2020 Kia Niro EV: Good Housekeeping Has Nothing Bad to Say About This Electric Crossover

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Hybrid and EV technology continues to innovate the automotive industry in a big way. Kia is one of many manufacturers offering vehicles with battery power. The Kia Niro is one such EV contender that routinely receives critical praise. Even Good Housekeeping has nice things to say about this small SUV. In fact, the popular consumer magazine didn’t have a critical word about this electric crossover.

Which cars do GH’s engineers consider the best?

2020 Kia Niro EV | Kia America, Inc.

Good Housekeeping compiled a ranking of the best electric cars for 2021. Based on what engineers had to say, along with sentiments from their friends at Car and Driver, these assessments can help you decide which electric vehicles should make your must-see list.

There are seven winners in this Good Housekeeping best-of list. The best EV sedan is Tesla Model 3, while Polestar 2 earns the top spot in the luxury sedan category. Other models considered the best in their respective segments include Chevy Bolt EV, Audi E-Tron, Mustang Mach-E, and Volvo XC40 Recharge. But some of the most impressive comments came for the Kia Niro EV as the best electric subcompact SUV.

Why the 2021 Kia Niro is so special

According to Kia, the Niro EV earns a robust 239-mile range on a full charge and offers all the roomy spaciousness and comfort you’d expect from Kia. This crossover is just as versatile as its gas-powered counterparts and harnesses 291 ft-lb of torque, making it super fun to drive.

Good Housekeeping’s review says there’s plenty to love about the Kia Niro, including its super-affordable pricing of $39,090. Other standout features include heated front seats, DC fast charging capability, and a hefty menu of standard driving aids. The Kia Niro also earned points for having a battery heater and heat pump as part of the available Cold Weather Package. This means consumers who live in colder climates have added efficiencies for preserving and using the Niro’s batteries.

GH had nothing bad to say about this electric crossover

In weighing the potential pros and cons of the Kia Niro, you certainly won’t find any harsh criticism from Good Housekeeping. While the reviews of the other electric vehicles on this best-of list feature pluses and minuses for each, the Kia Niro only seems to earn praise. The only real setback for this EV crossover might be one shared by Consumer Guide, indicating the Niro doesn’t come with an all-wheel drive variation.

Not having a bad thing to say about the Kia Niro is a big deal. At the Good Housekeeping Institute, in-house experts drive thousands of miles while testing the vehicles they review. The evaluators perform assessments on comfort, ride quality, fuel economy, noise, and handling while sampling country roads, highway driving, and city traffic.

The team then ranks vehicles on the feel and thrill associated with driving experience using those data-driven scores. They look at the position of cup holders and climb into second and third-row seating. It’s a more holistic approach to evaluating new vehicles. This allows Kia Niro’s review to carry a little more weight.

When it comes to selecting your next EV crossover, you should consider test driving the Kia Niro. It continues to rank well among the critics, including the teams at Good Housekeeping. And you might find yourself residing in the same camp and without a bad thing to say about the Kia Niro at all.

RELATED: The 2021 Kia Niro EV Is Giving You More at No Added Cost

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How Much Does it Cost to Rebuild a Wrecked McLaren?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Finding your dream supercar already wrecked might seem like a nightmare to some people, but it can also be a way to get a great car for a more affordable price. Of course, this typically requires some amount of elbow grease and work, which can vary depending on why the car is totaled, but for the most part, it can be a way to get a great car for cheaper than market value. There are a few things to keep in mind when looking at wrecked supercars, like Mclaren or Lamborghini cars, such as how much it will cost in parts and labor, as well as a few other costs because if you aren’t careful, you might just end up spending almost as much as you would be if you purchased the car in good, running condition.

How much does a wrecked McLaren cost?

A wrecked McLaren F1 supercar | Paul Franks, newsteam, Getty Images

Even in its worst state, a totaled McLaren still goes for more than your average Toyota Camry, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find them for a good deal. Some websites, such as Copart, or local auction houses that work with insurance agencies, sell these total vehicles, but they aren’t always descriptive of how severe the damage might be. The type and extent of the damage can affect the price of the vehicle greatly, as well as other factors such as which McLaren you are looking at — a wrecked McLaren MP4-12C is still probably more affordable than an equally wrecked McLaren 720S. So, the best way to keep an eye on what amount of damage is ‘good’ for any certain price is to watch the market for several weeks or even months. There is no Kelley Blue Book or MSRP value for wrecked vehicles, so the only way to compare prices and get a decent value is to do your own research and keep an eye on the market long-term.

What do rebuild costs look like for supercars?

There are many factors that affect how much it will cost to rebuild a supercar, but these are higher in vehicles like a McLaren than they are in vehicles like a Lamborghini. McLaren, which does not share a parent company with another brand, does not typically share many of their mechanical or electronic components, suspension components, or other parts with other, more affordable vehicles. This means that replacing these parts requires a direct OEM replacement from McLaren, or, on some rare occasions, you may find some aftermarket parts.

Some supercar companies, like Lamborghini, share more of these internal components with their sister companies, making it easier to source parts for a more affordable price — though it is important to note that this is only the case with smaller components that can be easily shared between vehicles, and isn’t a great platform for building a case of buying one wrecked supercar over another.

Other costs to keep in mind

Along with the costs of parts and labor, there are other costs to keep in mind when rebuilding a wrecked supercar like a McLaren. Depending on your state laws, there is a high chance you will need to have the vehicle inspected before the state DMV will convert the title paperwork from a salvage title to a branded title that can be registered. The cost of this inspection can vary state by state, but it usually requires proof of purchase and tax records to show taxes were paid on all parts and labor and that the parts were not stolen off of other vehicles or purchased off of a stolen vehicle.

As a supercar, even rebuilt, insurance premiums are typically higher, which is another factor to consider. In fact, even though my husband and I have several supercars on our collector car insurance, we were denied coverage for the first year of ownership on our McLaren MP4-12C — even though it was purchased in good, running condition. Besides that, most banks will not give you an automotive loan for a wrecked vehicle, and if you aren’t looking to pay a lump sum of cash for it, you will likely be looking at some kind of personal loan, which typically has a higher interest rate, until the car is retitled and can be refinanced as a drivable, registerable vehicle.

The unfortunate answer overall is, rebuilding a McLaren is going to be expensive, but there is no telling how much each individual rebuild is going to cost — seriously, you can’t even ballpark the number. But, if you keep an eye on the market and price out replacement parts and components on forums ahead of time, you can get a general idea of what to expect from purchasing and rebuilding a wrecked McLaren.

RELATED: Ferrari LaFerrari Flip Failure Cost Steve Wynn His Dealership

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Not Iconic: The Lackluster Hyundai Ioniq Electric Gets Cut

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Many automakers have started to move toward mass EV production, and Hyundai joined in on the fun with the Ioniq. Hyundai debuted the Ioniq in 2016, and it was a triple threat as customers could choose from the standard Ioniq hybrid, the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid, or the Ioniq Electric. Unfortunately, this wasn’t totally successful, as Hyundai has decided to discontinue the Ioniq Electric. 

Hyundai has won a lot recently, but not with the Ioniq Electric

2021 Hyundai Ioniq Electric | Hyundai Motor America

Many Hyundai models have won awards over the past several months, and those vehicles have also been selling quite well. For example, the Hyundai Palisade is arguably one of the best SUVs available right now. Additionally, Hyundai’s sister company, Kia, can’t seem to lose either. The Kia Telluride has received much praise, and its sales figures have also been quite remarkable.

Similarly, the Hyundai Ioniq has received a lot of accolades. To be clear, some Ioniq models have received praise, while others haven’t. The standard Ioniq hybrid has received quite a few awards, and the Ioniq PHEV is in a similar boat. However, that’s not the case with the Ioniq EV. The Ioniq Electric, simply put, is the black sheep of the Ioniq family. That’s why it isn’t surprising that Hyundai recently canceled the Ioniq Electric, according to Autotrader.

Why the Hyundai Ioniq Electric failed

At a starting price tag of about $34,000, the Ioniq Electric is a more affordable EV option for customers. However, customers didn’t see much value in the Ioniq Electric, even at that price point. This is because the Hyundai EV only has a 38.3 kWh battery, and that small battery doesn’t provide much range for the Ioniq Electric. It gets about 170 miles on a full charge at best, and that’s less range than many of its competitors.

The Ioniq Electric also doesn’t have much else going for it. It’s not a fast car, it doesn’t have great handling, and it doesn’t provide passengers with a comfortable ride. Its interior tech features are pretty good, but that’s not saying much because many other EVs have good tech features. However, what probably sunk the Ioniq Electric was the fact that one of Hyundai’s smaller EVs, the Kona Electric, is just a better EV in many ways.

The Kona Electric, which is a subcompact crossover, is bigger than the Ioniq Electric in more ways than one. Not only is it more spacious, but its batteries allow it to get 258 miles on a single charge, according to Autotrader. The Kona Electric costs about $4,000 more than the Ioniq Electric, but it’s what Hyundai is betting Americans will want instead of the Ioniq Electric. 

The future of the Ioniq brand

Since the Ioniq hybrid models continue to do well, Hyundai will probably continue to improve them soon. Furthermore, the Ioniq brand is getting more EVs, but they won’t be the same as the Ioniq Electric that was killed off. Soon, Americans will have the option to buy an Ioniq 5, and instead of being a sedan, it’s a compact crossover EV.

Similarly, Kia will soon be offering the EV6, which will have many similarities with the Ioniq 5. Since the Ioniq 5 is a much bigger car than both the Ioniq Electric and the Kona Electric, it may end up being more popular than either of them. The Ioniq 5 will have about 59.3 cubic feet of cargo space, and it’ll get 300 miles on a single charge. That said, it’s currently unknown how much the Ioniq 5 will cost.

RELATED: Does the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV Really Have a 300-Mile Range?

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Does Your Car Really Need Braided Stainless Steel Brake Lines?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Even if your car doesn’t rock Brembos, it needs solid and dependable brakes. That’s why they’re not only important maintenance items but also potential modification spots. For some, that means larger calipers; for others, slotted and/or drilled rotors. However, arguably even more common is giving cars braided stainless steel brake lines. But is this a modification worth investing in, or are the potential benefits overblown?

What do your car’s brake lines do?

Mercedes-Benz employees install brake lines in a 2021 S-Class | Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images

Regardless of what brake brand or pad material your car uses, modern brake systems work on the same hydraulic principles. And that includes the physical brakes on cars with regenerative braking.

At the heart of a car’s braking system is the brake master cylinder, which is linked to the calipers via multiple brake lines. This cylinder, along with the lines, is filled with brake fluid. Pressing on the brake pedal pressurizes the fluid in the cylinder, which sends that pressure down the lines. And it’s this pressure that makes the calipers clamp their pads down on the rotors to slow you down, Autoweek explains.

In most cars, the brake lines are made of rubber with metal fittings on the end. Technically, those metal parts are the ‘lines’ or ‘pipes,’ CarThrottle explains, while the rubber parts are the ‘hoses.’ But most just call the whole assembly a ‘brake line.’

What makes braided stainless steel brake lines supposedly better than regular ones?

Regardless of the terminology, like other rubber parts, brake lines degrade over time. Sometimes that means they crack and leak fluid. But worse, especially for racers, is that they swell. If your brake lines swell, that means they’re not transmitting 100% of the available pressure to the calipers. And if that happens, you’ve lost braking performance and potentially feedback. Both are anathema to a racer.

That’s where braided stainless steel brake lines come in. Instead of a bare rubber hose, these are made of braided stainless-steel fibers, MotorTrend explains. These fibers are wrapped around a nylon or Teflon core that the brake fluid flows through. And this construction gives stainless steel brake lines several advantages over bare rubber ones.

For one, stainless steel doesn’t degrade like rubber. It’s also more resistant to nicks from things like road debris and rocks. Plus, braided steel lines don’t have to be replaced nearly as often as rubber brake lines, Bennetts notes. And, most importantly, it doesn’t swell under pressure, even in the heat and intensity of a racetrack session. That way, your brake pedal stays firm and responsive. It might not improve your braking distances significantly, but it will improve your confidence in your brakes. And confidence is vital on the track.

How much do they cost?

A Wilwood Flexline -3 stainless steel brake line kit
Wilwood Flexline -3 stainless steel brake line kit | Wilwood

Braided stainless steel brake lines usually come as part of a pre-assembled kit, though there are DIY ones available. And they’re often included in high-end ‘big brake’ kits.

If you’re buying them as a stand-alone mod, prices vary based on your car’s make and model. But generally speaking, a set of braided stainless-steel brake lines from a brand like Wilwood costs roughly $100. Though that doesn’t include an installation fee if you’re going to a mechanic.

Do stainless steel brakes lines make enough of a difference?

Considering the relatively low cost, braided stainless steel brake lines seem like a win-win. And you can save some cash by doing the installation work yourself. Just remember to bleed the brakes properly and top up the brake fluid.

However, there are a few more factors to consider. Firstly, stainless steel is more abrasive than rubber, and can damage surrounding components, CarThrottle notes. Secondly, braided lines hide internal damage more than plain rubber ones. Also, cheap lines sometimes use nylon cores instead of Teflon ones—and nylon can melt “in extreme circumstances,” Bennetts warns.

Plus, as the video above explains, stainless steel brake lines are more rigid than rubber ones. That makes them more difficult to install. And if you install them improperly, you have a brake fluid leak on your hands. That rigidity also means they can pop out of their fittings under impacts, whereas rubber brake lines would flex away without issue.

But arguably most importantly, braided stainless steel brake lines don’t make a significant difference on the street. Yes, they’re more resilient and swelling-resistant, but that really only matters on a racetrack. Around town, the supposed improvements are negligible. It’s just like with carbon-ceramic brakes in that they’re designed around high-speed, high-intensity driving. Also, if your goal is a firmer, more responsive brake pedal, that’s often achievable just by replacing your old brake lines with fresh ones.

In short, installing aftermarket braided stainless steel brake lines is critical if you’re building a race car. But for road cars, there are other modifications better worth your time and money.

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RELATED: Why Do Worn Out Brakes Make a High-Pitched Squeal?

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