‘You can only tell by the EV light that you are driving electrically’
The Kia Niro has nothing to complain about in terms of attention. With 57,425 sales since 2016, it is the most popular Kia in the Netherlands after the Picanto. The second generation arrived in 2022 and is once again doing very well. Why do so many people choose a Niro? That question is reason enough to dive into the user reviews.
Although many people choose the Niro, there is no such thing as one Niro. The current generation is also available in no fewer than three flavors. A 1.6 GDI hybrid, a plug-in hybrid with the same petrol engine and the version with a fully electric powertrain. Once you have determined the drive type, the most important choice is over. There are no different power variants or battery packs, you only have to choose color and equipment level. So easy.
Space and seating comfort in the rear
The Kia Niro now operates more in the C-segment and looks more like a hatchback than its predecessor, although it still remains a crossover. We at AutoWeek often compare the Electric with C-segment electric hatchbacks, and for the hybrid we also opted for SUVs such as the Suzuki S-Cross, the Mitsubishi ASX and the Renault Arkana. With the Niro you can go in any direction. But back to what the owners do with it. What does the growth spurt of the new generation mean for space? “Went out with 4 people and luggage in the Kia. I myself am about 2 meters tall and not fragile, the latter also applies to my fellow travelers,” writes the owner of a Niro Hybrid DynamicPlusLine. “I sat in the back as a passenger. The sitting position there is good and can be maintained for a long time.”
It’s an experience shared by a Niro EV driver, or at least his passengers. “With five adults in the car, a longer journey is still manageable, even for passengers in the back seat.”
There is plenty of room for passengers, but a hybrid driver would like to see more space for loose items. “The deposit options are not great. The door pockets are, like the previous version, too narrow. The middle compartment is spacious, but very sensitive to sliding and scratching. I have already placed a non-slip mat in there, just like in the glove compartment.”
The luggage compartment is sufficiently spacious. “What a lot of space in the trunk,” notes the driver of a Niro EV. “Not only the trunk itself, but also the double floor under the shelf. This is where I keep all my charging cables and other junk. Effectively I now have the entire trunk at my disposal.” A PHEV driver has no complaints about the space, although this variant offers about 100 liters less capacity than the electric and hybrid variant.
Seating comfort
A good seat is at least as important as space. De Niro receives praise in that area, including from this tall Hybrid driver. “With my height of 1.98 metres, I can be brief about the seating comfort: reasonably high entry, sufficient support in the chair and good adjustment options.” Even a shorter driver will find a good seat in the hybrid. “I am only 1.72 meters tall and have no problem finding a good comfortable position in relation to the adjustable steering wheel with the power seat.”
A third hybrid driver shares these findings. “The chairs fit perfectly, the lumbar support is also welcome. That there is virtually no fabric left on it, but artificial leather feels a little cooler. But then the seat heating helps in cold weather.” He also appoints an extra. “It’s nice that the driver’s seat automatically slides towards or away from you when getting in and out.”
This is how the hybrid Niro drives
When driving, we distinguish between the hybrid and fully electric variant. We’ll kick off with the first. “I like the car very much,” says the driver of a 2022 DynamicLine. “It turns out to be a very comfortable and quiet ride every time. The car is quieter than the Hyundai Ioniq and, partly thanks to the traffic jam assistant, it is simply a pleasant car for commuting.”
The next rider will delve deeper into the chassis. “The suspension is quite soft, but I think that is a plus. Imperfections on the road are well smoothed out, but you should not take speed bumps too quickly. The car does not lean in corners and grips the road tightly.”
This owner occasionally goes out with a caravan. “How does one drive such a rutted hut? Surprisingly good. Thanks to the electric motor, you drive away electrically as standard, so you already have a bit of speed. The only 105 hp naturally aspirated engine then smoothly pulls the caravan to 90 km/h or faster. If you don’t take it into the mountains and stay on flat terrain, then that’s it an excellent caravan tractor.”
Want to be sporty with your Niro? According to this owner who lives in France, it is possible. “If, out of necessity, you use this car as a racing car in sports mode, it will still take a while before the tires start to ‘slide’,” he says. “But to be honest, that’s not what this car was made for.” When driving up the French mountains, he also notices that the engine becomes a bit noisier.
About the drivetrain it is written: “The car drives smoothly, the hybrid system is great in traffic jams and in built-up areas. On the highway, consumption is somewhat higher than expected, but at just under 5 liters per 100 km it is still manageable.” Another rider also experiences that flexibility. “Switching between petrol and electric is smooth. You can only tell by the EV light that you are driving electrically.”
And so the Niro EV rolls
The electric Niro is about 300 kilograms heavier than the hybrid mentioned above. The next driver may not notice this at first. “The driving experience has been great so far. Fast, economical and quiet. Even in eco mode, the car is more than smooth enough. Steering and handling ensure that it is certainly not a sports car. Steering is devoid of any feeling, but for me it’s completely fine.” He later adjusts the assessment. “We are a bit further. What has been noticed: the car does not drive very pleasantly. There is 0.0 feeling in the steering and you clearly feel the weight at every turn. And I am a calm driver.”
Other Niro EV drivers do not seem to agree with these characteristics and call their EV mainly quiet and comfortable. Driving with one pedal is also popular. “1-pedal: used to it from day one,” writes one such rider. “Don’t use anything else anymore. Regeneration makes a nice contribution to the range on long journeys, but above all the drive is very relaxed.” Drivers are also largely positive about the driver assistance systems, and that is sometimes different.
No one complains about the operation of the drivetrain, but not everyone is satisfied with the range. “As long as you stay below 100 km/h, the car is extremely economical and it is very easy to even get to 12 kWh/100 km,” writes a Niro EV driver. On the highway it’s different. “Yesterday I took a long ride of 2x 140 km. We went partly at 100 km/h, back completely at 130. Started with a full battery and an estimated range of 430 km. Upon arrival there were still 265 km left. Drove a few more kilometers on location and started the return journey with 240 km left in the battery. After about 100 kilometers, at 130 km/h on the highway, there was only 70 km left and it would be a matter of whether we would get home. So we went to a Fastned station and recharged for 20 minutes.”
Another driver is also less happy. “According to the sales information, we should have been able to make a trip from our house to Nijmegen (2x 175 km = 350 km) without additional charging, but that was not the case.” As with any EV, driving slower results in better range, and if you save a charging stop, even a faster journey. The following driver will at least achieve a decent range under summer conditions. “Range after charging: 1x even up to 470 km on a hot day. This calculated representation is (in this summer period) quite similar to reality. Perfect for journeys in the Netherlands. When do you drive more than 400 km per day? I don’t drive faster than 105 on the highway. Consumption is between 13 and 15 kWh per 100 km.”
Disruptions and irritations
The Niro is a fairly young car according to a recipe known to Kia. This undoubtedly helps with reliability, with which hybrid drivers in particular do not report any problems. This is different for EV drivers. They note that the new Niro is not spared the ‘zombie mode’, which we also know from the Kia EV6. In this state, the car no longer responds to the gear lever and therefore cannot be moved. “I was able to solve it by disconnecting the negative terminal of the 12V battery, waiting a few seconds, and reconnecting it. The car now starts and drives again,” writes an owner who had this happen to him. Another is equally pragmatic. “Solution for now: open-end wrench 10 in the car to briefly disconnect the negative terminal of the 12V battery.”
The conclusion is that owners and users are quite pleased with their Niro. The space available is correct, the seats are good and the drivetrains function properly. Not every driver is satisfied with the driving characteristics of the Niro EV, a little more feedback from the steering would be desirable. Unfortunately, the ‘zombie mode’ also affects EV drivers here. If Kia gets this bump under control, this second Kia Niro will do a lot of good.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl