Comparison

Kia Niro EV vs Subaru Trailseeker

Electric vs Premium: range, price, charging, running costs and road-trip stops.

Best range Subaru Trailseeker 281 mi vs 253 mi
Best value Kia Niro EV $39,700 vs $39,995
Faster charging Subaru Trailseeker 28 min vs 45 min
5-yr energy Subaru Trailseeker $4,650 vs $4,500

Winner by category

6 categories compared
Range winner
Subaru Trailseeker
281 mi vs 253 mi
Value winner
Subaru Trailseeker
$142/mi vs $157/mi
Charging winner
Subaru Trailseeker
28 min vs 45 min
Efficiency winner
Subaru Trailseeker
290 Wh/mi vs 300 Wh/mi
Utility/family winner
Subaru Trailseeker
Ahead on seats, cargo, and tow capacity
Performance winner
Subaru Trailseeker
4.3 s vs 7.1 s

Side-by-side comparison

Featured trims
Side-by-side comparison of Kia Niro EV and Subaru Trailseeker
Spec Kia Niro EV Subaru Trailseeker
Trim used Electric Premium
MSRP (USD) $39,700 (better) $39,995
Range 253 mi 281 mi (better)
Efficiency 300 Wh/mi • 3.33 mi/kWh 290 Wh/mi • 3.45 mi/kWh (better)
Seats 5 5
Drivetrain FWD AWD
Body type Crossover SUV
DC max 85 kW 150 kW (better)
AC max 11 kW 11 kW
10–80% (DC) 45 min 28 min (better)
Roadtrip score 46.3 65.8 (better)
USD per mile of range 157 $/mi 142 $/mi (better)
0–60 mph 7.1 s 4.3 s (better)
Cargo 17 cu ft 31.3 cu ft (better)
Tow rating 1,653 lb 3,500 lb (better)

Pick the Kia Niro EV if…

  • Slight edge on price: $39,700 vs $39,995 to start, $295 less.

Pick the Subaru Trailseeker if…

  • You drive long days: 281 vs 253 miles of rated range.
  • You fast-charge often: 10-80% in 28 vs 45 minutes.
  • You haul gear: 31.3 vs 17 cu ft of listed cargo space.
  • You tow: rated for 3,500 lb vs 1,653 lb.
  • You care about acceleration: 0-60 mph in 4.3 vs 7.1 seconds.
  • You want to use Tesla Superchargers without an adapter: it has a native NACS port.

Availability: 2026 is the final model year for the Kia Niro EV.

5-year energy cost: Kia Niro EV vs Subaru Trailseeker

Charging mixKia Niro EVSubaru Trailseeker
Efficiency300 Wh/mi290 Wh/mi
All home charging$3,400$3,300
80% home, 20% public DC$4,650$4,500
All public DC fast charging$9,600$9,300

60,000 miles (12,000 a year) at rated efficiency, $0.17/kWh at home, $0.48/kWh at public fast chargers, plus 10% charging loss. A 30 mpg gas car at $3.20/gal would spend about $6,400 on fuel over the same miles. Use your own rates.

500-mile road trip: charging stops

Kia Niro EVSubaru Trailseeker
First leg (90% to 10%)172 mi191 mi
Each leg after a 10-80% stop151 mi167 mi
Fast-charge stops32
Time spent chargingabout 135 minabout 55 min
DC portCCS1NACS

Highway range taken as 85% of rated range. Each stop is counted as a full 10-80% session at the listed time, so the last stop is often shorter in practice. Cold weather and high speeds add stops. Charging time calculator.

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