The Kia Niro Plus from Socar, which I often use for work these days.

The Kia Niro Plus from Socar, which I often use for work these days. It's a relatively new car from 2022, but it's true that the cumulative mileage is 4,6393 kilometers and the model is based on a generation of Niro, so it's not even close to the latest electric cars overall.

Nevertheless, we have all the latest technologies, including smart cruise control, lane keeping assistance, auto air conditioning, front-row heating/ventilation seats, Bluetooth audio, and Apple CarPlay.

Of course, the rating is lower by one. Carplay is wired only. All USB ports are Type A. The air conditioner does not have air purification. Except for the steering wheel, all seats and the like are made of artificial leather.

The smart cruise control supports stopping, but manually presses the switch or pushes the accelerator pedal to start. Also, as there is no radar sensor at the front and rear sides, the reaction to the car stuck in the car is slow. Most importantly, the control switch on the right side of the steering wheel spoke and the operation method are the old-fashioned ones.

The speed of the latest car can be specified by pressing the speed control button up and down. Pressing the center button cancels the smart cruise control operation, and you have to raise it up and 'Resume' to start again. The latest car just stops/resume with the center button. It's much more intuitive.

It is said that the smart cruise control supports stop/start by changing the model year. But why doesn't the utility mode support when there is a camping package (indoor V2L outlet, seat flattening pad, etc.).

But it's forgiving when you think about the price. It's a little less usable, but if you get a tax benefit that's not subsidized, the premium Earth trim is 48.5 million won. The car is big enough.

These days, I think Koreans have very high expectations for electric vehicles. Charging speed must be fast, and all kinds of equipment must be up-to-date. Of course, this trend is because we are familiar with Tesla Model 3/Y and Hyundai Motor Group's E-GMP cars that have been sold a lot in Korea. The parts that were said to be 'insufficient' in the Niro Plus are all possible functions in those cars.

There won't be a car that's cheap and has everything, right? It's a good value criterion for cost-effectiveness, but I think it's an obstacle to popularization in electric vehicles.

#ElectricCar #Soka #Kia #Niroplus #AtWork #It's okay #CarColumnistLee Donghee