Kia 'Niro EV' Ranks 1st for 2 Consecutive Years in J.D. Power Electric Vehicle Customer Experience Study

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Kia's electric vehicle Niro EV received high praise from a U.S. automotive evaluation agency.

Kia announced that the Niro EV ranked first among mass market BEVs in the ‘2022 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study’ released on the 27th (local time) by U.S. market research firm J.D. Power.

The Niro EV scored a total of 744 points (out of 1000), securing first place in the mass market BEV category for the second consecutive year. The second place was taken by the Ford Mustang Mach-E with 741 points. The average total score for the mass market segment was 709 points.

The 2022 EVX study measures scores and ranks vehicles based on 10 categories: driving range accuracy, charging station usability, driving range, maintenance costs, driving experience, convenience of home charging, interior and exterior design, safety and convenience features, service experience, and quality and durability.

The Niro EV is equipped with a 64kWh battery, achieving a driving range of 385 km on a single full charge. It was evaluated to have excellent power performance surpassing comparable internal combustion engine vehicles, with a maximum output of 150kW (204 horsepower) and maximum torque of 395Nm (40.3 kgf·m).

In the U.S. market alone, the Niro EV sold 8,717 units last year, more than tripling from 2,848 units the previous year.

Especially, the Niro EV has received much acclaim in major overseas markets since its launch. Last year, it won the main award in the small electric vehicle category at the prestigious UK automotive award '2021 What Car Awards.' In 2020, it also received the 'UK Car of the Year' Best Crossover award.

It was also selected as the Best Electric Vehicle at Portugal's 'Global Mobi Awards.' Autocar awarded the Niro EV the 'Game Changer' award in 2019, recognizing its significant impact on the market.

Brent Gruber, Global Automotive Executive at J.D. Power, said, “Many consumers worry about factors such as single-charge driving range and charging during the purchase consideration process, but once they buy, most fall in love with the appeal of electric vehicles. The factors that make first-time EV buyers return to electric vehicles include attractive experiences such as low maintenance costs, safety and convenience features, and a unique and enjoyable driving experience.” He added, “The launch of new electric vehicles by established automakers has a significant influence on customers’ choice of their first EV.”

According to this J.D. Power study, 96% of EV customers scoring over 900 points intend to purchase another electric vehicle in the future. More than half (62%) of these customers said they would definitely repurchase from the same manufacturer. Conversely, among EV customers scoring below 600 points, 78% of first-time EV buyers and 89% of existing EV owners definitely consider purchasing another EV, but only 6% are likely to buy from the same manufacturer.

Meanwhile, in the premium brand electric vehicle segment, the Tesla Model 3 ranked first with 777 points, followed by the Tesla Model Y in second place with 770 points. The average total score for the premium brand segment was 770 points.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.