Kia Niro EV v Mazda MX-30 Electric 2021 Comparison

Selling electric vehicles in Australia is a hard slog – unless you’re Tesla, MG or Porsche. Aussies object to paying around $50,000 for small passenger cars that are electrically-powered, let alone $60,000 or more for a small, zero-emissions SUV, such as the two cars tested here – the 2021 Kia Niro EV Sport and the 2021 Mazda MX-30 Electric E35 Astina.

The Mazda has only just launched in Australia, and represents some lateral thinking from the Japanese brand’s decision-makers in marketing and product planning.

Running a small lithium-ion battery of just 35.5kWh, the Mazda MX-30 Electric won’t take long to recharge – even from a 10-Amp household power outlet – but still stumps up enough range for owners in urban driving environments who are unlikely to travel more than about 100km a day.

The MX-30 will quickly recharge to full capacity overnight, leaving the owner plenty of electrons for a round-trip commute the following day.

Build quality and presentation are also high points in the MX-30. If you admire classy materials, high-res graphics and nicely engineered controls, the Mazda has a head start on its competitors in the market.

As another recent arrival that’s one of the Mazda’s key rivals, the new Kia Niro EV Sport is far more prosaic, to be frank about it. Its styling recalls the older design language of the current Kia Sportage, rather than the up-to-date Seltos or Sorento.

This reflects the fact that the Niro is an older vehicle, having been launched overseas in 2016 (with the EV version following in 2018), and will be replaced by an all-new model next year.

Compared with the swish-looking cabin of the Mazda, the Kia’s interior is durable and functional rather than pretty and pleasing.

But the Niro has plenty going for it, not least of all its range – nearly double that of the Mazda’s – and useful roominess that the Mazda can’t match.

Just $500 separates these two rivals. The 2021 Mazda MX-30 Electric is the more affordable of the two, at $65,490 plus on-road costs, and is only available in one trim level dubbed ‘E35 Astina’.

At $65,990 plus ORCs, the 2021 Kia Niro EV tested here is the ‘Sport’ variant, the higher of two grades available – $3500 more than the price of the entry-level Niro EV S.

Standard features for the Niro EV Sport include 17-inch alloy wheels, climate control (single-zone), a trip computer, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, keyless entry, electric-powered fold-in mirrors, rear parking sensors, reversing camera and a leather-clad steering wheel.

There’s also a six-speaker JBL audio system with wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth and digital radio. The infotainment system operates through a 10.25-inch touch-screen that also runs satellite navigation.

Additional standard features include alloy sports pedals, one-touch auto up/down facility for the front power windows and an electro-chromatic rear-view mirror.

The equipment for the Mazda MX-30 Electric comprises standard 18-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, power windows/mirrors, single-zone climate control, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with two-position memory, a trip computer and leather-bound steering wheel/drive selector.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard here as well, and the MX-30’s infotainment system features an 8.8-inch display screen, 12-speaker Bose audio, Bluetooth, digital radio (DAB+), satellite navigation and remote switchgear on the multifunction steering wheel.

It’s hard to separate the two for pricing and specification. The Mazda has larger wheels, a sunroof, more speakers and extra driver’s seat adjustment, together with slightly lower pricing. Yet the Kia has a bigger central touch-screen, for example.

It’s a case of swings and roundabouts where warranty and service intervals are concerned. The Kia offers a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, but the battery’s coverage is capped at seven years or 150,000km.

While the Mazda’s warranty is limited to five years (also unlimited kilometres for the duration), the lithium-ion battery pack is covered by eight years in total, with no limit to kilometres.

Both cars are subject to the same service intervals, 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

The 2021 Mazda MX-30 Electric maintains its edge over the 2021 Kia Niro EV in respect of safety and driver assist technology.

ANCAP has handed the Mazda EV a maximum five-star safety rating, based on the latest crash-test protocol introduced in 2020.

The regular Kia Niro is also rated at five stars, but that was extrapolated from testing dating back to 2016. Furthermore, the Kia’s rating applies to hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants only, not the full-electric model tested here.

With the Mazda, buyers get 10 airbags, versus seven for the Kia. One of the extra airbags in the MX-30 deploys between the driver and front passenger to avoid head-clash in the event of a crash.

Driver assist technology for the Mazda consists of adaptive auto-on LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers and an auto-dipping rear-view mirror, 360-degree camera monitoring, driver fatigue detection and tyre pressure indicator.

Mazda’s ‘Activsense’ suite includes blind spot monitoring, active cruise control with stop-and-go, lane keep assist, emergency stop signal, forward collision warning, front/rear cross traffic alert, front/rear parking sensors, reversing camera, traffic sign recognition and front/rear autonomous emergency braking (front, rear and intersections) with forward-looking pedestrian and cyclist detection.

The rear cross traffic alert system in the MX-30 is not just a safety feature that triggers once in a blue moon; it is a bona fide convenience that once you’ve experienced it you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. It detects cyclists, and it warns the driver with audible alerts and visual aids (arrows in the wide-angle reversing camera display).

Despite being an older design than the Mazda, the Kia does come with a reasonably comprehensive bundle of features to keep the driver and passengers safe.

These include auto-on LED headlights with auto high beam assist, driver attention alert, blind spot detection, active cruise control, lane follow assist, lane keep assist, forward autonomous emergency braking (car/pedestrian/cyclist) and rear cross traffic alert.

Up to this point, the 2021 Kia Niro EV has trailed in the wake of the 2021 Mazda MX-30 Electric, but powertrain performance and battery capacity turn the tables.

The Mazda’s electric motor (107kW/271Nm) offers one of the nicest soundtracks of any EV I’ve ever driven, especially at this price point, but at 100km/h there’s also a constant whine right at the threshold of hearing.

And while the sound and refinement are generally up to par, the MX-30 is slow and lacking the grunt to keep up with the Niro.

A significantly better performer in a straight line with 150kW/395Nm on tap, the Niro is also as quiet as the MX-30 and more efficient in respect of energy consumption.

On a test drive at night, the Mazda posted a figure of 20.3kWh/100km versus 15.5kWh for the Niro tested previously over the same loop. The MX-30 has the potential to operate more efficiently, as we learned from the car’s local launch, but even on a gentle drive the Mazda couldn’t match the Kia’s worst result.

It was immediately apparent that the 2021 Kia Niro EV holds an edge over the 2021 Mazda MX-30 Electric in terms of vehicle dynamics.

Unlike other models in the local Kia range, the Niro’s chassis hasn’t been tuned for Aussie roads. Yet you would hardly know.

The steering is very direct and feels more lively than the Mazda’s, and the ride comfort is demonstrably better, yet the Kia also holds the road slightly better than the MX-30.

There’s not much in it though. If the Niro’s Michelin tyres confer any cornering or braking advantage (versus Bridgestones for the Mazda), that’s eroded by the higher profile and 17-inch diameter of the Kia’s alloy wheels – with the Mazda riding on 19-inch alloys.

Mazda’s engineers have done very well to nail down the suspension as they have; there’s no axle tramp apparent when hammering the Mazda MX-30 Electric through bends. The Mazda continues to track true even with the accelerator pressed all the way to the floor. And the car’s ‘electric G-Vectoring Control Plus’ contributes to that.

The Kia is prone to torque steer and wheel spin when the driver is giving it heaps. But the Niro remains in the same ballpark for handling and ultimately trumps the MX-30 for roadholding. Both cars deliver equally adept braking, but the Mazda’s pedal feel is better.

The LED headlights of both cars are very good, but the Mazda’s are a cut above, actively shadowing oncoming traffic in a very carefully choreographed way, and fading in or out gently to smooth the retinal adjustment. But the Niro’s headlights on low beam shine further ahead.

Noise suppression is slightly better in the Mazda, with the Bridgestone tyres rumbling less on coarse-chip bitumen than the Kia’s Michelins.

In the cabin, the Mazda feels lovely to touch, whether it’s the cork around the floating console and the lids for the cup holders, the leather for the steering wheel or the softly-damped indicator stalk.

But there was also a persistent squeak from the left side of the cabin over moderately bumpy road surfaces.

While the Niro’s interior can’t compare for ambience and tactile luxury, it is carefully assembled and solid – with no sign of loose or squeaking fixtures.

Both cars come with lumbar adjustment for the driver’s seat. I found that to be invaluable in the case of the Mazda, but superfluous in the Kia.

Where the Kia has a six-speaker JBL audio system, the Mazda comes up with a 12-speaker Bose system. The Mazda has nice little touches like the dynamic speed limit marker on the digital speedo, no doubt drawing on the car’s traffic sign recognition – which works very well – to reset itself whenever the car passes into a new speed limit zone.

And the traffic sign recognition distinguishes between standard signs and flashing signs, with a flashing red corona around the icon in the dash.

In short, the Mazda’s interior shows the designers have taken great care to provide occupants with all the necessary elements to ‘surprise and delight’ three of the five senses.

The Kia is workmanlike. It’s modern and functional, but lacking the Mazda’s sense of occasion.

That aside, however, the Niro is altogether more practical. Rear seat accommodation is so much more generous, and access is much easier with the Niro’s conventional doors, rather than the freestyle doors of the MX-30.

There’s more boot space too, with the Kia (451 litres) fully 140 litres larger in volume than the Mazda (311 litres).

Ultimately, the 2021 Mazda MX-30 Electric makes an argument for form, whereas the 2021 Kia Niro EV takes the side of function.

There’s a lot of cross-over in between, and individual buyers will have no qualms buying the Mazda if it’s practical enough for their purposes.

No doubt it will be too. Its 224km driving range is long enough for short-hop commuting around town without needing to recharge the battery every night.

In fact, if you work in the next suburb over, you could go an entire week of commuting between work and home on just the one battery charge.

When you do recharge, furthermore, eight hours plugged into a regular 10-Amp outlet will extend the available range by about 100km – for both cars.

The Mazda has the smaller battery, so its percentage gain is faster than the Niro’s, but the MX-30 also appears to recharge slightly faster anyway – roughly 2.1kWh per hour versus 1.8kWh per hour for the Kia.

On the other hand, with its much longer range of 455km, the Niro will take you places way beyond the nearest destination charger if you feel a yearning for the occasional country trip.

There’s less that sparkles and shines inside the Niro, however, if you find the Mazda’s interior styling and overall finish to be more appealing – which is how many prospective buyers will see it.

The Niro is a utilitarian choice, but it’s comfortable enough, and it’s roomy enough – not only for a growing family, but the sundry toys, groceries and other goods that family life brings with it.

Where warranty is concerned, the Mazda has an extra year for the battery, which will provide some additional peace of mind, but the Kia’s overall warranty is two years longer.

The Kia is entertaining to drive, due in part to its dynamics and its performance, and it seems to be more efficient in its energy consumption.

All that considered, and as close as this contest has been, the Niro deserves the win.

And, putting my money where my mouth is, I’m shortly to take delivery of our next family car, a Kia Niro EV Sport.

How much does the 2021 Kia Niro EV Sport cost?
Price: $65,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 150kW/395Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 64kWh lithium-ion polymer
Range: 455km (ADR)
Energy consumption: 15.9kWh/100km (ADR)
Safety rating: Not tested

How much does the 2021 Mazda MX-30 Electric E35 Astina cost?
Price: $65,490 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single AC synchronous electric motor
Output: 107kW/271Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 35.5kWh lithium-ion
Range: 224km (ADR)
Energy consumption: 18.5kWh/100km (ADR)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2020)