Compare the2022 Kia Niro EVVS 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Niro EV are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Niro EV and the XC40 Recharge have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors 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 XC40 Recharge has not been 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 XC40 Recharge’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro EV 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC40 Recharge. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the XC40 Recharge ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Niro EV’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 63 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 29th, below the industry average.

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 Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 46 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 25th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 3 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

On the EPA test cycle the Niro EV gets better mileage than the XC40 Recharge (123 city/102 hwy vs. 92 city/79 hwy MPGe).

The Niro EV’s maximum EPA estimated driving range is 239 miles on a full charge, 7% further than the XC40 Recharge’s 223 mile range.

The Niro EV stops shorter than the XC40 Recharge:

The Niro EV has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The XC40 Recharge’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Niro EV EX Premium handles at .88 G’s, while the XC40 Recharge pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Niro EV’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the XC40 Recharge’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Kia Niro EV may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 pounds less than the Volvo XC40 Recharge.

The Niro EV has 1.1 inches more front headroom and .8 inches more front legroom than the XC40 Recharge.

The front step up height for the Niro EV is 2.2 inches lower than the XC40 Recharge (15.5” vs. 17.7”). The Niro EV’s rear step up height is 2 inches lower than the XC40 Recharge’s (16.2” vs. 18.2”).

The Niro EV has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XC40 Recharge with its rear seat folded (53 vs. 46.6 cubic feet).

The Niro EV’s cargo area is larger than the XC40 Recharge’s in almost every dimension:

The Niro EV has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Niro EV has standard extendable sun visors. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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. Wireless charging costs extra on the XC40 Recharge.

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