Kia Niro EV ends its Aussie run
Arrival of EV3 triggers the demise of Kia’s first-ever local electric vehicleThe Kia Niro EV, Kia Australia’s first battery-electric model, has been consigned to the history books, having fallen victim to in-house competition.
But the petrol-electric hybrid version of the Niro is likely to continue on until an as yet unsighted new-generation Seltos arrives with a hybrid option by 2027.
The brand new, similarly-sized and cheaper Kia EV3 is the primary architect of the Niro EV’s demise, but the larger Kia EV5 also contributed to the issue, primarily through their significantly sharper pricing – the entry-level EV3 Air Standard Range starts from $47,600 plus on-road costs, while the EV5 kicks off at $56,770 drive-away.
The Niro is joltingly expensive by comparison, and has been since launch.
The cheapest battery-electric Niro is the $66,590 (plus ORC) S, while the flagship GT-Line rises to $72,360.
While Kia’s been bullish globally about Niro and EV3 co-existing, the Australian division has been quite open for some time that the Niro EV’s future was not guaranteed, and it turns out the decision to axe it was made a little while ago.
“The last production run was late last year,” confirmed Kia Australia product planning chief Roland Rivero.
“We still have some stock of the Niro left over and it’s still going as a hybrid.
“With EV3 coming, the market has dictated, but there is still some hybrid demand out there in that smaller size beneath a [Kia] Sportage.”
The first-generation Niro launched late in its lifecycle in Australia in May 2021 as an EV, plug-in hybrid and hybrid.
The second generation then arrived in July 2022, though the PHEV was dropped from the range at that time.
For reference, the petrol-electric Niro Hybrid S starts at $45,000 plus on-roads and rises to $50,650 for the GT-Line.
Rivero suggested it was likely to be replaced by a hybrid version of the next-generation Seltos compact SUV in the next few years.
“Maybe that [Niro hybrid] door will close also, particularly if a future Seltos might be offering a hybrid,” he said.
“We did say in the past there is no hybrid for the current generation Seltos, but looking at it for the next generation.”
Kia sold 1455 Niros in Australia in 2024 and 1826 in 2023. It was outsold both years by the larger and more expensive Kia EV6.
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