Compare the2026 Kia Niro EVVS 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Niro EV’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Equinox EV doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

Both the Niro EV and the Equinox EV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available front parking sensors.

The Niro EV comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Equinox EV’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro EV 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Chevrolet covers the Equinox EV. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Equinox EV ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Niro EV’s reliability 29 points higher than the Equinox EV.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 7 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

As tested in Car and Driver the Kia Niro EV is faster than the Chevrolet Equinox EV electric motor:

On the EPA test cycle the Niro EV gets better mileage than the Equinox EV:

The Niro EV has a standard locking charge port which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The Equinox EV doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

The Niro EV stops much shorter than the Equinox EV:

The Niro EV Wave handles at .87 G’s, while the Equinox EV RS pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Niro EV Wave executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Equinox EV RS eAWD (27.3 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Niro EV’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Equinox EV’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

The Kia Niro EV may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1050 to 1250 pounds less than the Chevrolet Equinox EV.

The Niro EV is 1 foot, 4.6 inches shorter than the Equinox EV, making the Niro EV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Niro EV is 5.1 inches narrower than the Equinox EV, making the Niro EV easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The front grille of the Niro EV uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Equinox EV doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Niro EV has 1.3 inches more front headroom and 2 inches more rear hip room than the Equinox EV.

The Niro EV has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Equinox EV with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 57.2 cubic feet).

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Niro EV to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Chevrolet doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Equinox EV.

The Niro EV’s standard driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Equinox EV’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully. The Niro EV Wave’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches. The Equinox EV’s optional front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The Niro EV’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Chevrolet charges extra for heated mirrors on the Equinox EV.

Both the Kia Niro EV and Chevrolet Equinox EV offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Niro EV offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Equinox EV’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The Niro EV has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Equinox EV.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Niro EV has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Equinox EV.

The Niro EV Wave has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Equinox EV doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Niro EV Wave’s Smart Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Equinox EV’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Niro EV, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Chevrolet Equinox EV isn't recommended.