Kia debuts the 2021 Niro EV with wireless CarPlay and updated DriveWise – Roadshow [CNET]

Kia’s Niro EV may not grab many headlines, especially with the announcement of its flashier cousin, the EV6, but the 2021 model has finally made its debut. While it’s primarily a carryover from the 2020 model year, a few changes have been made, which Kia outlined in an announcement on Friday.

The feature changes for the Niro EV aren’t massive, but they do represent some real quality-of-life improvements. We’re big fans of the move to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as the inclusion of a rear seat occupant alert. In addition, remote starting becomes standard which means that you’re now able to preheat or cool the Niro’s cabin.

The other significant change comes in the form of the expansion of Kia’s DriveWise advanced driver assistance suite. Unfortunately, it’s still an available option rather than standard, which is kind of lame. Still, it does add features like highway driving assist, leading vehicle departure warning and navigation-based smart cruise control, so it’s worth getting.

The Niro EV still uses a 64 kilowatt-hour battery pack paired with a 201 horsepower electric motor, which, together, are good for a range of 239 miles. Prices start at $40,265 for the EX model and $45,825 for the EX Premium model.

Up close with our new long term Kia Niro EV

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