Texts by Clas von Bell, Niclas von Bell

We tested Kia’s Niro SUV, launched last autumn. It is one of the few hybrid SUVs.

The Kia Niro is smaller than the Kia Sportage SUV, but bigger than the Cee’d. The chassis is new and Kia has created it specifically for hybrid technology. The car is front-wheel drive and there is no four-wheel drive option.

More models with electric powertrains will be produced on the same platform, and there will probably be a fully electric car, like the Hyundai parallel.

There is really only one model of the Niro, as all trim levels have the same engines and gearboxes. There are six trim levels.

So the car has both a petrol engine and an electric motor. The engines have a total power output of 147 horsepower. The petrol engine is 1.6 litres in size and produces 105 horsepower. The electric motor has a power output of 42 horsepower.

The car accelerates from zero to 60 km/h in about 11.5 seconds and has a top speed of 162 km/h.

Engine change without noticing

When driving, you hardly notice which engine the car is using. The car can run on electricity alone, on petrol or with both engines working. When you’re driving, you can only really tell from the instrument panel. You can drive the car for short distances on electricity alone.

The car’s battery can only be charged by Niro’s own engine or when slowing down. A fully rechargeable hybrid will be available later.

The gearbox is a 6-speed dual-clutch box. It works very efficiently and unobtrusively.

The box offers a sport mode, which gives a little more driving pleasure. However, the car is not sporty at all. It looks like an ordinary SUV and is in no way intended for sporty driving.

The car’s declared combined fuel consumption is 3.8 l/100 km. Carbon dioxide emissions are 88 g/km. This applies specifically to the base rims and tyres.

The test car was fitted with 18-inch rims, which increase both fuel consumption and emissions. With larger rims, the reported consumption is 4.4 l/100 km and emissions 101 g/km. In practice, consumption figures were slightly higher during the test drive.

The car is quite quiet inside and there is plenty of room – even for four adults.
The boot capacity ranges from 427 to 1 425 litres.

On the road, the Niro performs well. The suspension is well balanced and works well on bumpy roads. The steering is sufficiently precise and responsive.

Four equipment levels

A total of four trim levels are available, LX, EX, Business Premium and Business Luxury. The cheapest version costs €27,570 and the most expensive €35,907, with four factory-fitted option packages.

The top-of-the-range model has almost everything you can get in a car today, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, LED daytime running lights, cruise control, air-conditioned front seats, heated steering wheel, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, rain sensor and sunroof.

There are two memory slots for the driver’s seat adjustments, so the adjustments for two drivers remain valid and can be changed at the touch of a button.

Foot-operated parking brake

In addition to Usb charging, the car has a 220-volt output.

The version we tested was the best-equipped Business Luxury model. The dashboard of the car is dominated by an 8-inch screen that, in addition to navigation, shows a picture of the reversing camera, among other things.

The infotainment system is compatible with Android Auto and Apple Carplay.

The car is equipped with a foot-operated parking brake. This is nowadays a fairly rare solution.

Driving a hybrid is always a little different from driving a conventional car. Often you have to see how far you can go on electricity and how well the battery is charging.

The Niro really appeals more to the buyer’s intellect than to their emotions. The car is well equipped and there are hardly any shortcomings.

The Niro is a very viable option among mid-size SUVs. However, the segment is already very competitive, and the competition is only getting tougher.

Since the launch of the Niro, Toyota’s C-HR SUV has entered the market. The hybrid version is slightly more expensive than the Niro.

Why should I buy a Kia Niro
– If I want a hybrid SUV
– Easy to get into the SUV
– if you want to go for the Nirio, if you want to go for the Nirio

Why I wouldn’t buy a Kia Niro
– No rechargeable hybrid yet
– Top of the range model too expensive
– If you’re looking for a sporty car