Compare the2023 Mercedes EQBVS 2023 Kia Niro EV

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes EQB have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Niro EV doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The EQB’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Niro EV doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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

The EQB offers an optional Surround View System 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 EQB 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available lane departure warning systems.

The Mercedes EQB weighs 776 to 997 pounds more than the Kia Niro EV. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

The EQB 300’s standard electric motor produces 24 more horsepower (225 vs. 201) than the Niro EV’s electric motor. The EQB 350’s standard electric motor produces 87 more horsepower (288 vs. 201) and 93 lbs.-ft. more torque (384 vs. 291) than the Niro EV’s electric motor.

As tested in Car and Driver the EQB 350 is faster than the Kia Niro EV:

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

The EQB stops shorter than the Niro EV:

For better traction, the EQB has larger tires than the Niro EV (235/50R19 vs. 215/55R17).

The EQB’s optional 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 EQB has standard 18-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the Niro EV. The EQB offers optional 19-inch wheels.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the EQB can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Niro EV doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The EQB offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Niro EV’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The EQB has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Niro EV doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The EQB’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Niro EV doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the EQB’s wheelbase is 4.3 inches longer than on the Niro EV (111.3 inches vs. 107 inches).

The EQB 350 4MATIC handles at .85 G’s, while the Niro EV Wave pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The EQB offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Niro EV can only carry 5.

The EQB has .2 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more rear headroom and 1.2 inches more rear legroom than the Niro EV.

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

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the EQB. The Niro EV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Niro EV Wave, the EQB has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, suspension setting, power steering assist, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The EQB’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 EQB the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Niro EV can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The EQB’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 help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the EQB offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Niro EV doesn’t offer cornering lights. The EQB also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The EQB’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Niro EV offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The EQB offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Niro EV.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the EQB offers an optional Active Distance Assist Distronic, 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.