All of a sudden, there are more than just a couple of,
dare we say, affordable electric SUVs to choose from in Australia. And here are two of the newest
from two of the nation's most popular brands, the Mazda MX-30 Electric and the Kia Niro
EV. Let's see how they stack up, not only as EVs, but as small family SUVs and everyday drives.
The Mazda MX-30 Electric has just been released in one top spec E35 Astina grade priced from $65,490.
The almost as new Kia Niro EV is available in two variants, priced from $62,990 for the Niro
S and $65,990 for the top shelf Niro Sport on test here. Pricing isn't the only similarity
between these two. Both models are four-door, five-seat small SUVs with lithium-ion batteries
pairing an electric motor that drives their front wheels via a single reduction gear.
The big difference, however, is the Kia can travel up to 450 kilometres on a single charge,
whereas the Mazda's range is less than half of that at just 224 kilometres. Range anxiety is
real, and the Mazda starts on the back foot. What the Mazda lacks in battery range it makes up for
in good looks. The style conscious will find it hard to look away. Its minimalist
and slick exterior design features a smaller than usual deep-set grille, LED headlights,
18-inch alloys and a rear spoiler. The only real clue this is an EV is the badge on the rear.
The Kia Niro, on the other hand, sports tell-tale EV styling details
like a filled-in grille and blue accents. The Niro also has LED headlights and a rear
spoiler but gets a smaller 17-inch alloys and adds a shark fin antenna and roof rails.
Technically, the big difference between these electric SUVs is the battery capacity. The Mazda
MX-30 has a 35.5 kilowatt-hour battery, just over half the size of the 64 kilowatt-hour unit in the
Kia Niro. Those numbers are what drive two crucial elements, driving range and charging times. The
Mazda will charge a little faster, but delivers fewer kilometres from its smaller battery,
which may well be fine for the vast majority of daily commutes. The Kia takes longer to gain
a full charge, but the extra kilometres at the ready will more than compensate.
It really comes down to a question of your typical daily commute and lifestyle needs.
I'm not gonna lie, I love the interior of the MX-30. It's quite a departure from the usual
Mazda template, which is also lovely. But this car is a design hero, and it's innovative in
its layout and its use of recycled materials. It oozes style. Keyless entry and push button start,
single zone climate control, a heated leather steering wheel, heated ten-way electric adjust
seats with two-position memory, tilt and reach steering adjust, auto dimming rear-view mirror
and a head-up display sees your cabin comfort and amenity well covered. An electric park brake with
auto hold, heated electric adjust wing mirrors and a tilt and slide glass sunroof are also standard.
Inside the Mazda, we've got two screens, the touch screen here for all of your climate control,
and this high-set one for things like navigation and other infotainment. But that is not a touch
screen, you've got to use the rotary dial. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, voice
control, digital radio with 12-speaker sound and satellite navigation are all standard features.
In-cabin storage is really good. We've got this hidden element under here, which I really like,
there some cup holders and a leathered armrest.
Inside the Niro, you're greeted with typical Kia design. Apart from this
new rotary dial gear shifter, it not only looks good, but it's very practical as well.
However, it's not a patch on the lovely aesthetics we see in the Mazda.
Standard equipment includes keyless entry and push button start, leather trim eight-way electrical
adjust seats with lumbar support, tilt and reach steering adjust, electric adjust wing mirrors,
electric park brake with auto hold and single zone climate control. Compared to the Mazda,
the Kia is probably a little more traditional in its execution. You've got buttons and dials for
the climate control and the radio as well, but then you have a touch screen here too.
The Kia's 10.25-inch screen is home to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, satellite
navigation and an eight-speaker premium sound system. Storage inside the Kia Niro is really good
for a small car. It's big on space, cup holders, leathered armrest, and even more space up here.
The MX-30's safety ticks all the major boxes as well as front cross-traffic alert, traffic
sign recognition and 10 airbags. The Niro Sport's safety suite ticks all those same basics and has
seven airbags. Second row of the MX-30 is actually really comfortable, legroom's pretty good,
headroom's good, small windows so outward vision is not great. But the biggest problem
here is getting in and out. The suicide doors are not very practical, it's a two-person job.
Dramatic entrances aside, the second row lacks amenity beyond an armrest with cup holders. There
are no air vents and no charge points. There are two ISOFIX positions and three top tether points.
Those unique reverse opening doors create a large point of access,
which will make wrangling kids in and out of car seats a little easier.
Second row of the Kia is just as comfortable as the Mazda, but it's bigger and broader,
and generally a nicer place to be. The Kia is not only much easier to get into,
but it features two directional air vents and an armrest with two cup holders,
but similarly, no charge points. There are two ISOFIX positions and three top tether points.
Neither car has an electric tailgate, which feels like an oversight at this price point.
The Kia has a much larger boot than the Mazda, and they both have 60-40 split-fold seats for
greater load flexibility. It's now time to see how these latest EVs feel behind the wheel.
It's quite a unique driving position in the Mazda, with my seat nice and low, so I've got a good line
of sight. You can see how the door sills are quite high and the rest of the cabin wraps around you.
The Mazda feels more like a combustion engine vehicle than an EV.
Its power delivery is gentle. It's more of a slow and steady build.
The Mazda's handling and dynamics are also what I'd call subdued, I guess. There's a
bit of weight to the steering wheel. It's not really what I'd call crisp or direct.
Overall ride comfort is excellent. You'll easily settle in for a long trip, but not
too long. Overall refinement is really good. The cabin is lovely and quiet. And I've got to say,
I actually quite like the sound of the engine. It's kinda got a warm, rumbling sound. Quite
unexpected, to be honest. A sloping roof line and smaller rear windows mean rearward vision is
a problem for the MX-30, but there is sufficient driver assist technology to help overcome this.
Mazda has parking sensors front and rear, a reversing camera, but also a 360-degree camera,
which is always really useful. The screen is quick to respond and image quality is excellent.
Sitting behind the wheel of the Kia feels quite different. It's a much brighter and
more airy cabin. It doesn't have that same sort of enclosed feeling as in the Mazda.
A larger capacity battery is a strength for the Kia Niro. Compared to the Mazda,
there's more punch in its response, as well as a greater sense of connection.
The Kia handles really nicely and sits lovely and smooth on the road, but I've gotta say a highlight
would be the steering. It's very light and very direct. Despite having a very different feel
behind the wheel in terms of seating position, comfort levels are every bit as good as the Mazda.
Overall refinement is probably on par with the Mazda. But I think that Kia has a slightly softer
ride, so I think overall comfort levels are probably going to be more appealing in the Kia.
The Kia's outward vision is great, better than the Mazda's, thanks to a more traditional body style.
In terms of energy consumption, on the same test loop, the Mazda posted a figure of 20.3
kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometres compared to 15.5 for the Niro. The Kia also has a reversing camera,
front and rear sensors, but it misses out on the 360-degree camera you'll find in the Mazda. The
Kia's screen is easy to see and it works without fault. The MX-30's battery is covered by an
eight-year warranty with other components backed by a five-year unlimited kilometer warranty.
The Kia Niro is backed by a seven-year 150,000-kilometer warranty for the battery
and electric motor, and all other parts get Kia's standard seven-year unlimited kilometer
cover. The Kia has seven years roadside assist and the Mazda, five. Both vehicles are subject
to 12-month or 15,000-kilometer service intervals. The Mazda has a edge over the
Kia by the smallest of margins where price and packaging is concerned. It is, however,
leagues ahead for style and innovative design. The Kia is for the practical and pragmatic.
It does exactly what it promises and its EV credentials well and truly trump the Mazda's.
So, in what is a fairly complex comparison, if we can break it down to price,
performance, practicality, and panache, it is the Kia Niro EV that takes the win.
Not only does it deliver on its EV promise, but it is just a more liveable family car.