LIVE: 2020 Kia Niro Hybrid. Why this car should be a bestseller, but isn't.

[@jamesf791]

I own the 2019 Kia Niro Ex. It's extremely comfortable to drive. My wife who calls herself a professional passenger says the front and back seats are really roomy and comfortable. If you want to save money and less time at the gas station, I would really look at the Niro.

[@BrantfordKia]

Haha! Professional passenger! I like that! Thanks for sharing your experiences!

[@robertcampbell2389]

Learned something about hybrids the hard way. Went to start my 2018 Kia Niro Hybrid and it wouldn't start because the built in 12 volt battery was dead. So off to Kia Roadside assistance to tow it to the dealer. Dealer checked it out and said I simply didn't drive it enough (true). So he showed me a switch on the dash that bypasses the 12 volt dead battery and allows the car to start from the current on the main battery pack. Duh....cost me $73 dollars to learn I should have read the manual (RTFM...read the f'ing manual).....

[@BrantfordKia]

That's on the salespeople too. Good dealers show you those types of things when you pick up the car. I'm sorry that your experience hasn't been as good as you had hoped. Also, in Canada, roadside assistance shouldn't charge you anything.

[@robertcampbell2389]

@@BrantfordKia Thank you...yes, roadside assistance didn't charge me for the tow. BTW, in the last 20 or so years I have leased and owned at least 11 Kia vehicles and never once had a problem with any of them. I will never buy anythng but a Kia. This low battery problem was likely my fauslt not driving much during the Covid lockdown, PLUS not reading the owners manual....oh well, live and learn

[@Jusig229]

Just purchased a used 2018 LX and I'm in love. It's an amazing vehicle to use for my daily commute and occasional Uber use.

[@BrantfordKia]

Nice! Thanks for sharing!

[@americancitizen1885]

How often you have to refuel? Regular gas or ...? Thanks

[@Jusig229]

@@americancitizen1885 I usually fill up as soon as I go under 50 miles left in the tank. Based on driving conditions that can be anywhere from 450-540 miles into the tank, I track just about every time I fill up. I only use regular, 87 octane.

[@americancitizen1885]

@@Jusig229 Wow. That’s amazing. Do you think it would hold up well doing food deliveries or Uber driving doing constant stops?

[@Jusig229]

@@americancitizen1885 I've had great luck with it so far, no non scheduled maintenance issues single I got it

[@MsWoodgnome]

Great, honest appraisal. I like it too - but the new 2023 Niro shows how it should've looked!

[@matthewhunter6421]

we bought the premium model, and average between 53-56 mpg combined. We have absolutely no complaints about the mileage.

[@BrantfordKia]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@FilmArtPhoto]

I'm looking at a pre-owned 2020 Niro Hybrid. This video was very informative! Wondering, How long is the battery expected to last?

[@erikversteeg8802]

The Niro was the best selling car over here in The Netherlands. Yesterday bought a second hand Niro, gas prices over here $9+ a gallon. A full EV Niro a bit out of reach for now, but hybrid will have better mileage then our Skoda Octavia.

[@BrantfordKia]

The Niro is a great vehicle!

[@PamenterDoug]

I bought a used 2021 Kia Niro PHEV - fully loaded. I LOVE this car! The PHEV is the best of both worlds - EV if you can plug in daily and HEV otherwise. Fantastic gas mileage and fun to drive. Perfect for my needs.

[@BrantfordKia]

Thanks for sharing! The Niro is really a fantastic car & PHEV is definitely the best of both worlds

[@monkeyboy7969]

I have a 2020 Niro lx it's the best car I ever owned and I own lots of cars over my 80 years. when I went to test drive it I was thinking it wasn't even going to be able to get out of its own way. I was wrong even though it only has 139 HP the car was faster than my Honda with 225 Hp I was trading in. I had to take a double look at the car's HP numbers. I ask the salesman why that was and all he said was I don't understand it either. Anywho I lo9ve this car I get about 48 MPH on the freeway and check this out 51 around town. I use to fill up every week now it's every third week

[@BrantfordKia]

The horsepower numbers on electrified cars can be misleading. The torque number is important. Your car has 195 lb-ft of torque and that's going to contribute to excellent acceleration and passing power.

[@fernandovargas7562]

Nice car for Boston and New England, Miami and Colombia…. Cool video …. You own me test drive dude….

[@IanFitzwilliam]

Actually just traded my Niro Hybrid FE for a Seltos EX. Wanted AWD and the bigger trunk space was a plus. Loved the mileage on it though. Very good car.

[@BrantfordKia]

Yeah, the Seltos is a very compelling car that will be something that Niro shoppers may want to consider as well. If you want AWD, the Niro isn't an option.

[@stephferguson111]

How did you find the niro FE? Looking at one right now!

[@sallylouise9826]

Hi I’m in the uk and have been watching your videos I am on disability in uk so get a motability car for 239 per month . I am getting a Kia Niro 2 2021 1.6 hybrid in Polar White colour ; in one month all being well.looking forward to it test drove it a month ago and was well impressed.I currently have a Vauxhall Mokka X and I’m looking forward to the auto transmission as mine is manual and plus the higher MPG .

[@BrantfordKia]

Oh, I think you're going to love the Niro!

[@JDVVV378]

Thanks we bought a Niro occasion from 2020 dynamic line but I haven’t a start button and hearing seats and steering wheel. I have to start by using my key. But it’s a great car

[@rayschoch5882]

I've had an '18 LX (not quite equivalent to this one) for 3+ years, and have asked myself the same question: Why isn't this a best-seller? I'm 6' tall, 200 lbs., and my Niro is very comfortable, hauls bags of mulch, multiple guitars, etc., without blinking. It gets fuel mileage in the mid-50s in city driving, mid-40s at 75 mph on long-distance interstate highway trips. Mileage suffers somewhat in cold weather (I'm in Minnesota), so in the winter, it gets about 10 mpg less in the city and on the highway. The dual-clutch transmission is superior to a CVT in my view. My Niro is 1 second faster through the 1/4 mile than the Subaru Crosstrek it replaced, but 1 second slower than the Mazda3 hatchback that preceded the Subaru. I bought Kia "winter" floor mats and cargo tray, which offer great protection in lousy weather. My answer to "Why isn't it a best-seller?" is that Kia does a terrible job of marketing it. I've never seen a Kia television ad featuring the Niro. Not meant to be a race car, and it doesn't look like one. I haven't spent a penny on maintenance beyond gasoline and the occasional oil change, and it has been absolutely reliable, whether around town or on long, cross-country road trips.

[@BrantfordKia]

Thanks for sharing your experiences! I think you’re right, this really isn’t advertised as much as many other vehicles. I wonder if they just didn’t plan to produce it in higher volumes, so maybe they didn’t advertise it as much because they were already selling every one that they made.

[@resngaming2640]

Going to test drive one today, thanks for this

[@authorified89]

I would've loved to have the EV version, but can't afford it yet. Going for a pre-owned hybrid Niro first in a few months and will be looking at EV cars in 5 years probably

[@allisonshaw4606]

Oh man, that key fob feature has me sold! The number of times I’ve been left digging through my purse in the rain looking for the key of my 2018 soul is too high to count! Does it work on the trunk too?

[@BrantfordKia]

I assume you mean the keyless entry? Yes, that will work on the trunk. :)

[@pjt3887]

Just a self defense tip. I always get my keys out before I leave the building. So if someone tries to jump you or take your bag they get a key spike. 🔑 I'm in Washington State Ted Bundy use to attack his victims while they were digging for keys. So just a heads up my friend.

[@Queenlizzzzy]

Love it

[@bothornton5246]

@@pjt3887 Good tip! I grew up 5 minutes away from where Bundy was executed in Florida. They did a good thing, that day. What a creep!

[@Johnys_memes.]

I bought one and it is AWESOME!

[@BrantfordKia]

Niro owners love their cars!! Thanks for sharing!

[@1revwilly]

I love this little car! I want one! :-)

[@BrantfordKia]

We can help!!

I couldn't agree with you more about how it should be a best seller. A great height and visibility, space, functionality, and not odd look like a prius.

[@BrantfordKia]

Yeah! In our lineup, the looks are a little more conservative, but as a vehicle, it's fantastic. Thanks for watching!

[@ChasingMidnight001]

Wow I really like this car. Being average looking is a bonus for me...lots to be said for not standing out.

[@BrantfordKia]

That's exactly what a lot of Niro buyers say. It's just an unassuming vehicle that they LOVE to drive!

[@dajohnson4614]

I just purchased a 2021 Kia Niro EX Premium in the US. I have been having issues with adjusting the service interval in the settings menu. Now my dealership is saying that Kia is presetting the service interval because people have not been doing it themselves and it is no longer an option to change it in the menu. I don't believe this because there isn't a one size fits all interval, there are also severe condition intervals. I think my dealership just doesn't know how to fix it so they are giving me the run around.

[@BrantfordKia]

It's adjustable. I may have to make a video to show how, but it's not complicated, your dealer absolutely should know how to do this! That's among the most basic things a tech needs to do.

[@RALPHD57]

YUP you nailed it...we hv a 2019 touring and really LOVE IT!!..but its not a pretty car from the front...side and rear are nice but the bug eyes dont cut it....but we truly LOVE IT..ESP THE TOURING which has alllllll the ''options'' that are INCLUDED in the Touring model...

[@BrantfordKia]

Yeah, that Touring model is a great vehicle! Thanks for watching!

[@overlookdd7844]

Do you know if the hybrid battery is reliable on these?

[@pansi13]

How is the view through the back window??

[@clbcl5]

I have a 2017 ex and 2018 lx. My lx I get mid to upper 50's mpg on daily drives unless I use the A/C then I get around 50 mpg. In winter with the electric heater I get mid 40's. Suburban Chicago. My best is 61.3 avg mpg for a tank. The worst est mileage at fillup was 535.

[@BrantfordKia]

Thanks for sharing!

[@1knowledge61]

Nice thank you for that. I'm looking into the niro and am also right outside of chicago 👍

[@americancitizen1885]

Awesome. The comment I was looking for. I’m in Ohio and we get lots of snow in winter. Will this handle well in the snow? How about the height clearance from the snow? Thanks.

[@robertmaxa6631]

For KIA vehicles sold in Canada, are block heaters considered "Optional"? They are listed as an "option", in the "Build and price" section.

[@BrantfordKia]

Optional on that website, but we refer to them as accessories at the dealer. It would be a dealer installed accessory. I consider "Options" to be factory installed. But to some, it may not matter what we call it.

[@peterpann9619]

Our 2018 gets 4.3 consistent. We were looking to trade this fall for a 2022 however Kia might have changed the styling to a bit on the ugly side.

[@BrantfordKia]

I haven't seen any official redesign of the car for the Canadian market (I know there are pictures online of a likely updated model) so I'll continue to update this channel if I find out more. Oftentimes pre-production vehicles are not using final body panels, lighting, etc.

[@adrianciobotaru9595]

4:35 those fuel figures are too high! For example, I drove today 318,2 km, between towns (so, not inside town) and, at the end, the fuel consumption was 3,9 l / 100 km (i have a picture on my phone). I did a few overpasses, and accelerated quite hard a few times; otherwise, it could easily show 3,7 or 3,6 ...

[@jordanjimenezarias1891]

Thank you for the bear example. It's perfect to put in an adult body.

[@ryanl9329]

How many total miles is the Niro Hybrid expected to last? I have a prius and I know that they can go up to at least 300,000 miles, in some cases way more.

[@BrantfordKia]

Haha! This is an impossible to answer question. I don't see any reason that the Niro can't go as long as your Prius. The Niro has been exceptionally reliable for us.

[@ryanl9329]

@@BrantfordKia yeah looks like a great car - and mileage is great for an suv hybrid.

[@OnlineMD]

I drive a 2013 Lexus ES350 here in North Carolina, USA. Considering getting a 2022. A couple of days ago I test drove a 2021 Kia Niro Hybrid Touring, with the salesman sitting in the passenger seat. Seemed like the road noise was a bit prominent, but I did not drive it on a highway, just around the dealership back roads. It is peppy and the engine noise is not bad at all for a hybrid. The steering is light and precise. Overall, a fun car I think. But the dealer wanted to give me *$5000 less than the Kelly Blue Book wholesale value* for my Lexus so I left. Besides, I'm spoiled by the Lexus as regards spaciousness, quietness and power. Also, I don't want to decide till I test drive the upcoming Lexus NX 2022 model. The hybrid will be called NX 350 I believe. I realize now, too, that a dealer can play tricks with his computer and show you the KBB (Kelley Blue Book) value that he wants to show you. So do your research before you go to the dealer.

[@BrantfordKia]

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with your dealer. Just as a reference, I believe KBB values can be found online. Hopefully that helps.

[@fielding68]

Great tutorial. Thank you.

[@taylora90]

Do you know when the 2022 year will be available?

[@clcbc97]

I just bought a 2022 KIA NIRO LXS and it’s not a bad car the lack of horsepower isn’t a big deal for me because why? It’s a Hybrid. Mine gets 49 mpg at $27,995 it should at least have heated and ventilated seats. Also disappointed with the drive mode because it has no button to go from sport,normal,Eco,and smart it basically just has eco mode and a sportmatic transmission that you just move the gear shift to plus and minus.

[@UAGalya]

Just got one! Second day ,and love it

[@BrantfordKia]

Nice! Thanks for sharing!

[@jessirey4]

How is it so far?

[@UAGalya]

@@BrantfordKia your review is very good 👍 and informative! Thank you!

[@UAGalya]

@@jessirey4 So far so good! Very comfortable small SUV , good with mileage 52 on a gallon !!!! Happy I got Niro!

[@BrantfordKia]

@@UAGalya Thank you for your kind words!

[@rocket2811]

Can this hybrid tow ? what’s the towing capacity ? anyone any idea ?

[@BrantfordKia]

In North America, it's not rated to tow. So officially, it has no tow rating.

[@chelseawelch3229]

I’m going to buy an orange one😍

[@BrantfordKia]

Sweet!!

[@shelleyshelton33]

I bought on but, climbing a hill is very stressful & looses speed trying to climb. There’s no rpm & sounds like it’s redlining. Is this typical?!?

[@BrantfordKia]

That doesn't sound typical to me. In that situation, try tipping the gear shift to the manual shift section. You won't HAVE to manually shift, but that will place the car in Sport mode which may give you the power that you're looking for.

[@Ladypeace12312]

I recently bought a Kia niro 2018 model. I started it in the morning and the exhaust had smock, and some water dripping from it .. Is that normal ?

[@BrantfordKia]

If you have any concerns, I would connect with your local service department. It's not uncommon to see a little bit of condensation come out of a tailpipe on start up, but again, I'm unable to diagnose anything on the KZbin comments section, so if you have any concerns, I would stop by the local service department to discuss your issue with them.

[@adrianciobotaru9595]

According to Kia, the guaranteed ground clearence for Niro is 16 cm... that is 6.3 inches... and it is enough :)

[@BrantfordKia]

Thank you!

[@justalittledangerous]

How would someone attach a bike rack?

[@BrantfordKia]

I would use the roof rack. I've seen some of our customers put a hitch on the car and use a hitch mounted rack.

[@nyrubin]

Can you use the heat and a.c. in ev mode alone????

[@BrantfordKia]

Yes, but generally speaking the heat will turn on the engine relatively quickly because it draws much of it's heat off the engine. Also, limit fan speed to increase your miles driven on pure electric power. The faster the fan runs, the sooner the engine will start.

[@nyrubin]

@@BrantfordKiathanks for the response. I should've been a little more specific. I want to buy either the rav 4 or the jeep wrangler plug in because they have heaters and a.c. units that run strictly off the battery. But I was also thinking that if the Niro plug in can run the 12v litters off the lithium battery I wouldn't mind taking a small 150w heater with me on camping trips. Any chance u can test it or if you already know the answer to it Thanks in advance I know my questions are a bit silly but would love to save some money and go with the niro

[@BrantfordKia]

@@nyrubin If you can wait on your purchase, I can probably help you out. I'd like to do a test of a few of those types of things in the cooler weather. Right now I don't have a Niro in stock to do it.

[@paolodelavictoria]

Hi, the hatch on my Niro 2020 can't be opened with the remote, normally when you press the hatch door button on the remote it should just swing out. is it a defect? or it just can't. Thanks.

[@BrantfordKia]

There aren't any Niro's with a power-opening trunk. What the button on your remote does, is it unlocks JUST the trunk and not the rest of the car. It sounds like your vehicle is operating as it was designed to.

[@paolodelavictoria]

@@BrantfordKia ok thanks

[@josueoleaga70]

Do you have the new sorento 2021 ?

[@BrantfordKia]

Not yet. As soon as we do, I'll get it up online.

[@romedison]

V. Where the 12 V battery is located in this Kia Niro 2020?

[@BrantfordKia]

I believe it's under the rear seat. It essentially doesn't have to be accessed. If the battery is dead, you can press the button on the dash to "boost" the car and get it running.

[@BetoTheButcher]

I like the look of the car, throw a rack on top to give it a sportier look and you're good to go, plus gives it a bulkier look. The thing that does bug me is the KIA logo, kinda ugly.

[@BrantfordKia]

Our new logo will be on just about every 2022 model.

[@jasonchambers6787]

Wish there was a Kia Soul HEV

[@BrantfordKia]

Hopefully in the future!

[@pjt3887]

I'm looking at this instead of a Pruis. I loved my 2005 Pruis. It was a complete workhorse. This car caught my eye,after seeing one today. I wish car manufacturers would get some fun colors. So tired of grey and black. So boring. 😴 This car really has some nice features and style. That's something the current Pruis models don't offer. Toyota took a ugly car and made it even uglier. But at 50 miles to the gallon, that makes it instantly pretty.

[@BrantfordKia]

Haha! The Niro is a great car. I'd like to see a few more colours too, but some of these decisions are made with market research... not everyone likes brighter colours.

[@RigiLiquid945]

I have (or let's be real, my wife has) the 2019 Niro SX Touring which we picked up on Valentine's Day with studded winter tires already on. Started with a 1400 km weekend trip, used sport mode a few times and that 195 ft lbs of torque threw some studs. So, it can move fast if you want to.

[@BrantfordKia]

Yeah, the Niro is a very underrated vehicle. Thanks for sharing!

[@land7776]

Strange.. I have the 2017 Niro LX, and another reason I liked it was the straightforward round and straight gauges and dash layout. Then it seemed they went to more slanted, jagged letter, 'Buck Rodgers' style gauges in the 2018/2019? models. Now the 2020 gauges look almost exactly like mine. So they've returned to the sensible gauges, or maybe the new style ones were for Euro/ROW models.. anyway, the Niro has been great, my avg. through all fillups, logged on Fuelly is 53.1MPG, mostly small town/highway driving.

[@colinwhitehead5283]

i thought it was alegle not to have a spare.

[@user-pc7ef5sb6x]

Can't find this car anywhere near me

[@BrantfordKia]

We actually don't have any in stock at Brantford Kia right now either. I'm wondering if there's a temporary short supply. I haven't looked into that.

[@americancitizen1885]

I’ve never heard of this vehicle before until today that I received an Ad in an email of a nearby car dealer. Brand New 2020 LX FWD Black $21,900 US Dollars. That’s how I got to this video when I search for the vehicle here. I just wonder if this is as high off the ground as an suv to handle well in the snow in winter months. But I’m really liking the 50 mpg part. That sounds awesome

[@kaygassett2243]

I just got this car and I hit the driver mode off how do I get it back on? I don't even know how I hit it?

[@BrantfordKia]

The Driver mode? The Niro has a normal (which is actually an ECO mode) which is a drive mode that you don't have to do anything to activate, and then if you tip the shifter to the manual shifting side, it will place the car in SPORT mode. Is that what you're asking? If not, feel free to clarify for me.

[@JackTheSkunk]

Great gas mileage but the Hyundai Kona is so much better looking.

[@housewifeincyprus.2462]

there is no better than bmw x1 guys.... don't tell me...

[@BrantfordKia]

That's a different class of car than this.

[@marialeahbennett9765]

Hi, good morning. I love your video, might considering this next vehicle I will have. Thank you. Brother, you might check the mole in you neck if you don't mind 😉 Aloha and Mahalo.

[@seemorenite]

First if all its a kia i own 2 they are junk throw away cars !

[@raoulheinrichvonmerten4851]

Why talk so fast? It’s annoying. I got to the seat height adjustment …. Just tell us it’s manual ok. We can handle it we are adults.

[@BrantfordKia]

I'm sorry to annoy you? This is the way I do videos. I'm always trying to improve, but I can't promise that I'll make everyone happy.

[@adrianciobotaru9595]

i own a car like this; hibrid, without charging port... it is the best kia car! affordable price, great mileage; a huge interior space and so on... On the road, it is more stable than a Kia Sportage... and is economical regarding the fuel... best mileage... The plug-in version would have been much more expensive, and i coudn't charge it daily, since i don't live in a house, but in a flat in a block :) You did not mention the fact that this car still has a full-sized spare tire :)

[@BrantfordKia]

Yeah! Niro owners love their vehicles!

[@adrianciobotaru9595]

"​does it match up to Rav 4 ? Answer: yes, and it is about half the price :)