How the Kia Niro became the most popular car in the Netherlands

The answer seems simple: because the Kia Niro is perfect for the Netherlands. It’s a crossover, it’s not too big and not too small, fairly roomy and reasonably priced. Add to that the fact that the appearance doesn’t bump anyone’s head and the car is economical to use thanks to a minimally partly electric powertrain, and you have a winner. However? Yes, but that was certainly not immediately clear at the beginning.

Not in a box

When the Niro was presented, we didn’t even know what to do with it at first. The Niro turned out to be quite a challenge, especially for a car journalist, a species that naturally likes to classify the car world. Please note: crossovers were not nearly as common in 2016 as they are now and cars usually fell into a clearly defined segment.

Not so deNiro. The undersigned remembers well that the first test copy at the editorial office was smaller than he had expected based on the photos. With its black wheel arch edges but limited ground clearance, the car also emphatically kept the middle ground between a hatchback and an SUV, even more than the Nissan Qashqai, which had been known for years at the time. Still a bit special, although we can hardly call the tidy, sleek carriage further. Then there was the name ‘Niro’. Unusual for a car and it undeniably evokes associations with a certain actor. Also at Kia itself, by the way, witness the commercial below.

Hybrid

The real special feature of De Niro, and perhaps also the secret of his success, is hidden under the skin. The car was the technical brother of the Hyundai Ioniq (without ‘5’) and therefore also shared its 141 hp hybrid powertrain. A substantial degree of electrification is therefore present with every Niro, just like an automatic transmission. With this, Kia was ahead of the pack in 2016 and the first move towards a successful future was made in the Netherlands, ravaged by CO2 taxes and high fuel prices. The tax advantage also started immediately, albeit in a modest form. In 2016, 21 percent of the addition was applicable to the model, compared to 25 for cars with more than 106 grams of CO2 emissions. An advantage, but with that mild limit, that applied to many more models at the time.

Unique

Just to indicate how special a hybrid crossover was in 2016: before that time we only knew this drive form from expensive, large and heavy models from brands such as Lexus, Audi and Porsche. The plug-in hybrid Outlander was already there, but just like the RAV4 Hybrid launched just before the Niro, it was still a lot bigger than the new Kia. The only car that could be seen as an outright Niro rival at the time is in fact the Toyota C-HR. That car also appeared in 2016, albeit a few months after its Korean rival.

Expansion

Family expansion took a while at de Niro. Regular petrol versions never came, but in December 2017 Kia announced a plug-in hybrid. With a full battery, the car had to be able to drive a not undeserved 58 km electrically, but that is of course completely lost in addition to what an e-Niro performs. The fully electric variant, recognizable by, among other things, a closed ‘grille’, appeared on the scene in 2018 with a range of up to 455 km. With a starting price of 42.5 mille for the thickest version, there were hardly any alternatives at the time. Well, we knew the somewhat American Opel Ampera-e. From their own house there was still the Hyundai Kona Electric. It was also very successful, but in a direct comparison and in the sales statistics it still lost out to the less controversially designed and simply wider Niro.

kana

With the above story in mind, it’s not surprising that de Niro’s Dutch career resembles the ‘wedding at Cana’: the best is saved for last. The model’s most successful period is now, at the end of his more than five-year career. In corona year 2020, almost 12,000 were sold here, good for the number one position and more than ever before. Whether that number will be achieved this year is still the question with today’s chip shortages, but a relative success in the form of a second number 1 position does seem to be in it. In addition, the mark of 9,249 copies will really be broken, with which the Niro will do better this year than in 2019.

Recently it appeared that the Niro PHEV is by far the most exclusive version of the Niro. Kia sold only 446 in 2020, compared to 4,960 Hybrids and no less than 6,474 electric Niros. Not surprising, because the regular hybrid is perfect for the private buyer and the electric ideal for the business driver. The product of a South Korean car manufacturer, partly designed in the US, appears to have been designed specifically for the Dutch market by mistake and will be popular in our country as an occasion for years to come. And the new Niro? Time will tell!