Sorry I know this topic has been beaten to death. But I've got so many questions and reputable sources are hard to come by. Looking for a commuter in the Rockies of Colorado and of course the kona and the niro are at the top of the list. A similar problem for both cars is there is no where to try them out around here I have to drive 2+ hours to try one out. So that has been difficult. Kona - like the price and the range - torn between if I need the battery warmer or not - fear of battery recall Niro - Battery is not an LG - Larger which is nice - 0% for 66 months - Range is not as good - More expensive than the kona Sorry I know this isn't very well organized and is more of a dump of thoughts.
I test drove both of those vehicle and here's my experience through that and some points which made me buy Kona over Niro. Apart from whatever you put down for the pros list. 1. Kona drove way better than Niro 2. Exterior styling and available option like 2 tone 3. I got better customer service from Hyundai over Kia 4. Interior styling like instrument cluster and Infotainment system is better than Niro 5. Got 0.99 interest rate over 7 years At the end of the day, it depends what important and matters to you. And as far as battery problem is concerned, I guess I have faith in Hyundai to deal with it. Hope this helps
I did the back to back and bought the Niro I did like how the Kona drove The size of the Niro was the deciding factor, there is very little interior storage space in the Kona
If I lived in the Colorado Rockies I would think all wheel drive would be a prerequisite and neither of these would make my short list. That being said, I like the Kona exterior styling better, the Kona is a bit more sporty of a drive, and for 2022 there's now a significant difference in the price. But I like the dashboard on the Niro better, I suspect with the Niro's optional heat pump the cold weather range will be close to identical, and as others have pointed out the Niro has significantly more room. While I think overall Hyundai dealers are less slimy than Kia dealers, there are significant variations from dealer to dealer.
We test drove only those two and it was very close to a toss-up. Niro has more space if that matters to you, and you feel like you’re a little higher up when driving. Right after driving the Niro we went back and sat in the Kona. It just felt more comfortable to both of us and that was the very unscientific decision maker Note, we were coming from a somewhat similar sized car (Elantra GT) so that might have been a factor.
Thanks for the reply. Thanks for the reply. 1. One of the hardest parts is not really being able to test drive. I will probably need to take a day and drive to the city to be able to really test the niro and the kona. 5. That's a good deal. I'm not seeing anything that good right now but I should talk to hyundai financing. I think the battery problem is more of a headache than anything. The bolts are already a ways out and it would be a bummer to buy a new car and get it recalled right away. Thanks again.
Thanks for the reply. I would also really like awd but unfortunately there aren't many EV cars that it is available in and the ones it is are out of my budget. From what I hear having a good set of snow tires on a FWD car is almost as good as awd. I also have a 4wd truck so it's not as big of a deal breaker. The price difference is pretty stark, I was worried about the LG battery and the possibility of a recall that's what drew me to the niro. The battery warmer is also another thought and if it is worth it to get the convenience package ($3k extra) or go with the '21 limited. I just don't really trust any car dealer but maybe there are some good people in the lot?
I test drove a Niro EV in Houston but didn't like the interior style. Hyundai doesn't sell EVs in Texas. Located a new leftover 2019 Kona in Jan 2021. Bought out of state from New York without a test drive. 8k under MSRP plus a tax credit. It was great for the 7 months we had it. Hyundai did a buy back so we ended up ahead with the Tax Credit. For me, they are very close in specs so the decision came down to price.
Good snow tires on a FWD vehicle are often underestimated. We live in a rural, hilly, snowy area and we've always done great with a FWD with good snow tires (like Michelin IceX, or Bridgestone Blizzak) for my wife's car.
No question good winter tires are a substantial plus, but when you are talking about the Colorado Rockies in winter that's pretty extreme. A forecast of light snow showers can all of the sudden become a 1 to 2 foot dump with white out conditions depending on what side of a mountain pass you are on, and don't count on the road being plowed. On top of that roads with 6 and 8% grades are common. I'm out there every winter for several weeks in the winter, and the only way I would rely on front wheel drive no matter what tires would be if I was 100% certain I knew I would not need to venture out in a snowstorm as the forecasts can be so unpredictable. I'm routinely faced with situations where even an Quadradrive equipped Grand Cherokee shod with Blizzaks is obviously struggling with the conditions.
I shopped EVs in late 2019, and again recently during a buyback. Both times the Kona was the only one whose handling put a smile on my face. So I got another one despite chronic problems with the 12v battery. I bought the first Kona despite its small size, but now consider it a plus getting into small parking spots and leaving extra space in our garage. The biggest drawback IMO is that it's made by Hyundai, which doesn't support its customers or dealers, and doesn't offer neat options in the U.S. market that are available all over the world: heat pumps, electric folding mirrors, front parking alert and (on the '22s) heads-up display. Love the car - hate HMA.
That's fair but it's mostly going to be highway driving that's fairly well maintained. Again I've got a 4wd truck that I can drive if it's deep but we don't really get that big of dumps.
Good consideration thanks. It being a hyundai is a bit nerve racking because I've always owned a toyota and I have had no issues. I'm hoping to go test drive on Thursday.
