Compare the2023 Toyota bZ4XVS 2023 Kia Niro EV

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota bZ4X have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Kia Niro EV doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Toyota bZ4X has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Niro EV doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The bZ4X has standard post collision braking, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Niro EV doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The bZ4X has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Niro EV doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The bZ4X Limited has a standard Bird’s Eye View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Niro EV only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the bZ4X and the Niro EV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Toyota bZ4X weighs 545 to 743 pounds more than the Kia Niro EV. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The bZ4X’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Niro EV runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the bZ4X for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Niro EV.

There are over 59 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the bZ4X’s warranty.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 15th.

The bZ4X’s optional electric motors produces 13 more horsepower (214 vs. 201) than the Niro EV’s electric motor.

As tested in Car and Driver the Toyota bZ4X electric motors is faster than the Kia Niro EV:

For better stopping power the bZ4X’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Niro EV:

The bZ4X’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Niro EV are solid, not vented.

The bZ4X stops shorter than the Niro EV:

For better traction, the bZ4X has larger tires than the Niro EV (235/60R18 vs. 215/55R17).

The bZ4X Limited’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Niro EV’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the bZ4X XLE has standard 18-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the Niro EV. The bZ4X Limited has standard 20-inch wheels.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the bZ4X’s wheelbase is 5.2 inches longer than on the Niro EV (112.2 inches vs. 107 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the bZ4X is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Niro EV.

For greater off-road capability the bZ4X has a 2.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Niro EV (8.1 vs. 5.9 inches), allowing the bZ4X to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The bZ4X has .6 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Niro EV.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the bZ4X’s rear seats recline. The Niro EV’s rear seats don’t recline.

The bZ4X has a much larger cargo volume than the Niro EV with its rear seat up (27.7 vs. 22.8 cubic feet).

The bZ4X’s front and rear power windows all 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 Niro EV’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Niro EV Wave’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the bZ4X the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Niro EV can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The bZ4X’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Niro EV’s projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the bZ4X has a standard Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Niro EV doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.