Of course from these brands
Old times revived last week with three delicious large containers. Or should we say ‘gears’, because the charm of the six-cylinders was that they were shoehorned into an Alfa Romeo 147 and a Volkswagen Golf respectively, not to mention the big turbo in the Subaru Impreza. To counterbalance all that motor violence, we are politically correct again this week. We’re going for hybrid! We’re going for crossover! Of course we end up with Toyota, Kia and Hyundai.
Actually an incorrect statement, because if something is not correct, it is often… politics! We are and are looking for three crossovers with a hybrid drive this week in accordance with current times: the Hyundai Kona, group member Niro from Kia and thirdly the C-HR from hybrid specialist Toyota. What do you get for 20 grand?
The Hyundai Kona Hybrid does not have as smooth a front as the Electric.
Hyundai Kona 1.6 GDI HEV Comfort – 2019 – 112,623 kilometers – €19,925
From GTA to GDI, the contrast could hardly be greater. We are talking about the 1.6 of 105 hp/147 Nm that is in both the Kona and the Niro from group partner Kia. The electric motor is good for 43.5 hp/170 Nm, which brings the system power to a decent 141 hp/265 Nm. To moderate fuel consumption, a 1.56 kWh battery has been installed, which, together with the Atkinson principle of the engine and the use of a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, should be good for a stated consumption of 1 in 25.6. Absolutely neat, but the other two are slightly more economical. The drivetrain itself does its job well in this somewhat strikingly designed four-wheeler. Maybe that’s why the Niro sold much better. As an occasion, it is therefore a matter of looking for the Kona. In fact, our search yielded only one hit: this Hyundai Kona. An ex-Italian, with the result that the P-682-PD has no registered towing capacity (normal: 1,300 kilos braked).
The Hyundai Kona’s booklet indicates Italian origins.
Although the Kona is the smallest of our trio, it is still more spacious than the C-HR on almost all fronts. The Toyota only hits back when it comes to rear legroom and luggage space. In terms of driving characteristics, this South Korean just does his thing. For many that will be enough; for more expression you just have to step into the C-HR. Considering the segment and age, this used car performs simply well in terms of luxury and safety features (including fatigue detection, lane assist, hill assist, autonomous emergency braking assistance and adaptive cruise control). Here you can see that the Kona is slightly younger than the Niro. It does not have some things on board and may therefore score four stars in the Euro NCAP test, compared to five for the Kona. Neat, which also applies to the quality impression of the interior. The asking price includes Bovag guarantee. There is still a recall campaign (ESP software) open.
Signaling
Brand Hyundai
Type Kona 1.6 GDI HEV Comfort
Construction year October 2019
Mileage 112,623
Asking price €19,925
Where to buy? Wittebrug Autobedrijven Occasion Centrum, Moordrecht
Technical data
Engine 4 cyl. in-line, 1,580 cc, hybrid
Max. system power 104 kW/141 hp
Max. system torque 265 Nm
Luggage compartment 361 l/1,143 l
Max. trailer braked nb (normally 1,300 kilos)
Avg. consumption 1 in 25.6
0-100 km/h 11.2 sec
Top speed 160 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Kia Niro 1.6 GDI Hybrid DynamicLine – 2018 – 80,723 kilometers – €19,945
Since he took office in 2017, more than 30,000 Konas have been sold here, almost 59,000 of the Niro, released in 2016! Of course, that is not due to that one year. The Niro is a size larger and has a slightly more conservative appearance, that’s probably it. In any case, it is no problem finding a used Niro. From the extensive range, for example, we found this Kia Niro from the first owner: about the same price as the Kona, on the one hand a year older, on the other hand clearly less experienced.
The TZ-227-B received the addition of DynamicLine, but in gray there is nothing spectacular about it. Covered tones also predominate inside, but here the Niro is designed slightly more imaginatively than its Hyundai brother. Unfortunately, we do find hard plastics here and there. We don’t need to say anything about the technology: it is exactly the same and that also applies to the driving characteristics. Just like the Kona, the Niro is nice and stable on the road, with a touch of dynamics here and there (fairly firm suspension and damping, but also a nice multi-link rear suspension). The controls are somewhat of a bummer here. It is very light and distant.
Of this trio, the Niro is overall the most generous, both for passengers and luggage. Yet the slightly larger size (it makes a difference of almost twenty centimeters in length compared to the Kona) does not come at the expense of weight (only 23 kilos heavier) and consumption (with a specified 1:27, it is even the most economical of the three featured). As mentioned, the Niro was born a year earlier than its almost-twin brother. This is evident from the safety equipment: the Kona is more up-to-date. When it comes to luxury, this occasion is just a little more generous. And… it still has a factory warranty until November 2025, under certain conditions.
Signaling
Brand Kia
Type Niro 1.6 GDI Hybrid DynamicLine
Construction year November 2018
Mileage 80,723
Asking price €19,945
Where to buy? Hedin Automotive Schagen, Schagen
Technical data
Engine 4 cyl. in-line, 1,580 cc, hybrid
Max. system power 104 kW/141 hp
Max. system torque 265 Nm
Luggage compartment 427 l/1,425 l
Max. trailer braked 1,300 kilos
Avg. consumption 1 in 27.0
0-100 km/h 11.5 sec
Top speed 162 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Toyota C-HR 1.8 Hybrid Active – 2018 – 102,136 kilometers – €19,950
Former Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda promised to put more ‘soul’ into his models. One of the results was the expressively designed C-HR. It has also been sold in our country since 2016. With almost 23,000 units, it doesn’t score crazy at all, since there was no full EV variant and Hyundai and Kia did offer one for the Kona and Niro respectively. A dynamic design requires ditto paint and so we arrive at this bright blue Toyota C-HR, which is waiting for its third owner at the brand dealer in Meppel. Age, mileage and price differ little from those of its opponents. In short: the expectations evoked by its appearance are met in terms of driving characteristics. The Japanese is blessed with a pleasant chassis that does not shy away from enthusiastic cornering. Where the South Koreans exhibit a rather numb steering behavior, in the C-HR it is clear and direct. In fact, the chassis can handle more power than the technology delivers. In any case, 105 hp from an 1,800 is rather poor and the linked gearbox that works like a CVT with the electric motor integrated into it also makes a contribution. Despite the larger engine, performance and consumption differ little. The towing capacity of 725 kilos braked is a lot lower. On board, the solid build quality and good ergonomics are striking. What is also striking is the – given its dimensions – quite limited interior space.
A trapped feeling quickly prevails, especially in the back. Perhaps that is why the rear door handles are too high, especially for smaller children. In any case, with the C-HR, Toyota has put form before function. The safety features are functional (including traffic sign recognition, driver’s knee airbag, precrash system) that gave this coupe-like crossover (‘C-HR’ stands for ‘Coupé-High Rider’) the full five stars in the EuroNCAP crash test. In the field of goodies However, this Active entry-level C-HR must give way to both South Koreans.
Signaling
Brand Toyota
Type C-HR 1.8 Hybrid Active
Construction year August 2018
Mileage 102,136
Asking price €19,950
Where to buy? Toyota dealer Van der Linde, Meppel
Technical data
Engine 4 cyl. in-line, 1,797 cc, hybrid
Max. system power 90 kW/122 hp
Max. system torque nb
Luggage compartment 377 l/1,160 l
Max. trailer braked 725 kilos
Avg. consumption 1 in 26.3
0-100 km/h 11.0 s
Top speed 170 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Which hybrid crossover appeals to you most?
The expectations raised by the dynamically lined Toyota C-HR are fulfilled on the road. Unfortunately, this is at the expense of interior space and you quickly long for more power. Both South Koreans are calmer, because the numb steering dampens the enthusiasm. The Kona is younger or more modern than the Niro. The latter is more generous when it comes to the available space. In addition, the featured used car still benefits from the manufacturer’s warranty. In addition to all this, the personal preference for a CVT versus a dual-clutch automatic can play a role. What would your choice be?
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl