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Kia Niro EV vs VW ID.4 (2021-2023)
Selected trim2 · 2022-26Change trim288 mi · 64.8 kWh · £34,995
Selected trimPure Performance 52kWh · 2021-23Change trim222 mi · 52 kWh · £40,275
At a glance
In this comparison, Kia Niro EV counters with the lowest price, while the VW ID.4 leads on motorway range, family practicality and running costs.
Which should you choose?
Choose the VW ID.4 (2021-2023) if...
- you do long motorway journeys - it has the best estimated real-world range at speed
- you need the most family-friendly option with good safety and space
- you want the lowest running costs - from just 2p per mile on off-peak electricity
How we reached the recommendation
Verdict
Our take
The VW ID.4 leads in the most categories, but each car here has its strengths.
Value
Kia
4.9
VW
5.2
Too close to call
Motorway RangeVW
Kia
2.1
VW
3.9
FamilyVW
Kia
4.7
VW
8.1
Cost Per MileVW
Kia
3.5
VW
6.4
City Driving
Kia
6.4
VW
6.3
Too close to call
What each car does better
See the specification differences behind the verdict, with supporting figures for each advantage.
VW ID.4
Pure Performance 52kWh
- 58 litres more boot space
- 60 kW faster rapid charging
- 0.4 m tighter turning circle
- 1 more year of battery warranty
Key specifications
Compare the key specifications for your selected trims.
| Measure | Kia Niro EV2 | VW ID.4Pure Performance 52kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £34,995 (better) | £40,275 |
| Official range | 288 miles (better) | 222 miles |
| Boot space | 475 L | 533 L (better) |
| 0-62 mph | 7.8 sec (better) | 9 sec |
Size Comparison
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Kia Niro EV
VW ID.4
Length
Kia Niro EV4,420mm-164mm
VW ID.44,584mm
Width
Kia Niro EV1,825mm-27mm
VW ID.41,852mm
Height
Kia Niro EV1,545mm-89mm
VW ID.41,634mm
Space, size & parking
Parking & manoeuvring
Compare exterior dimensions to assess how each car fits UK parking spaces.
| Measure | Kia Niro EV2 | VW ID.4Pure Performance 52kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 4,420 mm | 4,584 mm |
| Width (mirrors folded) | 1,825 mm (better) | 1,852 mm |
| Height | 1,545 mm | 1,634 mm |
| Turning circle | 10.6 m | 10.2 m (better) |
| Clearance in a standard bayA standard UK parking bay is 2,400 mm wide. | 575 mm spare (better) | 548 mm spare |
People & luggage
Compare seating, child-seat mounting points, boot space and towing capacity.
| Measure | Kia Niro EV2 | VW ID.4Pure Performance 52kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot space (seats up) | 475 L | 533 L (better) |
| Boot space (seats down) | Not available | 1575 L |
| Towing capacity (braked) | Not available | 1,000 kg |
Full specifications
| Specification |  Kia Niro EV 2 |  VW ID.4 Pure Performance 52kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4.42m | 4.58m+164mm |
| Width | 1.82m | 1.85m+27mm |
| Height | 1.54m | 1.63m+89mm |
| Wheelbase | 2.72m | 2.77m+51mm |
| Capacity | ||
| Boot (seats up) | 475L | 533L (better) |
| Boot (seats down) | Not available | 1575L |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Practicality | ||
| Turning Circle | 10.6m | 10.2m (better) |
| Kerb Weight | 1,739kg | Not available |
| Towing Capacity | Not available | 1,000kg |
| Electric | ||
| Battery | 64.8kWh (better) | 52kWh |
| Range (WLTP) | 288 mi (better) | 222 mi |
| Max DC Charge | 50kW | 110kW (better) |
| Pricing | ||
| UK MSRP | £34,995 (better) | £40,275 |
| Details | ||
| Body Style | SUV | SUV |
| Available | 2022–2026 | 2021–2023 |
* Kia Niro EV: Heat pump: an option on the 3 and 4, not available on the 2.
Range & charging
Range, charging & battery
Check official and estimated driving range alongside charging speeds, efficiency and battery technology.
| Measure | Kia Niro EV2 | VW ID.4Pure Performance 52kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Official range (WLTP) | 288 miles (better) | 222 miles |
| Estimated motorway rangeEVcarsguide estimate at sustained motorway speed. | 194 miles (better) | 185 miles |
| Max rapid charge rate | 50 kW | 110 kW (better) |
| Home AC charging | 11 kW | Not available |
| Energy consumption | 164 Wh/km | Not available |
| Usable battery capacity | 64.8 kWh (better) | 52 kWh |
| Battery chemistry | NMC | NMC |
| Heat pump | Not standard | Standard (better) |
Driving & everyday use
Performance & drivetrain
Compare acceleration, power and drivetrain specifications for the selected trims.
| Measure | Kia Niro EV2 | VW ID.4Pure Performance 52kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 0-62 mph | 7.8 sec (better) | 9 sec |
| Power | 150 kW (better) | 125 kW |
| Torque | 255 Nm | Not available |
| Drivetrain | fwd | RWD |
What the critics say
See how UK motoring publications rate each car in their road tests. One car has more review coverage than the other - we show that rather than guessing.
Kia Niro EV
2
VW ID.4
Pure Performance 52kWh
No critic reviews gathered yet for this car.
Watch the reviews
Watch selected video reviews here, or visit each model page for the full collection.
Reviews and videos discuss each model overall; the specifications above apply to your selected trims.
Prices & deals
New and used prices
Current pricing and recent used-market behaviour.
| Measure | Kia Niro EV2 | VW ID.4Pure Performance 52kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Used market price from | £16,530 | £16,750 |
| Average used price | £19,500 | £18,590 |
| Active used listings trackedIndependent UK dealer listings seen in the last 90 days. | 87 listings (better) | 22 listings |
| Recent used-price trend | Down 43.6% over ~6 months | Up 4.9% over ~6 months |
Used prices are indicative figures gathered from independent UK dealer listings and change frequently.
Calculate your real costs
For a useful running-cost comparison, factor in your mileage, charging access and current petrol or diesel car alongside the EV estimate.
Compare with petrol or diesel
Compare purchase price, energy, road tax and maintenance with a petrol or diesel alternative.
Calculate company-car tax
Work out monthly Benefit-in-Kind using current and future HMRC rates.
Cost per mile
Compare EV charging costs per mile with petrol and diesel using your charging options.
Check a lease quote
Assess the effective monthly cost alongside the list price and expected depreciation.
Safety & ownership confidence
Euro NCAP - VW ID.4 Pure Performance 52kWh
Tested 2021
Adult Occupant93%
Child Occupant89%
Vulnerable Road Users76%
Safety Assist85%
Full result on euroncap.com (opens in new tab)
Warranty
Check the published battery warranty cover for each selected trim.
| Measure | Kia Niro EV2 | VW ID.4Pure Performance 52kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Battery warranty | 7 years | 8 years (better) |
| Battery warranty distance | 160,934 km | 160,934 km |
What owners say
Aggregated from UK owner forums and communities - the things you only learn after living with the car.
Shared watch-outs for both cars
Owners of every car here flag real-world range. Worth checking on a test drive whichever you choose.
Kia Niro EV
2
Owners love
- Efficient, with owners commonly seeing 3.5-4.5 miles per kWh
- Quiet, comfortable and easy to drive, with a useful i-Pedal one-pedal mode
- A bigger boot than the e-Niro, plus a small front storage compartment
Watch out for
- Rapid charging peaks at around 80 kW, slow next to newer EVs
- Winter range falls well short of the official figure, around 220-230 miles in real use
- The heat pump was an extra-cost option, and cars without it lose more range in winter
Owner tips
- Check whether the car has the optional heat pump if you do a lot of winter driving
- Keep motorway speeds around 60-65 mph when range matters
VW ID.4
Pure Performance 52kWh
Owners love
- Owners consistently praise the comfortable ride, quiet cabin and generous rear-seat and boot space.
- Running costs on a home tariff are very low, and the 11 kW on-board charger makes home charging easy.
- Rapid charging holds a steady, consistent speed across most of a charge.
Watch out for
- Software is the most common complaint: slow or buggy infotainment, screen reboots, weak navigation and a limited, unreliable phone app on early cars.
- Scheduled and app-controlled charging is unreliable for some owners, stopping short or not starting.
- Some owners report charging faults, including the cable not engaging or releasing properly, that dealers were slow to diagnose.
Owner tips
- Check that the car has had its software updates; many early complaints were fixed by later versions.
- If scheduled charging misbehaves, set the charging times on the home charger or in the car rather than in the app.
Buying options
Get a quote
Kia Niro EV
Used on AutoTraderLease deals
VW ID.4
Used on AutoTraderLease deals
Live used listings
Active inventory from independent UK dealers.
Kia Niro EV
- £13,4052023Car360View
- £23,6502024Car360View
- £22,6412024Car360View
VW ID.4
- £18,9872023Car360View
- £18,2942023Car360View
- £17,7572023Car360View
Frequently asked questions
Is the VW ID.4 worth the extra £5,280 over the Kia Niro EV?
The VW ID.4 costs £5,280 more than the Kia Niro EV. For that premium it adds 60 kW faster peak rapid charging and 58 litres more boot space. The Kia Niro EV is not just cheaper - it also offers 66 miles more WLTP range and a 1.2s quicker 0-62mph time. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the VW ID.4 comes out ahead overall.
Which is cheaper to own over 5 years, the Kia Niro EV or the VW ID.4?
The Kia Niro EV is £5,280 cheaper to buy. Running costs are almost identical - about £160 a year either way, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the Kia Niro EV comes out roughly £5,200 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.
What are the Kia Niro EV and VW ID.4 like on a long motorway trip?
EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 194 miles for the Kia Niro EV and 185 miles for the VW ID.4 - effectively matched, and both well below their WLTP figures because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV.
Which is easier to park and drive in town, the Kia Niro EV or the VW ID.4?
The two are within 27 mm on width, so neither is meaningfully easier to thread into a tight space. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 575 mm of total clearance for the Kia Niro EV and about 548 mm of total clearance for the VW ID.4. The VW ID.4 also turns in a 0.4 m tighter circle, which helps with U-turns and multi-storey ramps.
Which battery will hold up better as a used buy, the Kia Niro EV or the VW ID.4?
Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 84% battery health for the Kia Niro EV and 87% for the VW ID.4. That gives the VW ID.4 a modest edge in retained real-world range. Both use NMC-type cells, so for daily use keep the charge limit near 80% to slow degradation. The VW ID.4 has the longer battery warranty at 8 years, versus 7 for the Kia Niro EV.
Go deeper on each car
Visit the full model pages for owner feedback, expert reviews, used prices and battery-health information.
Compare against other rivals
Compare similarly sized and priced electric cars before finalising your shortlist.
More Kia Niro EV comparisons
More VW ID.4 comparisons
See both cars in our rankings
EVcarsguide scores every verified EV on price, range, family use and running costs. Here is where this pair appears.
Where the Kia Niro EV and VW ID.4 rank among the best family EVsWhere the Kia Niro EV and VW ID.4 rank among the best electric SUVsWhere the Kia Niro EV and VW ID.4 rank among the best motorway EVsWhere the Kia Niro EV and VW ID.4 rank among the best city EVsWhere the Kia Niro EV and VW ID.4 rank among the cheapest EVs to runWhere the Kia Niro EV and VW ID.4 rank among EVs with the biggest boots
Further reading
Explore buying and ownership guides to help you choose between these electric cars.
Guide
Buying a Used Kia e-Niro or Niro EV: Which Is Which, Range, Warranty & What to Check
A used Kia e-Niro (2019-2022) and Niro EV (2022-on) buyer’s guide: telling them apart, 39 vs 64 kWh, trims, Kia’s 7-year warranty, drivetrain noise, heat pump, recalls, real-world range, what to pay and a printable checklist.
GuideBuying a Used VW ID.4 (2021 on): Pure, Pro or GTX, the Recall, Range & What to Check
A used VW ID.4 buyer’s guide: 52, 58, 77 or 79 kWh and the 204PS vs 286PS motors explained, the seat-bolt recall, warranty left, real-world range, what owners report, what to pay, used vs new, and a printable checklist.
Data accuracy
Specs are sourced from manufacturer websites and manually reviewed. These figures were last verified .