Don't Buy An EV, Buy This Instead - Kia Niro PHEV Review!

[@HelloRoad]

What do you think? Full EV or PHEV?

[@p.informatico1320]

PHEV is better because you get both the range and the convenience of a combustion vehicle when you need to do a long trip (no need to find a working charger in your way), and the economy of a electric vehicle when conmuting (33 miles of range should be enough most of the days).

[@geoffreyreuther5260]

EV. Simpler, less maintenance, you're not dragging around or paying for maintenance on an engine you're barely using, and unless you for some reason drive 300+ miles per day every day, fast charging isn't as big of an issue as some people make it out to be (and will get even better when you can plug into the Tesla network via an adapter) That's not to say that PHEVs don't have their applications. We enjoyed our Optima PHEV before we got the Niro EV, especially since we could fill the gas tank in April and not have to fill it again until September.

[@p.informatico1320]

​@@geoffreyreuther5260As long it doesn't get in flames... BTW I hope than your Niro doesn't get affected by the noisy bearing defect, common in KIA EV cars...

[@geoffreyreuther5260]

@@p.informatico1320 Statistically speaking the PHEV is going to be far worse in that category as well. Here's the statistical breakdown from NTSB data: Hybrids - 3475 fires per 100000 vehicles Gasoline - 1530 fires per 100000 vehicles EVs - 25 fires per 100000 vehicles Ostensibly this is because Hybrids carry the volatile portions of both types of vehicles. Of course, current EV battery chemistry make fires difficult to put out. That will change in the future.

[@dsbromeister1546]

If you only have one car, PHEV is the way to go in America until we wake up and recognize the value of high speed rail. The best two-car solution is a PHEV about the size of a Niro for bigger/longer trips, and then a used Nissan Leaf that only has 30 miles of range left to do regular commuting/shopping/etc.

[@Blissfulkitty-Seattle]

Manufacturers need to get back to truly economical, fuel sipping cars for the regular person again. I appreciate that about Kia.

[@christoballeopold1075]

Truly economical and fuel sipping are incompatible

[@alan6832]

cars under 30 horsepower should be exempt from all other regulations like mopeds used to be.

[@craig7111]

We picked this car for my wife at the end of 2022. We like it a lot! We like size and functionality. Went with the HEV. It would have taken 7 years of fuel savings to make up the difference in price over the PHEV. There is a weird intermittent vibration that i'm pretty sure is the rear calipers sticking since they don't get used much with regen braking.

[@danethorson]

Same here. PHEV is 7500€ over HEV. Way too much. Our first long drive was in winter, January, even in -15C cold and barely 1000km mileage Niro HEV managed to hold 4.9l/100km. I think it is impressive taking into account that car was not "run in" and negative temperatures. Drive was about 400+km each direction. This summer we had another long drive - 4.6l/100km average. Total average since "birth" - 5.0l/100km now after driving almost 18000km. We got nice discount from KIA plus they gave nice price on trade in, because our previous car was also a KIA - 2015. cee'd hatchback with 1.6CRDi.

[@scottn7jirosenfeld412]

I just drove my daughter's Niro hybrid from Eugene to Portland and back. Straight (no plug in) hybrid. 250 miles round trip. Averaged 65 mph up and back over largely flat terrain. 55 mpg northbound. 56 mpg southbound. Never felt like it was underpowered or lacking anything.

[@beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees]

I've driven the previous generation a few times and they really are amazingly usable, practical cars. I'm an auto climate guy so the switching thing isn't a big deal for me, but it's definitely worth mentioning. I guess my issue with the PHEV thing is that studies generally show people don't *actually* charge them nearly as much as they should to get the benefits of the bigger battery and just treat them like a regular hybrid. But if you can charge them they're amazing (unless it's a 4xe - I drove one a few weeks ago, and my god, what a dumpster fire that thing is)

[@grandbuba]

Just hold the climate control softkey down for three seconds, and the system will prompt you to select the default mode you go back to. I've set mine to climate control, since I don't really use the nav/media section as much as I use it through the screen and steering wheel controls. Auto button to select fan speed alongside of temp is a great way of handling things I find.

[@planetjohn5224]

If people were rational, half the market would be cars like this.

[@kha-wu9bi]

FYI, you can set it so that the default is climiate control.

[@fluffycritter]

The main reason I went with an EV Niro instead of PHEV is that I also like the lower ongoing maintenance overhead of an EV. Less stuff to break = less stuff to worry about, and I don't do long trips often enough to care about the range stuff. But yeah for most folks the PHEV is the way to go.

[@davidpaisley9949]

I have the 2023 Niro EX HYBRID and paid $29,700, $31,000 out the door. I agree, plenty of power and I owned a Porsche Boxster and Miata before. Smooth and refined and it is under the radar of most people, therefore readily available off the lot. Averaging 47 mpg, better in warm weather.

[@dimenizzle]

you can change the toggle to be set on the climate control screen and it wont toggle back to the infotainment screen

[@DougGrinbergs]

Helpful presentation.👍 Thanks! (Looks like my friend is getting one in a few weeks)

[@HelloRoad]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you so much! :)

[@nolarobert]

I have a Kia Soul that I love. When it comes time to replace it, I would look at the Niro. It sits a little bit higher providing a better view of the road than the Soul. The Niro looks like a great vehicle except I agree with Ethan on not being thrilled with how you have to toggle the controls to access the HVAC system. Anything that takes my eyes off of the road is dangerous. The latest issue of Consumer Reports covers the differences between Hybrids, PHEVs, and Electric vehicles to help you decide which is best for your lifestyle. My brother-in-law lives in a city and has a PHEV. He drives @ 10 miles a day roundtrip to and from his work. So he rarely ever uses the gas engine unless he is hitting the accelerator on the Parkway. I live in a rural area and frequently make 250-350 mile road trips so I am leaning toward getting a Hybrid.

[@phonokraft]

I was really glad to see that the climate controls can be made the default setting. It also looks like whenever you press auto (without needing to look), you are temporarily switched into climate mode.

[@williamsinger4124]

That steering wheel reminds me of mid to late 70s, like a 77 caprice for example...the single spoke design

[@HelloRoad]

Yeah totally!

[@danhall3450]

I had Gen 1 (2019) Niro PHEV & averaged 150 mpg over 19,000 miles. At that time, with Fed Tax Credit, there was less than a 1% price difference between the HEV & PHEV. Traded up to a Gen 2 for more a bit more room & comfort but got the HEV as the tax credit was no longer available. Given the fact that I drive about 7,000 miles / yr, it would have taken me 6-7 yrs to make up the cost difference at current gas prices. I rarely keep my cars beyond 7 years. Current HEV is averaging 52 mpg mostly city driving. I had a couple problems with the 2019 but they were quickly resolved and covered by the warranty.

[@KarthikVishwamitra]

Hey, love videos and focus on safety and visibility, but can I make a suggestion? When you're talking about visibility, can you put a traffic cone out in front of the car and see how far it is before you can see the top of it? If you just measure that distance with a tape measure it gives everyone a nice objective measure. A lot of taller cars feel like they have good visibility, but high dashboards and hoods/grilles actually end up hiding things closer to the car. You could do the same traffic cone thing for out the sides, back, blind spots, etc.

[@Rockinthehill]

We bought the Niro HEV and I think this is the best Niro to buy 53/54 MPG plus the SX version has every upgrade you may want or need. The car rides great and NO charging necessary

[@HoffmansHoopties]

PHEV all the way. Looking for a replacement for my 2018 Volt, best car I've probably ever owned (non-enthusiast at least). I wish the federal rebates applied, but I can get $7500 off MSRP in Colorado which is chill. Sub-$30k out the door.

[@HoffmansHoopties]

additionally - wife and I bought a 2023 Sportage X-Pro last year. Really wanted the PHEV version, but it was a significant bump in price (MSRP and dealer add-on) and almost zero availability. With that came the ridiculous dual climate/stereo setup seen here. It's obnoxious. Only redeeming quality is you can control how it times out, i.e. which mode it will default to after inactivity, or tell it to just persist in whatever mode you have it in (what I did for my profile). It really is dumb, but you get used to it. Since I use CarPlay basically 100% of the time, I use the wheel controls for volume/track control and leave the center bar thingy on HVAC.

[@HoffmansHoopties]

last but not least - I think this would be the perfect car for me if the electric motor wasn't so gutless (specifically requiring motor help at full throttle). When I'm in EV mode, I want to drive like an EV. A "hold" mode would have been helpful too. I often drive to the neighboring city for work on the highway, and the Volt is great - throw it in HOLD mode, and my battery state is maintained while the gas motor gets me where I need to go. Then I'm in town again, all EV. This one seems like a hybrid with a little extra battery capacity.

[@BIGBLUBLUR]

We love a relatively sensibly sized car.

[@thndr_5468]

Hyundai Kia been doing a lot of gold lately. Lot better than the 2010s

[@p.informatico1320]

They had some issues a little while ago with their electric engines (something about a bearing, I think)... I don't know if the problem has been fixed or not.

[@geoffreyreuther5260]

@@p.informatico1320 It was actually the reduction gear unit, and only affected a couple hundred 2019's, and the fix has been available since early 2020.

[@danielrussey9579]

How are modern phevs failing to meet the ev range of the decade+ old Chevy Volt? This does look a lot roomier and generally nicer though.

[@HelloRoad]

I think it's mainly battery size. A 2014 Volt had a 16.5 kWh battery (38 mile range), this Niro PHEV has an 11.1 kWh battery (33 mile range). On paper the Niro is actually more efficient from an EV range standpoint

[@geoffreyreuther5260]

@@HelloRoad Something else you will get in a Niro that you can't in a Volt: A rear center seat.

[@HoffmansHoopties]

@@geoffreyreuther5260 my 2018 seats 5 (uncomfortably). the first gen was a 4 seater. This Kia also appears to have 2x the cargo capacity. I'm often stuffing my Volt to the gills and having to pack stuff so the hatch can close gets annoying.

[@Steve_in_NJ]

Currently driving a 2022 Hyundai Kona FWD Limited ICE. The 2024 Niro is longer than my Kona, about the same size as the redesigned Kona, and only one with PHEV between Kona and Niro. Therefore, this is my top pick for my next leased vehicle this fall. If I don't like the test drive, then my 2nd choice is a Kona EV, but I'm sure this vehicle will be good for what I need. As I will be leasing again, I WILL get the $7500 Federal tax credits off the MSRP, making the price tag lower than the KONA ICE, and about the same price as the KONA EV. But for me, the selling point is that I can charge up the Niro with a 110-volt charger (comes with the vehicle) and only later pay an electrician to upgrade my home electrical panel for a Level 2 charger installation -- and also get a rebate back from my utility company for doing so.

[@alan6832]

Kudos on recognizing the shortage of bright colors. Hopefully the body shops and youtube car painters will get on that one. Other then red, which seems common but is one of the worst for road rage and disappearing at night. I do like my dark magenta Escort though, with non-interference engine.

[@nlpnt]

Does the PHEV have something that would let you force the gas engine on to keep the gas in the tank from going bad? It seems like the amount of electric range might make that an issue.

[@HoffmansHoopties]

Many of these cars have "maintenance modes" where the gas motor runs itself for a while if it's been X miles/days/whatever since it ran in earnest. Keep the blood pumping, so to speak!

[@kevinwhite6304]

yes, place it in 'sport mode'. You can actually let it idle for about 5 mins, and that gets it to operating temperature. Or you can simply place in sport mode when you are about 5 minutes from home.

[@mikaellofberg]

I've been driving an MB CLA250e (plug-in hybrid) for tree years, and I newer had to use the climate control. So I don't think that should be any problem when I change it for a Niro

[@danethorson]

The thing is... PHEV is a pretty hefty price increase over HEV. Niro HEV prices start at 28000€, PHEV is +7500€, and EV is right now "only" 49000€ because KIA has some kind of promo, shaving 10k off, without promo it is 59000€.

[@plin20000]

highway drive assist is essentially level 2 drive assist. It's not much different than the original Tesla Autopilot

[@HelloRoad]

But it has a name that is a bit more grounded in reality!

[@michaelgoldman3812]

If one were to lease a Niro plug in hybrid - and ran it totally on electricity (my cost from my utility is $ 0.18 per kwh). Hence the total cost would be $300 per year for electricity. If one ran the Niro on gasoline rating only of 50 mpg with gasoline at $3.00 per gallon the total cost would be would be $600 per year (10,000 miles). One could scale this up for the number of miles they expect to drive and adjust the costs accordingly. Hence for 10,000 miles per year with a potential max savings of $300 or $25 per month is a Plug In Hybrid make financial sense ? How many miles per year does one have to drive to justify paying extra for the plug-in feature ? PS: You will get more horsepower - that is what you are paying for - base price difference for plug-in over the hybrid is $8,000 !

[@alan6832]

So how big and how powerful is the IC engine????

[@contra_plano]

PureEv is a must

[@markburley3418]

Might this be your next race car in twenty or so years time Ethan bearing the namesake, the ‘Robert De Niro’?

[@HelloRoad]

Hahaha yes

[@topofthepalm]

At least it's blue....

[@ArtisticHH57]

My friend’s mom just bought one of these and won’t stop bragging about the good gas mileage LOL

[@2ferone86]

Niche market. Overpriced efficiency. No awd. Hybrid corolla cross makes more sense.

[@howebrad4601]

Looks to me like visibility is hampered by way too thick, oversized A pillars

[@HelloRoad]

If you're used to older cars, yes the a-pillar seems thick. But by new car standards visibility is actually pretty decent

[@howebrad4601]

@@HelloRoad Agreed, these look better than some. my 2024 GMC sierra has HUGE pillars. I remember the day with my 83 civic wagon, 87 CRX and my 86 Grand Marquis that the pillars were very slender and very easy to look around. I wonder if we haven't pushed the roof crush standard so high, it's creating unintended consequences in terms of visibility.

[@Greg-t6e]

Dear all car manufacturers. Please go back to knobs for climate control and radio. At least the Niro doesn't have the big gaudy ipad stuck to the dashboard. Kudos to KIA.