Kia Niro PHEV | MotorBar review

“The clock is ticking down fast
to a combustion-free world and while
all-electric cars aren’t yet the only
automotive fruit, there are some
excellent alternatives — one such
being Kia’s revised-for-2020 Niro
plug-in crossover...”

PLUG-INS ARE THE FIRST STEP in switching a driver's allegiance from traditional fossil fuels to über-clean pure electric; more than that they are an enjoyable way to trade-in the past for the future. Kia already offers the final stage on the 'green' journey we must all eventually make with their brilliant, full-electric e-Niro (genuine real-world range: 282 miles). Not surprisingly they're very much in demand so, if you can't be asked to wait, the very likeable PHEV makes an admirable substitute.

Looks-wise, the Niro is a contemporary family crossover that's now even sharper dressed courtesy of a mild facelift that includes new LED daytime running lights and some fresh alloy wheel designs. The signature 'tiger-nose' upper grille (blanked off with a distinctively-styled 3D panel) is flanked by swept-back LED headlights underscored by 'double-arrow' daytime running lights which, together with black-lined wheelarches and swish alloys give the PHEV an understated but nonetheless unmissable presence.

“The beauty of the Niro
Plug-in is that it offers
you the choice of running
on pure-electric power,
either in short bursts
or for sustained
trips of up to 36 miles;
when you’ve used up
your electric juice
(or just want an extra
shove of power for an
overtake) then the
onboard 1.6-litre four-
cylinder petrol engine
joins in...”

The beauty of the Niro Plug-in is that it offers you the choice of running on pure-electric power, either in short bursts or for sustained trips of up to 36 miles; when you've used up your electric juice (or just want an extra shove of power for an overtake) then the onboard 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine joins in. The parallel hybrid drive system is set up alongside a brake energy recovery system meaning recouped energy is put back into the battery pack every time you brake or lift-off the throttle.

While regenerative braking does help replenish the battery pack, if you want to maximise your electric power usage and minimise your running costs then plugging-in should take on the same importance in your daily routine as brushing your teeth.

And it's not a problem; in fact it's a doddle to plug-in to a household 3-pin socket or a dedicated fast-charger in your garage. A full 0% to 100% recharge can take as little as 2 hours and 15 minutes and then you're good to go for another 30+ clean, green, all-electric miles that, while not strictly 'free', will only cost you about a fifth of what it would travelling the same number of miles using unleaded.

In real-life our Niro PHEV, in pure-electric EV mode, regularly covered 30-odd miles and still got us back to base with a few in reserve (officially it does 36 pure-electric miles on a full charge). Not that it really matters because at that point the engine will step up to get you to your destination. So, if the bulk of your journeys come in at under 36 miles there's no reason why you shouldn't live on electric power alone and see some awesome consumption figures — the official figure is 201.8mpg!

Forgot to plug in? Don't beat yourself up — driven with just 12% remaining in the battery pack 'our' Niro still came up trumps with 58.6mpg (our best, and without any attempt to drive super-efficiently, was 67.7mpg which is pretty amazing given that the Niro whisks you along with all the verve of a non-hybrid car — 0-60mph's a brisk 10.4 seconds — with no driving compromises. In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) mode, with both electric and petrol power on tap and seamless switching as and when necessary, acceleration is nicely eager yet still nicely hushed.

“In pure-electric mode
the Niro is as quiet
as a mouse and
commendably refined.
The default driving mode
is Eco; however, for
speedy overtaking just
flick the selector lever
to the right into Sport.
In Sport mode the Niro
truly comes alive,
enabling some spirited
driving that won’t
disturb your passengers’
equilibrium; it’s also
a great choice for
pressing on along
country roads...”

In pure-electric mode the Niro is as quiet as a mouse and commendably refined. The default driving mode is Eco; however, for speedy overtaking just flick the selector lever to the right into Sport (where you can also manually run up and down the gears at your pleasure by nudging the selector lever north and south). In Sport mode the Niro truly comes alive, enabling some spirited driving that won't disturb your passengers' equilibrium; it's also a great choice for pressing on along country roads.

The paddle-shifters you'll find on the steering wheel are not, as you might initially think, for changing gear but for maximising the regenerative boost to the battery pack whenever your right foot lifts off the accelerator. There are three intensity grades, each providing an increasingly greater boost to the battery pack while at the same time generating useful 'engine braking' that slows the car considerably, especially around town, without your foot ever touching the 'proper' brake pedal. The six-speed DCT dual-clutch automatic gearbox makes a pleasing partner that can be trusted to do it all for you without any fuss, and helps makes the Niro PHEV a very tranquil car to drive.

Plug-in convenience and soothing progress aside, the 4.3-metre long Niro (size-wise it slots between the Ceed hatchback and Sportage SUV) ticks all the boxes as a spacious family crossover. Choosing your trim level could hardly be easier thanks to there being just two well-equipped choices: '2' or '3'. Kia's number-based specifications keep it refreshingly uncomplicated plus you'll never be saddled with an iffy trim name (anybody remember the Great Wall 'Wingle'?) that you'd rather not mention down at your local!

The Niro rides that useful bit higher which makes for a more convenient hip-point and consequently exceptionally easy entry and exit. First impressions are of a smart interior boosted by soft-touch surfaces, fashionable high-gloss black finishing and plush leather seats that offer first-rate all-round support. Crucially there's decent room for five grown-ups. The shapely front seats are particularly snug (even more so on 100-mile trips) while the driver enjoys additional pampering with a heated steering wheel plus an 8-way powered seat with lumbar adjustment. He, or she, also benefits from a good-to-hold multifunction steering wheel and excellent visibility in all directions (the fist-and-a-half of headroom is also much appreciated too).

Kia doesn't stint on the comms either, as confirmed by the crystal clear 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system with integrated TomTom SatNav incorporating Kia's Connected Services (with speed camera alerts, traffic advice, local search, and weather updates all available). Smartphone users are well served by Apple CarPlay and Android Auto offering Google Maps navigation, Apple Maps, music streaming, audiobooks, hands-free calls, text dictation, and voice recognition services.

“The Niro rides that
useful bit higher which
makes for a more
convenient hip-point
and consequently
exceptionally easy entry
and exit.
First impressions are of
a smart interior boosted
by soft-touch surfaces,
fashionable high-gloss
black finishing and
plush leather seats that
offer first-rate support.
Crucially, there’s decent
room for five grown-ups.
The shapely front
seats are particularly
snug (even more so
on 100-mile trips)
while the driver enjoys
additional pampering
with a heated steering
wheel plus an 8-way
powered seat with
lumbar adjustment...”

WiFi smartphone charging is standard-fit; it switches on automatically, displays the phone's charge status in the instrument cluster, and warns if a mobile is still on the charging pad as occupants prepare to leave. Two USB ports (one a fast-charger) are provided, as too is a DAB radio with MP3 compatibility and six-speakers plus Bluetooth multi-connection (so two mobile devices can be connected at the same time). Kia's new UVO CONNECT telematics system is also on hand with additional useful features — for instance; you can send route directions to your Niro before a journey as well as remotely check the car's location.

The 3D navigation is intuitive and easy to use and provides truly foolproof guidance. Driver information is also plainly — and attractively — shown on the instrument panel's TFT multi-mode colour display that links the two main dials and keeps you informed (but not overwhelmed!) about battery charge and fuel levels, range, active driving mode, posted speed limit, and your current road speed in large easy-to-read digital formats.

And while you can press the 'climate' button to display all the active heating and ventilation settings on the touchscreen, adjustments are made manually using the hard buttons and switches which is good news (and much safer) when driving.

In-cabin storage is what you'd expect of a family-serving crossover: an accommodating tray at the base of the centre stack, bottle-holding door bins, a drop-down overhead holder for your Ray-Ban Aviators, a deep storage box under the front centre armrest, dual-use siamesed cupholders, and a decent-sized glovebox.

Choosing the '3' trim level gets you all the bells and whistles — and then some. The list is extensive and includes black leather upholstery, 3-stage heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, solar glazing with privacy glass (rear windows and tailgate), a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry, electronic parking brake with autohold, auto-dimming rearview mirror, powerfolding heated door mirrors (on-demand and automatically on locking and leaving), front and rear electric windows (one-shot up/down for the driver and passenger), and a smart-looking set of aerodynamically-efficient alloy wheels.

Safety kit is comprehensive, with Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with autonomous emergency braking (it not only detect cars but also pedestrians and cyclists), smart adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go and a speed limiter, Electronic Stability Control, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Following Assist, Hill-start Assist, seven airbags including one for the driver's knee, tyre pressure monitoring, height-adjustable front seatbelts, auto lights and wipes, projection headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED front fog lights, LED tail lights, and a wide-view driver's door mirror. And those carrying youngsters will be glad of the Isofix child seat fittings on the outer rear seats. No surprise, then, that the Niro has been awarded a full five-star crash-test rating by EuroNCAP.

“For some buyers the
boot can be a deal-
breaker; the Niro’s easy-
to-access 373-litre boot
is more likely to be
a deal-maker.
Once the high-lift tailgate
is up, up and away
you can enjoy hassle-free
loading and unloading.
And with the rear
seatbacks down you have
the use of a 1,371-litre
cargo bay with a low
loading lip...”

It's not hard to see why crossover bodystyles are so popular; not only do the look good but they are extremely practical. Niro back-seat passengers have absolutely nothing to complain about thanks to accommodating seats separated by a padded central armrest with built-in cupholders and a fist of headroom along with restful backrest angles and generous room for feet, knees and legs — even six-footers will feel at home.

And with the armrest folded away, three side-by-side is definitely doable. Deep windows ensure views are panoramic and interesting while dedicated air vents and bottle-holding door bins will keep occupants cool and hydrated in the summer months. And for those oddments we all seem to lug around with us, there are netted pouches on the front seatbacks.

Families will be at ease travelling to and from their staycation destinations courtesy of the restful and well-planted motorway ride served up by the Niro. Around the houses it feels equally fluent with the well-cushioned seats and comfort-oriented 60-profile 16-inch tyres (205/60 R 16) contributing to the easygoing ride comfort. In urban environments the all-independent suspension does a competent job of motoring over the UK's less-than-ideal blacktop.

The Niro also serves up a satisfying driving experience. Easy to place, with well-managed body control, it feels well-sorted and reassuring whether you're just pootling or, as you might have call to do from time to time, hustling. The motor-driven power steering supplies enough heft to keep it honest through the twisties while making light work of heavy traffic. And the brakes, too, definitely rate a mention: discs all round and vented at the front, they're consistently strong and progressive and deliver drama-free stopping.

For some buyers the boot can be a deal-breaker; the Niro's easy-to-access 373-litre boot is more likely to be a deal-maker. The hybrid battery pack remains out of sight under the rear seat where it contributes to a low centre of gravity without compromising luggage space. Once the high-lift tailgate is up, up and away you can enjoy hassle-free loading and unloading; drop the 60:40-split flat-folding rear seats and you gain a level-floored, rectangular-shaped cargo bay with a low lip that will gamely swallow 1,371 litres of cargo. There's also a handy full-width lidded underfloor locker at the rear bumper-end of the boot plus a smooth-acting rollerblind load cover.

Kia's plug-in Niro crossover is the perfect shoe-in to cleaner, greener family motoring before that final step to a full-on EV. As well as being provably planet-friendly, the practical Niro Plug-in (on your driveway from £30,265) is also a pleasingly well-rounded family wagon that's generously kitted-out and backed by a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty. A can't-lose proposition... so what are you waiting for! ~ MotorBar

home | top of page | all new car reviews