236) than the Leaf’s standard electric motor. The Niro EV’s electric motor produces 41 lbs.-ft. more torque (291 vs. 250) than the Leaf PLUS’ standard electric motor.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Niro EV is faster than the Nissan Leaf:

On the EPA test cycle the Niro EV gets better mileage than the Leaf:

On the EPA test cycle the Niro EV has a longer range than the Leaf:

For better stopping power the Niro EV’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Leaf:

The Niro EV stops much shorter than the Leaf:

For better traction, the Niro EV has larger tires than the Leaf (215/55R17 vs. 205/55R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Niro EV has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Leaf S.

For superior ride and handling, the Kia Niro EV has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Nissan Leaf has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Niro EV has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Leaf’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Niro EV is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Leaf.

The Niro EV’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (55% to 45%) than the Leaf’s (56.9% to 43.1%). This gives the Niro EV more stable handling and braking.

The Niro EV EX Premium handles at .88 G’s, while the Leaf SL PLUS pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Niro EV is 4.2 inches shorter than the Leaf, making the Niro EV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Niro EV has 4.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Leaf (96.6 vs. 92.4).

The Niro EV has 2 inches more front hip room, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 2.5 inches more rear legroom and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Leaf.

The Niro EV’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Leaf’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Niro EV and the Leaf have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Niro EV is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Leaf prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Niro EV’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Leaf’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Niro EV’s power window, power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Leaf’s power lock and cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Niro EV’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Leaf SV/SL.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Niro EV EX Premium keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Leaf doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Niro EV has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Leaf doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Niro EV has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Leaf doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Niro EV and the Nissan Leaf, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its April 2020 issue and they ranked the Kia Niro EV EX Premium higher than the Nissan Leaf SL PLUS.

The Kia Niro outsold the Nissan Leaf by 58% during the 2021 model year.