Compare the2022 Kia Niro EVVS 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Electric

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 Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Niro EV has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Niro EV has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Ioniq Electric.

Both the Niro EV and the Ioniq Electric 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available rear parking sensors.

The Kia Niro EV weighs 483 pounds more than the Hyundai Ioniq Electric. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 Ioniq Electric has not been tested, yet.

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 48 points higher than the Ioniq Electric.

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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 8th.

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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 7th.

The Niro EV’s electric motor produces 67 more horsepower (201 vs. 134) and 73 lbs.-ft. more torque (291 vs. 218) than the Ioniq Electric’s electric motor.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Niro EV is faster than the Hyundai Ioniq Electric:

The Niro EV’s maximum EPA estimated driving range is 239 miles on a full charge, 41% further than the Ioniq Electric’s 170-mile range.

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

The Niro EV stops much shorter than the Ioniq Electric:

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Niro EV has standard 17-inch wheels. Only 16-inch wheels are available on the Ioniq Electric.

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 Hyundai Ioniq Electric 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 Ioniq Electric’s suspension doesn’t offer rear gas-charged shocks.

The Niro EV EX Premium handles at .88 G’s, while the Ioniq Electric pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Niro EV is 3.8 inches shorter than the Ioniq Electric, making the Niro EV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Niro EV has 1 inch more front headroom, .3 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Ioniq Electric.

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 Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 Ioniq Electric’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. The Ioniq Electric’s optional windows’ rear windows don’t close automatically.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Niro EV has a standard rear wiper. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

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 Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Niro EV’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the Niro EV and the Ioniq Electric offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Niro EV has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

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 Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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

The Kia Niro outsold the Hyundai Ioniq by 17% during the 2021 model year.