My lease is ending soon on my 2021 EX, and I’m stuck on what to do. I’ve enjoyed driving the car, and it would be perfect if it charged faster like an EV6, but in almost every other way, I prefer the Niro.
The buyout for my lease is $20300, and the car has only 9300 miles on it. I’ve been checking out listings nearby for used 2023 and 2024 models (a Wind and a few Waves) priced around $25-28k. They all have clean CARFAX reports, one previous owner (though some were taxis or commercial), and a few are Kia CPO, with about 20k miles on most of them.
The main things that stand out to me are the slightly better driving assist and safety features on the Gen2 Waves, and I think I’d get a longer warranty. Features like ventilated seats, a sunroof, and smart parking would be nice but aren’t deal-breakers for me.
For those of you who’ve driven both the 2019-2022 and the 2023-2025 Niros, do you think the $5-8k difference is worth it? Am I missing something important?
I have the first-gen (2020) and have been in the second-gen (it’s pretty common here as Uber/Lyft vehicles). I’ve also checked out reviews of the 2nd gen.
In my opinion, it’s not worth it. There aren’t many big improvements that would justify an extra $5K-$8K. The range, charging speed, and other key features are almost the same. The interior design is a little sleeker, but the materials feel cheaper with more hard plastic than the first gen.
It’s probably best to save up for the EV3 coming to the U.S. next year. Reviews say it’s really great. It’s similar in size to the Niro but built on a dedicated EV platform, and I love its design inside and out.
@KiaTalker
Oh, the EV3 looks great. It reminds me of the Soul EV we never got in the U.S., but upgraded. I wish it was coming sooner; I could probably make do without a car for a couple of months, but a year or more is a bit much. Maybe in the future though.
If the car’s still good, keep it. There aren’t a lot of new features in the Gen2, certainly not worth spending a bunch of money. V2L is the only feature I’d want.
InfiniteImpulse said:
If the car’s still good, keep it. There aren’t a lot of new features in the Gen2, certainly not worth spending a bunch of money. V2L is the only feature I’d want.
By the way, do you get a rebate if you buy your leased car, or did that already come with the lease deal?
@InfiniteImpulse
It was part of my lease deal when I signed the contract. I was lucky to get the car during the original, more generous tax credit period.
I own a 2nd gen now, but I also had a 1st gen before. I’d say save the $5-8k and keep your first-gen. Like others said, you’re not missing much by sticking with the 1st gen.
Cruise said:
I own a 2nd gen now, but I also had a 1st gen before. I’d say save the $5-8k and keep your first-gen. Like others said, you’re not missing much by sticking with the 1st gen.
Thanks for the advice! That’s where I was leaning. It’s good to hear others say the same. My local dealerships didn’t have any gen2 Niros to check out, so I’ve just been going off online reviews.
I looked at both the Gen 1 and Gen 2, and I found the Gen 1 easier to control things like AC and music. I also prefer the sportier handling and looks of the Gen 1. The Gen 2 only adds a frunk and V2L, but I added a Frunk to my Gen 1 and a 12v inverter to run my fridge and other appliances. The Gen 1 also has cheaper insurance and parts are easier to find.
I test drove both with the intention of buying the 2nd gen, but I ended up saving my money and buying the 1st gen instead. The seats are thinner and have more plastic in the second gen. I also found the information cluster in the 2nd gen to be too close to the steering wheel, and the angle was a bit awkward compared to the 1st gen.
Also, the torque dropped from 291 lb-ft in the 1st gen to 188 lb-ft in the 2nd gen. I’m sure the 2nd gen handles better, but when I drove both back-to-back, I noticed the lack of torque.
The warranty is great on these cars too—would you be keeping the original owner warranty on your current car?
I had a 2020 and was debating this very issue, but I ended up turning it in and leasing a 2024 Wind. I absolutely love the new car. I no longer have that awful backup noise, and I don’t spin out on wet hills anymore. It looks great, drives well, and charges a bit faster for me. If you can, test driving one will really help you decide. But if you’re only looking at the numbers, I think you’ve already got your answer.
I’ve heard that the acceleration on the second gen isn’t as good. A quick Google search says the 2020’s 0-60 time is around 6.2-6.8 seconds, while the 2024 takes 7.1 seconds.
KiaGuru said:
I’ve heard that the acceleration on the second gen isn’t as good. A quick Google search says the 2020’s 0-60 time is around 6.2-6.8 seconds, while the 2024 takes 7.1 seconds.
I feel like my 2020 Niro is much quicker off the line. I used to have a 328i, and that was supposed to do 0-60 in 6.3 seconds, but the Niro EV feels faster to me.