If you are tempted by the new Kia Niro compact crossover, well, you are in the right place. I was invited to the UK launch of the Kia Niro 2022 HEV and PHEV – but not the EV. That engine-less steed gets its own event later on.
So get comfy, grab some popcorn and let’s delve into the facts. Any questions about the new Niro? I shall try to answer them in the comments section of this video.
Please note: This is the script from my YouTube video, click play above to watch or go here.
Yes, the new Niro has been redesigned and now sits on the third-generation K-platform. Not that you can easily tell it has grown by a few centimetres, but there is no denying the exterior look has changed dramatically.
Inspired by the HabaNiro concept from 2019 (get it?), the new Niro is less rounded and reserved and more striking and, erm, spicy. For a C-segment crossover it looks good, especially in that new cityscape green with black C-pillars – one of many options I will talk about later.
Meanwhile the cockpit benefits from a new look too, as seen in the new Sportage and not the Kia Soul. It takes a little adjustment to get used to all the buttons and even the largest touchscreen can be fiddly, but things are largely self-explanatory and the overall design is much swankier and more premium.
As for a cool design feature, the Niro EV charging port lives in the centre of the front grille. Great for nervous parkers, not so good for those who prefer to reverse in.
What, no diesel? Yes the new Kia Niro is hybrid, AKA the HEV, or a plug-in hybrid, AKA the PHEV. Both models use a four-cylinder 1.6GDi petrol as a basis mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The difference is that the Niro HEV has a secondary electric motor with 32kW (or 43bhp) and a 1.32kWh lithium-ion battery, while the PHEV you can recharge at home or when out and about delivers 62kW (or 83bhp) and has an 11.1kWh battery of the same type.
I will delve more into the Kia Niro EV, formerly the E-Niro, in another video. But I will say that it has a 64.8kWh battery. Which brings me nicely onto…
Efficiency. The 2022 Kia Niro EV is good for a WLTP-rated 285 miles of motoring on a full charge and 0 grams of lung-harming emissions locally. Unless, of course, you count rubber particulates.
The HEV promises around 60 to 64 miles per gallon, depending on spec. During my brisk country road test drive I saw 54mpg. As for the tailpipe, somewhere between 100 and 106g/km of CO2 is emitted.
The Niro PHEV, meanwhile, can do around 40 miles of electric motoring on a full charge. CO2 emissions are said to be between 18 and 22 grams per kilometre, depending on the spec.
On the same route I saw 64mpg with the battery charge relatively low and this figure was rising rapidly. Kia claims fuel consumption can be as much as 350 miles per gallon. While it is hard to check this figure, it is true that most short journeys could be done without ever using any fuel.
What about benefit in kind? Well, business folk should know the HEV is 25 to 26 per cent, the PHEV is 8 to 12 per cent and the EV is rated at 2 per cent across all models.
What about speed and power? Obviously very important things in a C-segment crossover. Okay, so the HEV and its 139bhp output is good for a 10-second-ish 0-62mph and a top speed of 104mph. Nothing special. Although the 265Nm of torque ensures it can shift when it needs to.
Then there is the punchier PHEV, which has 180bhp and 265Nm of torque. That is good for a second or so faster 0-62mph but around the same top speed. As for the Niro EV, it needs 7.8 seconds for 0-62mph and has 255Nm of torque.
Yes, 255Nm. Not the 395Nm of its predecessor, a move Kia says was designed to stop those amusing but inefficient moments of wheelspin while improving efficiency and comfort.
Suffice to say, those craving more speed will need to look towards the faster and more powerful Sportage, or even the all-electric EV6 and its forthcoming EV6 GT sibling with 577bhp. Hello, rapid tyre wear. Or this. But probably not the seven-seater EV9 due in 2023.
Ahh, yes. Something more useful to most potential Niro buyers: Practicality. The Niro HEV has 15 litres extra of boot space for a total of 451 litres. Just shy of the Niro EV’s 475 litres. Unfortunately for the PHEV, the total drops to 346 litres for powertrain packaging reasons.
Fold down those 60:40 rear seats and the total rises to 1,445, 1,342 and 1,392 litres of space for the HEV, PHEV and EV, respectively.
As for leg and head room, my somewhat lean 6ft frame could sit in the back behind my own driving position without complaining. I also found it easy to get comfortable, thanks to the flexible seating and steering wheel adjustment. People with taller upper bodies may, however, struggle.
Visibility is good too for lane changing, roundabouts and reversing. Meanwhile those in the back get to see more of what is ahead, thanks to those thin seats and strange-looking headrests.
Want to tow something? Well, up to 1,300kg of braked trailer weight is possible for the HEV and PHEV. The figure for the Niro EV is 750kg.
What about charging? Well, the HEV does it itself through relaxed driving. The EV and its 11kW onboard charger can go from 10 to 80 per cent charge using a lesser spotted 350kW DC rapid charger.
Using a more common 100kW variant, the time is not much longer. Unfortunately, the DC charging limit is no way near as impressive as in the EV6. FYI, a CCS charging port is included.
As for the PHEV, well, 15 to 95 per cent charge takes just under three hours when using a type 2 charger.
What about technology, Ben? Well, the new Niro in its most lavish ‘4’ spec features USB Type-C connections in the front seats that can be used by front and rear passengers. Plus there is a 10.25-inch infotainment display and a digital instrument cluster of the same size behind the wheel.
You can even have wireless charging at 15w, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic LED headlights, DAB digital radio, head-up display, dual-zone climate control, electric sunroof (but no panoramic as in the Sportage), heated seats and vegan-friendly leather-ish seat coverings.
Also important is safety. In Kia Niro land you get various modern conveniences on all models. Things like rear parking sensors and a camera, Forward Collision Avoidance, Smart Cruise Control and seven airbags.
Those who spend a bit more can even enjoy Remote Smart Parking Assist, which lets you park the car while not in it using the key fob, and Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist. Speaking of trim levels.
Let’s talk about trim levels. The UK Niro HEV, PHEV and EV come in three flavours: Grade 2, 3 and 4. No idea where grade 1 went, but anyway.
Highlights of the entry-level 2 includes DAB digital radio, cloth upholstery, 8-inch touchscreen display, six speakers, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, daytime running lights, dual-height boot floor, LED headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels and heated door mirrors.
Chuck more money at Kia and the grade 3 adds, among other things, front fog lights, electrically folding door mirrors, rain-sensing wipers and high-gloss body cladding.
On the Niro EV you also get a three-pin plug socket that works with Vehicle-to-Device, or V2D, technology, which allows you to power external electrical appliances. Who says you have to leave your toaster at home?
At Grade 4 you can enjoy a head-up display, ventilated and heated seats, 10-25-inch touchscreen display, powered tailgate, electric sunroof and aluminium pedals.
On the Niro EV it also means Highway Driver Assist 2 for lazier cruising, plus Forward Collision Avoidance 2 for making life even safer.
And if you are having a bad day or need some shut-eye, Kia has also included what it calls ‘front passenger premium relaxation seating’, which does not hand you a large brandy and cigar but it does let you recline a long way back.
And now for the justification for adding ‘review’ into the title of this video, is the 2022 Kia Niro good to drive? I would say yes. It feels a bit softer than the Sportage over bumpy roads and therefore more comfortable.
Yet it can still zip along straights and through corners – despite some noticeable body roll – with more skill than a C-segment crossover really needs. Though I would not say the process is especially memorable.
I actually found the new Niro to be more refined, especially when mashing the accelerator for ‘testing purposes’. But perhaps that is more to do with being less powerful than Mr Sportage.
Cruising through British countryside, it is clear the new Niro does the whole A to B thing like a champ. Even the less hybrid HEV model offers a spookily quiet and predictable drive.
It can even be nippy – more so than the previously mentioned figures suggest, especially if you go from the Eco driving mode to Sport. Complete with dials so angrily red that you assume it was designed to put you off using it.
And now, that all-important price. Well, the sad news is that 2022 Niro, like fuel, crisps, electricity, brandy, cigars and everything else, has gone up in price. It is not the bargain it once was, especially in EV form, and therefore has much greater competition.
The absolute cheapest new Niro is from £27,745. That is a grade 2 HEV. Most expensive is the grade 4 Niro EV Grey Pack with the Heat Pump, which is £43,390. Quite a lot more than the £32,995 the original E-Niro cost, which admittedly factored in the now non-existent £3,500 plug-in grant.
Arguably grade 3 is where you get the most bang for your buck, at £30,000 for the HEV, £36,000 for the PHEV and £39,000 for the EV. On finance it appears the new Niro is competitive.
Yes, that is a lot of money for a Niro. However, it helps that the warranty is either seven years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes sooner, and it is transferrable to new owners.
And that is the end of this Niro TED Talk. Hopefully you found it useful. Of course, there is no substitute for trying one out yourself so go forth and visit your nearest Kia dealer. Or not. Up to you. Either way, be sure to subscribe and like.
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