Kia Niro EV is a 'regular' ride with electric bonus

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- I've long maintained that the best result of an electric vehicle test drive is the driver emerging from the cockpit and exclaiming: "It feels just like a regular car."

That's a high compliment in a land where internal combustion engines have ruled the roadways for decades.  And it's a compliment that's more than earned by my most recent test vehicle, the Kia Niro EV EX Premium.

It's not exactly correct to say it drives like a regular car -- the silent start-up kills that stereotype right off the bat -- but it operates so typically and efficiently that your brain is not obsessed with the all-electric aspects of the vehicle.

So, what is it?  Good question.  Depending on your source of information, the Niro electric is a compact crossover sport-ute, a sedan, a wagon or a five-door hatch.  Well, it has four doors, and the rear liftgate opens up to reveal a surprisingly roomy rear area. With rear seats folded up, normal size adults have ample room behind the driver and front seat passenger.

Works for me.

The tester came with an owner's manual of approximately 500 pages, but I found most of that unnecessary. Most of the comfort, convenience and safety features were easily understood.  The key extra was the all-important readout of how much power/mileage remains on a charge.

For those who once cringed at watching the range of their electric vehicle drop to less than 100 miles seemingly at the end of the block, the Niro EV gives you deep satisfaction with a top-end range of about 240 miles when the battery is fully charged.

Just so you know, the "fuel mileage" equivalent comes to 123 miles per gallon in the city and 102 mpg on the highway.  Don't ask me how they figure that.  I was a lousy math student.

Some of my auto-reviewing colleagues have criticized the road manners and driving characteristics of the Niro EV.  I don't agree with them.

First and foremost, the tester was remarkably responsive.  It bolted off the line in silent electric fury and easily scooted away from pretty much everything on surface streets.  Accelerations at freeway speed were likewise impressive.  It was a quiet, firm highway cruiser.  With its basic crossover exterior styling, most motorists didn't give me a second glance as my electric chariot blew past them.

Please note, there's a cost for all this electric-and-rechargeable technology -- $47,155 on my generously equipped ride, or maybe $12,000 or so more than you'd expect to pay for an equivalent model with a four-cylinder internal combustion engine.

So, it pretty much boils down to owner tastes and philosophy.  Driving my tester sans tailpipe emissions felt pretty good.  I'm sure others will feel the same.