New Kia Niro review - best hybrid AND plug-in hybrid? | What Car?

[@Kxshk9]

Got this in trim 4 and it’s the best car I’ve owned. Better than BMW and Lexus I’ve had before. Loaded with everything and more. Can’t believe the number of features you get that are absent even in luxury cars. No additional expensive feature packs to add on too. Brilliant vehicle.

[@DieyoungDiefast]

Just ordered a '4' HEV, got to wait till Q2 next year. Apparently last year Kia aimed to sell 100,000 units, they had orders for 140,000. Parts issues which affected most car makers is partially to blame. Mercs have got round some of their tech supply problems by buying up top end washing machines and stripping out the motors for parts.

[@Kxshk9]

@@DieyoungDiefast That’s such a long wait! The car did way better than they expected, but it’s worth it, a nice relaxing car to drive. We have a Toyota in the family arriving soon too and it’s taken around 11 months

[@9hills48]

​@@DieyoungDiefast Same here, ordered it as a company car in June 2023 and have to wait till June this year, exactly 1 year... But i loved the testdrive i did, many features and it was a very comfortable car to drive in, can't wait!

[@Andrew-ok3dp]

I've owned my new Niro 4 PHEV for 6 months, and my commute is 21 miles each way. I full charge at work at 20p per KW and can get 38 miles with 20% battery charge remaining. The PHEV doesn't allow you to fully discharge the battery to 0%, but the engine will kick in seamlessly when the battery hits 20% remaining. I have saved so much money with this car and have only added fuel to the car 3 times since owning. What with a battery recharge system to top up the battery whilst driving this us a fantastic car with a 7 years warranty. Can't beat that.

[@joe80ss]

Great car got mine in trim 3. Very Economical and spacious. It's not as fun to drive as other cars but does what I need it to do.

[@itechtalk03]

Recently got a second hand Kia Niro HEV 2 trim from 2020 (The previous generation model from this one) and I got to say for a base model it’s doesn’t feel like it, it has tinted windows as standard which the new Niro doesn’t have as standard. And the layout of the dash is actually nice than the base one of the new model which has this black matte plastic bezel around the screens which to me doesn’t look nice. Either way the new one does look nice on the outside. I have also been getting as high as 68.4 mpg fuel economy when it’s rated on the combined cycle at 58.60 mpg. So in terms of economy it performs well. And I’m sure the new one is just as good. Anyone looking for a Kia Niro should definitely consider it whether it’s the previous generation or the new one they are both great. One thing I will say though is sometimes it lacks a bit of power at times, but I guess this car is all about being economical rather than fast.

[@benlee1396]

yes agreed. I purchased the previous model in trim 4 a year ago and I think the both interior and exterior are nicer!

[@jonathanmellish4439]

I am interested to read your comment as the older generation car is very good value 2nd hand as so many were sold and I still like the design. The boot capacity looks a bit small on the reviews for a family car.

[@TheCleanasyougo]

After having had a kia Sportage 2020 model, this car looks and has all the gadgets that made driving the Sportage great fun. I love how these cars have all the gadgets you get from much more premium cars like Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

[@masterod5728]

For over €45,000, the Niro is available in full trim on the continent. If you want to configure this equipment in a German vehicle, you are quickly over 50T€. Result: => KIA Niro is good value.

[@Unrulystubble]

The claimed range of upto 38 miles is only applicable on the PHEV "3" and upwards models. The base model has a 40 mile range, so for those of you/us thinking of choosing this as a company car, it'll sit nicely in the 8% bracket, meaning a lower BIK tax rate than the higher spec models, which are in the 12% bracket due. Thought this might be interesting to point out :)

[@jontyc3479]

Hi I have a Niro 4 PHEV for the last 6 months and it replaced a Niro3 PHEV we had for 3 years. I have to question the mileage stated that in Electric mode of around the mid 20's we actually get 35 miles on a single charge most days. The negative is in the winter when we prefer now to drive in Hybrid mode as one exceptionally cold day we only got 12 miles in electric mode. Couple of niggles we used a lot the glass case above the windscreen in the old Niro 3 and the full storage box beside the driver's seat on the old Niro 3 is now only half the size to accommodate the new coffee holders . We went for the 4 trim to get the electric boot and sunroof (which lost our glass case which we did not know until delivery). Another niggle is in hybrid mode the I/C engine sounds like a tractor growling and noisy but we get on a run to Devon some 74 mpg in hybrid mode a fantastic mileage. We were told you do not need a wall charger use your 3 pin in the house or garage but it takes 11 hours to charge as opposed to our wall charger (already installed for nothing back in 2015 for our Nissan Leaf EV) against 2 hours for the wall charger. You say about the fantastic warranty of 7 years but Toyota now offers 10 years on certain models and Kia offer 10 years in the USA so we are just viewed as only 2nd class clients by Kia. The car fits our lifestyle of around 30 miles every day and as we have 16 solar panels the cost or recharge is very low our bills are up only around £3-5 a month. Very comfortable very reliable but now very expensive but superb service from dealer so we are happy.

[@Andrew-ok3dp]

Agree 2nd class customers. The Niro's front windscreen camera doubles up for a dash cam with the videos downloaded via a USB connection from the glove box. Only in the USA and Korea, though !! 😢

[@donalmahon]

I drove one as a rental. Very impressed but one single thing would stop me buying it. The size ( thickness) of the wipers were very distracting when driving in rain

[@conradbo1]

Good video and review. Thank you very much.

[@Gastric-rk9nd]

Very nice well explained 👍

[@officialghetty]

How did Kia just takeover the car game out of no where !??

[@mdo]

Maybe not quite but they're definitely making much better cars than they were doing 10 years ago.

[@kylesmith9202]

Does it have the rear parking cam like the 2021 model?

[@MegaRugster]

So.. HEV is Basic Hybrid and PHEV is Plug in version.. always wondered which was which. Dunno what to get, looking at S Cross.. Niro Phev and Dacia Jogger atm.. also thinking about Seat Ateca and Nissan Juke.. choices.. I don't like choices..

[@SaurabhGadariya]

What is the fuel economy of all 3 HEV, PHEV & EV?

[@Dave-wt8xg]

Very good review well done.

[@ramyttsh]

How can you forget this point in the comparison of mild hybrid VS plug-in hybrid: you don't need to charge your mild hybrid, it works for giving you better milage and a bit of boost of power, without worrying about charging

[@Tess-dy4co]

It's not a mild hybrid, that's something else entirely. It's just a hybrid.

[@ArtofspiritCa]

You are a great presenter/narrator!

[@stevejoyce3225]

Just got a HEV in 3 trim. I would say that if KIA were a little clearer about the specs of the different models, would probably gone for the 4 instead. Particularly vague is the instrumentation which is much better in 4 trim. Great car though, very smooth gear/hybrid changes.

[@ahmedgailani533]

What is meant by 3 trim please?

[@David_Denali]

Review more smaller cars pls

[@piglet5287]

Modern equivalent of the Austin Maxi?

[@istvanstoica1154]

Hello I love the idea of reviewing electrified cars but even the cheapest hybrid niro is too expensive and I drive a 2015 Citroen cactus that's 95 g/ km emission around 53 miles/ gallon so diesel wins here

[@SethPinnock]

Sure but what about the other side of things how was it going up a slight incline how quiet was the cabin and what are the true medium term maintenance cost of keeping a diesel engine clean.

[@istvanstoica1154]

@@SethPinnock the slight incline dose not bother me or how quiet it is my cars maintenance cost is very low honestly at the moment this new cars don't offer the same MPG ratio and not forgetting the price tag 28.000 pounds the cheapest version is still a lot of money

[@masterod5728]

You do not want to seriously compare this diesel rattle with an electric drive?

[@alisonb4898]

I ordered this at the beginning of dec 2022 and the dealer still says he has no idea when it’ll be available ☹️

[@atifnajib9648]

In full tank of fuel how many will you get in kia niro 3 plug in ?

[@tunedskillsz]

The seats on this car are not designed well. They are super hard and there is a hump around the thigh area that blocks blood flow and makes my left leg go numb. My back hurts really bad tho, im only 34. My 2018 Sportage is soooo comfy compared to this, really regret the purchase. The seating felt comfortable during the test drive, it was on the third day is started feeling pain.

[@OutRAjious]

VW not doing a hybrid golf is a serious own goal ….

[@thomaseriksson3182]

Thanks for this!👍🌹

[@HiCZoK]

Hey, you tested the entry level of niro HEV. more expensive trims have paddles used for braking regeneration but entry level does not... does it do it itself of what ?

[@adrianciobotaru9595]

Regarding 10:27: i've been driving it for more than 2 years... The worst thing is the lack of power when you are driving at 80 or 90 km/h and you want to accelerate... My 2007 Renault Megane Diesel does a much, much better job, when it comes to acceleration.

[@Dreadpirateflappy]

This car hasn’t even been out 2 years. You have the old model which is very different.

[@granituka6819]

I have the previous hev niro 4. Prefer its more rounded looks to this boxy affair. Shame they didnt uprate the engine for this new model. The electric motor should be at least 60kw!

[@chriswardle6574]

Can anybody tell me what the colour is called, is it runaway red?

[@garethdavies893]

Yes, it is 'Runway Red'

[@MrPadhiprasantkumar]

Bring it into Indian markets! Its gonna cost way less, If they start making Phev in their Indian factories.

[@SethPinnock]

I almost comment that I would have figured this Niro to be comparable in size and comfort level as the Toyota Cross. I will do my research

[@OutRAjious]

Shame the design can t compete with the toyota CH-R … because the Kia has the better gear box

[@MrCABman1972]

I think it is a bit disingenuous to say a Hybrid is better than a plug-in... I'm sure almost everyone use less than 35-40 miles per day for about 80-90% of all their driving on a regular basis. Why would you not charge the car every day, this comment seem daft to me. If you live in a place where you can't charge the car at you home then you should not have an electric car at all and the hybrid is good. But the plug in will suit most people and it can take you long stretches when you need it without needing to charge it every so often along the way. In my opinion the plug-in is the best option until society is fully built up with the infrastructure to support all electric cars. Especially if you live in colder climates where the battery might have issues in the cold seasons the plug in probably is the better option for both environment and your sanity. Remember to preheat your car before you drive when it is clod out for example, this will drastically save battery.... there are many tricks to make sure you get as much out of the battery to save on the environment and the economy. Personally I would likely be able to use 95% of all my driving needs with a plug-in car, mostly around town. Going to the stores and back, driving the kids and other activities. The few long range drives we do is not that many in a year. We also try to use trains for longer travels when possible as an alternative. Train is also nice for longer travels as it generally is more comfortable than car anyway and I don't have to drive.

[@PaulHo]

Blows my mind that it already looks dated with the Kona not even coming out yet.

[@Tess-dy4co]

It "blows your mind" huh 😂

[@mdo]

The rear could have been better but it has a nice face and the interior is not bad.

[@cherellestanton6428]

But the Kona is fugly

[@johncipolletti5611]

You know that it also has tires that seldom wear put! Why? Because it's a South Korean car and like the others from there, they are recalled so much, they are seldom on the road!

[@philgolding8352]

Just lost a bit of respect for this site. I have a Kia Exceed PHEV with 34mile battery. On a journey of 50 miles this afternoon I switched to electric mode with 30 miles to go. I got to my destination with 4 miles left in the battery. Mid 20’s estimate is way off mark, I felt you were doing Kia down, I actually think Kia’s estimates of range are really accurate. The Niro PHEV is on my wish list when it comes to change especially as it has got longer so more rear legroom.

[@vasileioskk]

Kia Niro vs Yaris Cross? I believe your comparison is not quite correct, the rivals are Kia Niro vs Corolla Cross (Toyota equivalent).

[@Tess-dy4co]

Kia Niro vs Corolla Cross? I believe your comparison is not quite correct; there is no Corolla Cross in the UK. This channel is about cars for sale in the UK.

[@mdo]

In the UK the Yaris Cross is the nearest rival from Toyota. The C-HR is in a higher class, and a Sportage rival.

[@vasileioskk]

@@mdo The comparison yet is not correct. You cannot even compare their dimensions....I don't know what models each automotive company imports in the UK, but here in Greece we have the Kia Stonic as well which can be easily compared with Yaris Cross, Corolla Cross with Kia Niro and Kia Sportage with Rav 4.

[@wayneheyes904]

£28K for a basic looking car is NOT GOOD ENOUGH

[@Dreadpirateflappy]

Look at the amount of tech you get… it’s anything but basic.

[@lazziebardakos2956]

Unless you drive like a maniac you'll easily get 35 miles minimum with the plug in

[@AR_Plus]

I've had this Niro for over 2 years now. Broke in the engine. I average around 57-78 mpg on a good day. Also done a 130mile journey the other day and came back with 63mpg. Maybe it's because I do mpg watch but I'm also not a light driver. Amazing numbers from my pov

[@matthewchang6263]

Oh my gawd that car makes me want to vomit

[@adeboer1283]

Without a problem I get 38 miles also in colder weather so i don’t know how you test??

[@samtalks9045]

You video like you are marketing for Kia. Please do make some realistic

[@masterod5728]

For over €45,000, the Niro is available in full trim on the continent. If you want to configure this equipment in a German vehicle, you are quickly over 50T€. Result: => KIA Niro is good value.