Category Archives: Manufacturer

electric, Family hatchback, Kia, Motoring

Is this Kia now the best value EV hatchback?

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Kia EV4 Air

By Bill McCarthy

Kia’s latest EV is a genuine head-turner, certainly for me, with a choice of models, excellent range and keen pricing, particularly the model tested here. It features eye-catching light clusters, LED star map lighting and daytime running lights.

The swooping bonnet line and sculpted flanks complete a striking design, rounded off by unique alloy designs. Not everyone will love the pop-out door handles – designed to sit flush for better aerodynamics, I certainly don’t.

What you get for the money

It is available in hatchback form driven here, and fastback form, with two battery options: a 58.3kWh standard range or an 81.4kWh long-range pack.

There are three grades – ‘Air’ (exclusive to the EV4), ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ – with six versions, all well equipped. Kia expects ‘GT-Line’ to be the most popular choice, even though the Air offers the best discount and plenty of standard kit. This entry-level Air model qualifies for the maximum Band 1 Government Electric Car Grant, raising the discount from £1,500 to £3,750 – a significant saving.

Space and practicality

Longer than direct rivals, with an extended wheelbase freeing up passenger space, yet still sleek despite almost tourer-like proportions. A sturdy boot grab handle is a small but thoughtful touch that makes closing the tailgate far less awkward.

The hatchback’s boot offers 435 litres with the rear seats up, expanding to 1,415 litres when the rear seats are folded 60:40, creating an almost flat load floor. It passed the ‘tip run’ test with flying colours. It comfortably accommodates most daily life necessities and maybe even the kitchen sink.

Interior and technology

Minimalist inside: the Air trim comes with quality cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats and a multi-function steering wheel. A column-mounted gear selector frees up centre console space. Move up the range and you get extra bells and whistles.

The cabin itself is light and airy with good head and legroom, though the sloping roofline reduces rear headroom for taller passengers.

Fixtures feel sturdy, though some plastics feel budget. Central is a 12.3-inch digital driver display and 12.3-inch touchscreen controlling infotainment, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and navigation. ~It is generally easy to use, though deeper menu dives frustrate, and the climate controls sit awkwardly between the two screens.

On the road

Virtually silent running, a smooth, comfortable ride and only some road and wind noise intruding.

Around 200bhp delivers plenty of pace – 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds – with good, well-planted handling and nicely weighted steering on twisting country lanes. On the motorway you could sit all day in comfort enjoying the impressive sound system.

This model’s larger 81kWh battery claims up to 372 miles. But a week’s running returned just over 4.1 miles per kWh – roughly 335 miles – achieved with high-speed motorway and significant night driving.

Equipment and safety

Impressive standard kit for the money: 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, heated leather-trimmed steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and a rear-view camera. Euro NCAP awarded the EV4 4 stars as standard and 5 stars with the optional DriveWise ADAS package.

Standard safety includes forward collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, blind spot collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control; the 5-star version adds enhanced radar for better pedestrian and cyclist detection.

Verdict

The EV4 Air is a sensible EV choice – good real-world range, generous space and a spacious boot in a distinctive design. Some hard plastics and awkward climate control placement are minor flaws. Accept the 4-star rating without the optional safety package and the Air trim delivers exceptional value.

Factfile

  • Model: Kia EV4 Air 81.4kWh
  • Price: £36,995 (OTR; £33,245 with Electric Car Grant)
  • Mechanical: 201bhp (150kW) front-mounted electric motor, 283Nm torque, drivng the front wheels
  • Max speed: 105 mph
  • 0 to 62mph: 7.5 sec
  • Range: 372 miles (WLTP)
  • Insurance group: 35D
  • CO2 emissions: 0 g/km
  • BiK rating: 4%
  • Warranty: 7yrs/100,000 miles (Kia UK standard)
electric, Isuzu, Motoring, Pick-up/4x4

Isuzu D‑Max EV: Silent power, serious payload and towing capability

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Isuzu D-Max eV-Cross

By Bill McCarthy

This electrified D-Max is a bit of a motoring paradox. It looks, works, and tows like the diesel pick-up it’s based on, yet glides along in near silence. The experience is slightly surreal — I found myself humming Simon & Garfunkel’s The Sound of Silence within the first few miles. Having driven many versions of the D-Max over the years, I found the absence of that familiar diesel clatter strange … and welcome – even though a new 2.2 litre diesel has joined the range.

It is the first fully electric pick-up in the UK to offer over one-tonne payload, 3.5-tonne towing capacity, and permanent four-wheel drive, matching its diesel sibling. That’s proper capability.

All-wheel drive comes via a 66.9 kWh battery driving dual motors on the front and rear axles, producing 149.3 kW (roughly 200bhp) and 347.6 Nm of torque. Performance is rapid for such a big beast: 0-62mph in 10.1 seconds, about three seconds quicker than the diesel.

Impressive performance

The big takeaway is how closely the EV matches the diesel’s capacity. It offers 1,015kg payload for the Double Cab (1,060kg for the Extended Cab) and a 3.5-tonne maximum towing capacity.

That qualifies it as a commercial vehicle, which means low Benefit-in-Kind tax rates for EVs.Visually, the range-topping eV-Cross tested here looks the part — muscular and practical, with some classy touches.

A new bronze-silver grille and Bi-LED headlights with blue accents. It sits on 18-inch alloy wheels with black side steps, honeycomb side vents, and an integrated charge port. At the rear are triple-shield LED lights, V-Cross/EV badging, and a battery protection plate.

The EV trade-off

Getting in, I initially thought I imagined that I felt lower to the ground than in the diesel — but it’s real. The EV sits 25mm lower (210mm versus 235mm ground clearance) because the battery pack is mounted beneath the floor, encroaching on the space under the truck.

Wading depth also drops from 800mm to 600mm.Isuzu says it has added underbody protection for the battery, but the lower stance is an unavoidable trade-off of the EV powertrain packaging.

I couldn’t judge how this affects off-road performance, though Isuzu says the EV has already been trialled in left-hand drive with National Grid Electricity Distribution, testing it in the most challenging UK terrains and conditions, including towing and winching.

Interior and equipment

Like many modern pick-ups, the D-Max EV drives almost like a car, and the interior trim follows suit. Available in leather or high-grade cloth, it comes in eDL40 and eV-Cross trim levels, both with either Extended Cab or Double Cab configurations.

Standard kit includes Rough Terrain Mode, dual-zone climate control, heated seats, front and rear parking sensors, a seven-inch driver information display, and an eight-year/125,000-mile battery warranty.

Range and charging

Range could be an issue for some buyers. Isuzu quotes a combined 163 miles, though city driving improves this to 224 miles — a figure I could not confirm. On a mixed motorway and country lane road test in fine weather, the quoted figure seemed accurate. How those figures would vary with maximum payload or towing, I couldn’t judge.

DC charging is slow by modern standards and peaks at just 50kW, meaning a 20-80% charge takes around 60 minutes. Standard 11kW three-phase AC charging, however, gives a full charge in 10 hours, which suits fleet users who can plug in overnight.

On the road

Dynamically, the D-Max EV is more responsive and quieter than the diesel, and rides well if still bouncy when unladen. Instant torque makes light work of overtaking and loaded acceleration, and the near-silent running — apart from a little wind and road noise — delivers a decent driving experience.

Advanced safety kit

The EV retains the same suite as the diesel, with advanced driver assistance systems including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. Traffic sign recognition and rear cross-traffic alert are also standard.

Cost and warranty

It’s not cheap. The Extended Cab eDL40 starts just under £60,000 excluding VAT, the Double Cab adds £1,000, and the top eV-Cross tested here is £62,495. That’s pushing £20,000 more than equivalent diesel automatics and considerably more than the KGM Musso Electric.

The Musso is cheaper but doesn’t offer the same payload or towing capacity. Isuzu believes its unique payload and towing capacity will attract buyers.

Verdict

For fleet operators who need a workhorse with low running costs and can live with modest range, this EV could well be the answer. For everyone else — lifestylers included — the premium over diesel is a tricky one to justify.

It’s silent, capable, and expensive, but at its heart it’s still a very capable D-Max.

Fastfile

Model: Isuzu D-Max EV eV-Cross Double Cab
Price: £62,495 (excluding VAT) 
Mechanical:  Dual electric motors, 66.9 kWh battery, permanent four-wheel drive, automatic transmission
Max speed: 80 mph  
0 to 62mph:  10.1 seconds 
Range (WLTP): 163 miles combined (24 miles city)
CO2 emissions: 0 g/km 
BiK rating: 3%
Insurance group: TBC
Warranty: Five years/100,000 miles