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A Review of the all-new 2017 Kia Niro Hybrid
http://www.kia.com/us/en/vehicle/niro/2017
http://www.kia.com/us/en/build/niro/2017/trims?trim=117&model=682
IN A NUTSHELL: The first serious Toyota Prius-fighter in the American market (and a good one) from a Korean manufacturer.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Toyota Prius, Ford C-Max, Chevrolet Volt, and the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq (I did not include full-electrics or the smaller, two-seater Honda CR-Z hybrid).
OVERVIEW:
I've never been a big fan of the Toyota Prius, though I admit that it was probably the one car that, more than any other, inspired the Niro and made it possible. As with the smaller, first-generation Honda Insight hybrid, which IMO was more of a toy than a true automobile, I found the first-generation Prius quirky and lacking, though it was definitely a more practical and useful machine than the Insight. The second-generation Insight was only slightly less toy-like than the first (adding a Munchkin rear seat and slightly more sound insulation) but was still not successful, and was dropped. Sales of the second-generation Prius, however, took off like a flock of sparrows evading a hawk. It became the classic automotive poster-child of Hollywood, the entertainment industry, environmentalists, college professors, and, in general, the car for people who didn't like cars. It stretched a dollar of gas way out, yes, but IMO drove in a manner that would make an appliance feel good in comparison. The second-generation Prius, was quite well-built (I was impressed with the interior and exterior materials)....but its relatively high center of gravity and limp, Roly-Poly suspension cornered like a beach ball, even for my conservative soft-riding tastes. The third-generation model, though, with better handling, IMO deteriorated sharply in the quality and solidness of both the interior and exterior materials, and the latest, fourth-generation version looks like something that could be used as a Halloween mask. I've always found the dash and controls of all four generation Priuses to be odd and quirky.
Anyhow, this is not a Prius review, so let's go on from that. The Prius, of course, spawned a number of wanna-bees and competitors. The Honda Civic Hybrid was probably the most serious of them, but even it could not really compete in the long run, and was dropped a few years ago. Other small hybrids, like the Ford C-Max, remain to be seen if they can compete in the long run. But, all through this time, the Koreans never came up with anything competitive, at least in the American market. VW, of course, eschewed hybrids, and stuck with with small TDI diesels for their big-mileage vehicles (though, to my knowledge, they did offer some diesel-hybrid combos in Europe which could achieve 70-80 MPG). And we now know, of course, from VW's diesel-programming cheating, where at least some of those good mileage figures were coming from.
So, some 16-17 years after the first Prius and Insight hybrids were first introduced to the American market, it's (finally) time for the Koreans to start catching up...and the Niro seems to be quite a nice effort. A Hyundai Ioniq hybrid cousin, done on the same platform, will also debut later this year, and be available in three versions.....hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full-electric. Unlike the Ioniq, the Niro is basically just a regular gas/electric hybrid, with one drivetrain, though (apparently) in several driving modes (more on that just below). Both the Niro and Ioniq will be offered as 5-door hatchbacks.....the only body style available. Word from Kia is that a plug-in hybrid version of the Niro may be offered later on, in September of this year, and an all-electric version early next year.
I looked at a Kia Niro at the D.C. Auto Show...they had one out on the floor, unlocked, for public-access. I had wanted to take one around the show's brief test-drive circuit (it's not a real test-drive, but better then nothing)...but Kia did not have one available for test-driving, so I sampled the Soul EV (all-electric) instead......with my impression of that brief drive published elsewhere in the forum). For the true Niro test-drive and review, of course, I had to do it elsewhere.
Initially, for 2017, five trim levels of the Niro are offered.....The FE ($22,890), LX ($23,200), EX ($25,700), Touring Launch Edition ($28,000), and Touring ($29,650). *All of them, of course, share the same power plant....a parallel-hybrid system with a gasoline 1.6L in-line Atkinson-cycle four of 104 HP @ 5700 RPM and an AC permanant-magnet electric motor of 43 HP @ 1800-2500 RPM. Total operating HP is 139 @ 5700 RPM. Torque-figures are 109 ft-lbs. @ 4000 RPM for the gasoline engine, 125 ft-lbs. @ 0-1800 RPM for the electric motor (electric motors typically make max torque at very low RPMs), and 195 ft.-lbs. combined at 4,000 RPM. All versions also come with a dual-clutch 6-speed SportMatic automatic transmission......which, IMO, is a feather in their cap, since one does not have to put up with a quirky CVT transmission like in several of the competition. Even at the Niro FE's (for Fuel-Economy) low base price, a lithium-ion battery pack for the electric motor is standard, which is considered state-of-the-art for most electric and hybrid vehicles outside of the much more expensive Tesla class (Tesla, however, does have some lower-cost models now starting between 30 and 40K). All versions drive the front wheels only...there is currently no AWD version planned. One interesting feature, though, of the Niro's hybrid drive train, compared to that of most other hybrids, is that of sharply different EPA mileage ratings (5-6 MPG, on average) that are noted between the three lower-trim versions and the two Touring models, with the Touring models having the lower figures (see the Niro's web-site for details). Kia doesn't seem to have much of an explanation for that (I talked to some reps) except to verify at least part of what I suspected......that the Touring models default to the Sport driving-mode, which has slightly more aggressive engine/transmission response than in the Eco mode for economy. The larger tires used on the Touring models, with more rolling-resistance, may also be a factor. Still, if the Touring models have the Eco setting available at the push of a button, they should also have the Eco's higher EPA numbers published for them. Doesn't quite make sense to me, but then, a lot of things in the auto business don't make sense to me, either.
I static-reviewed several different Niro models, but, for the test-drive, chose a silver EX with minimal options. I figure that is the way that it would appeal to the majority of its buyers.....the EX is somewhat nicer than lower-level versions (and offers more colors), but still comes with a lower price, smoother-riding tires, and better gas mileage than the Touring versions. It listed for between 26K and 27K....quite reasonable for a vehicle like this.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2017 Kia Niro EX
BASE PRICE: $25,700
OPTIONS:
Carpeted Floor Mats: $130
Cargo Mat: $95
Wheel Locks: $55
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $895 (about average, maybe slightly more, for a vehicle this size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $26,875
DRIVETRAIN: *(See description in the OVERVIEW section)
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 51 City, 46 Highway, 49 Combined
EXTERIOR COLOR: Silky Silver (a rather weird name, but that's what Kia calls it)
INTERIOR: Gray Cloth with Leather.
PLUSSES:
Seamless, well-designed hybrid drive-train interaction.
Normal-feeling brake pedal (this used to be a problem with hybrids).
Quick steering response.
Wind noise well-controlled.
Relatively tight turning radius.
Conservative body styling/design aids outward visibility and interior space efficiency.
Well-designed, easy-to-use interior control layout.
Excellent, simple, fore/aft shift-lever motion.
Relatively simple, easy-to-read electronic / analog-combined primary gauge panel.
Superb fit/finish inside and out.
Mostly durable, high-quality materials and hardware inside and out.
Solid-closing doors.
Carefully assembled at the factory.
Mirror-like paint finish (especially with the red paint) almost completely eliminates orange-peel.
Relatively comfortable, though firmly-padded front seats.
Long Hyundai/Kia 10/10 and 5/60 warranties...but only the 5/60 is transferable outside of the immediate family.
MINUSES:
Some road noise evident on coarse surfaces. .
No spare tire....standard Tire Mobility Kit on all versions.
Too-limited paint color choice. (IMO)
Hard-feel-plastic sun-visors....but thick and durable.
Cheap-feeling headliner.
Potential depreciation potential greater than with the Prius...but that's not the car's fault.
EXTERIOR:
I was very impressed with the Niro's exterior, in many ways. The basic, squarish, conservative, two-box design may put off some Star Wars fans, but does a lot for outward visibility and interior space efficiency, which, in this class, only Subaru really seems to do with any regularity. Up front is the now-typical "Tiger" grille and back-swept headlights, which clearly identify it as a member of the Kia family. The sheet metal feels solid and durable by today's standards, well-fitted, and well-painted...the paint jobs on the samples I looked at were virtually mirror-smooth and almost totally lacking in orange-peel. As usual, though, the marketers skimped a little in the paint-color choice....though the seven colors offered are reasonably attractive if a little on the dull side (base FE models only get four colors). The Snow White Pearl and Crimson Red colors seemed to be the two most cheerful...everything else was standard funeral-home fare. Everything on the exterior seemed to be well-fitted, well-attached, well-finished, and of a high-quality feel.....but the body lacks a midlevel side-moulding for parking-lot protection. The doors, hood, and rear-hatch-lid all opened and closed with a solid thud. In this never-ending world today of overly-large wheels and stiff-riding, low-profile rubber-band tires, it was nice to see, on the FE/LX/EX versions, 16" wheels and reasonably-soft 60-series-profile tires....more on those later.
Overall, the exterior gets a solid A. Give it a few more (and brighter) paint colors, and a standard (or available) body side-moulding to ward off dings/dents, and it would get an A+.
UNDERHOOD:
In general, underhood layouts of gas/electric or full-electric vehicles are not designed (or intended) for Do-it-Yourselfers, so I won't spend a lot of time dissing the layout like I sometimes do underhood. Unlike other vehicles, gas/electric hybrids have to fit in two separate motors and their associated hardware.....so one does not expect (or get) a lot of room underhood to work on them. It can also be dangerous if one is not scrupulous about following exact Repair-Manual procedures....so that is best left to well-trained Technicians.
Still, having said that, underneath the solid-feeling hood is the usual insulation pad, and both the transversely-mounted 1.6L in-line four and the smaller, permanant-magnet AC electric motor fit in reasonably well, though the gas engine's plastic cover prevents top-component access. Dipsticks, reservoirs, and filler-caps for the gas engine are readily-accessable, though a few of them are located in unusual places.
INTERIOR:
IMO, though there are a couple of small exceptions here and there, the fit/finish of the Niro's interior, and quality of the materials used, equals or excess that of the already good exterior. OK.....I'll get the nit-picking out the way first, since I've got a lot of good things to say about the interior. As is typical of a number of Japanese and/or Korean-designed vehicles, the seat padding is somewhat firmer than I usually find comfortable. The sun-visors are in fact thick and durable material, but have a hard unpleasant feel to them when you grab them (many automakers, even in their upmarket vehicles, are skimping somewhat on that).The very thin felt-lining on the ceiling headliner feels cheap. And the glove-box latch, though adequate, could be a little more solid. That's it, though. The rest of the interior, particularly for a vehicle in this class, is a class act in material quality. All of the controls have a smooth and/or solid action; the buttons operate seamlessly, the leather-wrapped steering wheel is pleasant to hold and use, and the basic control layout is simple and intuitive by today's standards. The primary gauges consist of electronic-style energy-meter and battery-consumption graphics, and a traditional circular analog speedometer. The nice, fore/aft traditional shifter for the transmission operates seamlessly. Almost everything inside looks and feels like it was carved out of a block of granite. The trim is well-finished and well-attached, The inner-door panels, though not particularly ornate or plush to look at, have durable, well-fitted materials and what appears to be real brushed-chrome (not silver-painted plastic) door handles. The headroom is fine, both front and rear, even with a sunroof housing......a testament to the car's conservative design and relatively high roofline in back. Legroom is not vast, but generally in line with other vehicles this size. The stereo sound quality is excellent for a vehicle in this class......you don't expect a Mark Levinson or Harmon-Kardin-class stereo, but this one is not far off. The video-screen, in the center of the dash, is nicely integrated, so it doesn't have that cheap pop-up look on the top of the dash that even some upmarket vehicles have. It can be, however, like most automotive video-screens, somewhat complex. Virtually all of the interior hardware is solid-feeling and high quality. Even the small thumb-wheels that open and close the dash-vents for climate control were well-thought out.....Kia really sweat the details in this car. The thumb-wheels are heavily coated in a flexible rubber-type compound that feels just right on your fingertips, white position-markers imbedded in them, and operate with a firm but almost fluid-like precision. The seat upholstery (cloth, cloth/leather, or real leather, depending on trim-model) feels nice and of high quality.
So, the exterior, the interior, especially for a vehicle of this class, gets a solid A. Put some softer-feel fabric on the sun-visors, and give the seats a little softer padding, and it, too, would get a A+.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Open the rock-solid hatch lid, and one is treated to a relatively roomy cargo for a vehicle of this size....another benefit of the box-conservative body style. The center of the cargo floor is covered in a nice black carpet that feels nice and is well-attached, though the walls on either side are of a cheaper black plastic. The split-rear seat, of course, folds down for added cargo room if needed. A retractable pull-shade-type of cargo cover come standard on EX and Touring models. The brochure says that feature is not available on entry-level models, but I don't see any reason why the dealer's parts-department can't simply order the pieces and snap them right in (indeed, many automakers do that as a dealer-accessory). The center floor panel folds up with slick and durable-feeling built-in hinges. Off to the sides of the center of the cargo floor are two cubby-compartments built down into the floor. Under the floor are a couple of pull-up Styrofoam compartments for tools and other items, and, below that, what IMO is the vehicles's single worst feature....a Tire Mobilty Kit (which includes a built-in gauge) instead of either a real spare, temporary spare, or donut. The Kia reps say it is for weight-control.....I say B.S.; it's cost-cutting (perhaps some of both). Not even a temporary spare is an option.....you're stuck with the El Cheapo kit (which may not even work in some circumstances). But, considering everything else that this car gives you for the price, I won't get too worked up over that. If desired, a vinyl custom-fit cargo-tray/liner is available as an $80 accessory to protect the carpet on the floor from moisture and dirt (my test car didn't have it, but I recommend them).
ON THE ROAD:
With your right foot on the brake pedal, and after deactivating the left-foot-operated parking-brake pedal, start up the drivetrain by pressing on the engine START/STOP button. Depending on the engine temperature, battery-charge, and other factors, that will either start up the gas engine or power up the battery-pack for the electric motor. As with most gas/electric hybrids, dash-gauges show the state of the drivetrain, which motor is powering the front wheels at any given moment, the amount of main-battery charge left, estimated miles left on the charge, and whether the drive-mode is in ECO or SPORT (Sport is achieved by moving the shift lever left and manually bumping the gears up and down in the +/- slot. The gas engine, once warmed up, will shut off at idle or a full stop, and start up again when it's time to take off...otherwise, the electric motor will take over. Buick likes to brag about how smooth and unnoticeable their automatic engine start/stop system works on their new LaCrosse flagship sedan....that's why they did not include a deactivation switch for it. I found the coupling/uncoupling system in the Niro to be just as smooth, if not more so, than in the big Buick......and, yes, I have driven the new LaCrosse. The 6-speed dual-clutch transmission (a first, I believe, in in American-market hybrid) shifted smoothly and seamlessly, whether in full-automatic, Sport-Auto, or Sport-Manual mode. I liked the simple, slick-operating, easy-to-use fore-aft shift lever.....no frustrating or awkward E-Shifters. Sport-Auto mode, as expected, holds the engine RPMs up a little longer before shifting, but doesn't seem to affect the quality of the shifts any. In all of the modes, power-level from the drivetrain, and transmission response, was fine for all normal driving.
While the Niro is not intended to be a sports sedan or an aggressive-driving machine (see Kia's new upcoming Stinger for that), the designers have, nonetheless, done a decent job on the Niro's chassis. Steering response is quite rapid for a vehicle of this type, but it is accompanied by some noticeable body roll on sharp steering-inputs (most people won't notice any on average cornering). Road noise is noticeable, particularly on coarse road surfaces, but is not obtrusive. Wind noise was generally well-controlled...and this was a good day to test that, with strong cold northwesterly winds and snow flurries flying from time to time. Ride comfort wasn't quite what I expected with the 16" wheels and relatively high-profile 60-series tires, but it was certainly not what I would call rough, and perfectly acceptable for a daily basis (and I tend to be sensitive to ride comfort). I particularly liked the relatively normal-feel of the brake pedal...in the past, gas/electric hybrids have often had a problem, on the regenerative-braking systems, with overly-sensitive pedals. And, due to the conservative design of the roofline and windows, it was a delight to be able to look out all around and be able to clearly see traffic and pedestrians all around you, not having to depend on radar, cameras, or blind-spot detectors.
THE VERDICT:
While Kia and Hyundai have done American-market hybrids before (including the Sonata and Optima sedans), they were not particularly competitive or well-engineered compared to the class-leading hybrid systems in Toyota and Lexus products. The Niro (and the soon-to-be-introduced Hyundai Ioniq) is their first attempt in the U.S. to introduce a true, high-mileage, small Toyota-Prius-fighter. And, I'd say that the Niro not only gets into the boxing-ring with the Prius, but, in some ways, actually beats it in the first several rounds. Whether it can last all fifteen rounds, of course, depends on its long-term reliability, freedom from repairs, and sales-appeal, where the Prius has long reigned as the champ in this segment. And, of course, the Niro not only competes with the Prius, but with the Ford C-Max and, when the plug-in Niro hybrid debuts, the new 2nd-Generation version of GM's Chevy Volt.
Right now, if it were my money (though that could change in the future as new vehicles and versions of existing ones are debuted), in this class, I'd pick the Niro as a daily driver. I find it the easiest car of the bunch to live with on a daily basis. It clobbers the Ford C-Max on overall build-quality (though the C-Max is not exactly a slouch in that department, either), has the most user-friendly interior and dash design of the bunch, excellent fit/finish, the longest drivetrain and bumper-to-bumper warranty, the best outward visibility, easy to use controls, and a good tight turning radius for maneuvering. True, the Prius has a solid, enviable reliability record and strong resale value...but, based on my (admittedly) short one-day review experience (and a few days at the D.C.auto show), I think that the Niro would be a nicer vehicle to live with on a day-to-day basis. But, of course, that is up to each individual buyer.
And, as Always......Happy Car-Shopping.
MM
http://www.kia.com/us/en/vehicle/niro/2017
http://www.kia.com/us/en/build/niro/2017/trims?trim=117&model=682
IN A NUTSHELL: The first serious Toyota Prius-fighter in the American market (and a good one) from a Korean manufacturer.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Toyota Prius, Ford C-Max, Chevrolet Volt, and the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq (I did not include full-electrics or the smaller, two-seater Honda CR-Z hybrid).
OVERVIEW:
I've never been a big fan of the Toyota Prius, though I admit that it was probably the one car that, more than any other, inspired the Niro and made it possible. As with the smaller, first-generation Honda Insight hybrid, which IMO was more of a toy than a true automobile, I found the first-generation Prius quirky and lacking, though it was definitely a more practical and useful machine than the Insight. The second-generation Insight was only slightly less toy-like than the first (adding a Munchkin rear seat and slightly more sound insulation) but was still not successful, and was dropped. Sales of the second-generation Prius, however, took off like a flock of sparrows evading a hawk. It became the classic automotive poster-child of Hollywood, the entertainment industry, environmentalists, college professors, and, in general, the car for people who didn't like cars. It stretched a dollar of gas way out, yes, but IMO drove in a manner that would make an appliance feel good in comparison. The second-generation Prius, was quite well-built (I was impressed with the interior and exterior materials)....but its relatively high center of gravity and limp, Roly-Poly suspension cornered like a beach ball, even for my conservative soft-riding tastes. The third-generation model, though, with better handling, IMO deteriorated sharply in the quality and solidness of both the interior and exterior materials, and the latest, fourth-generation version looks like something that could be used as a Halloween mask. I've always found the dash and controls of all four generation Priuses to be odd and quirky.
Anyhow, this is not a Prius review, so let's go on from that. The Prius, of course, spawned a number of wanna-bees and competitors. The Honda Civic Hybrid was probably the most serious of them, but even it could not really compete in the long run, and was dropped a few years ago. Other small hybrids, like the Ford C-Max, remain to be seen if they can compete in the long run. But, all through this time, the Koreans never came up with anything competitive, at least in the American market. VW, of course, eschewed hybrids, and stuck with with small TDI diesels for their big-mileage vehicles (though, to my knowledge, they did offer some diesel-hybrid combos in Europe which could achieve 70-80 MPG). And we now know, of course, from VW's diesel-programming cheating, where at least some of those good mileage figures were coming from.
So, some 16-17 years after the first Prius and Insight hybrids were first introduced to the American market, it's (finally) time for the Koreans to start catching up...and the Niro seems to be quite a nice effort. A Hyundai Ioniq hybrid cousin, done on the same platform, will also debut later this year, and be available in three versions.....hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full-electric. Unlike the Ioniq, the Niro is basically just a regular gas/electric hybrid, with one drivetrain, though (apparently) in several driving modes (more on that just below). Both the Niro and Ioniq will be offered as 5-door hatchbacks.....the only body style available. Word from Kia is that a plug-in hybrid version of the Niro may be offered later on, in September of this year, and an all-electric version early next year.
I looked at a Kia Niro at the D.C. Auto Show...they had one out on the floor, unlocked, for public-access. I had wanted to take one around the show's brief test-drive circuit (it's not a real test-drive, but better then nothing)...but Kia did not have one available for test-driving, so I sampled the Soul EV (all-electric) instead......with my impression of that brief drive published elsewhere in the forum). For the true Niro test-drive and review, of course, I had to do it elsewhere.
Initially, for 2017, five trim levels of the Niro are offered.....The FE ($22,890), LX ($23,200), EX ($25,700), Touring Launch Edition ($28,000), and Touring ($29,650). *All of them, of course, share the same power plant....a parallel-hybrid system with a gasoline 1.6L in-line Atkinson-cycle four of 104 HP @ 5700 RPM and an AC permanant-magnet electric motor of 43 HP @ 1800-2500 RPM. Total operating HP is 139 @ 5700 RPM. Torque-figures are 109 ft-lbs. @ 4000 RPM for the gasoline engine, 125 ft-lbs. @ 0-1800 RPM for the electric motor (electric motors typically make max torque at very low RPMs), and 195 ft.-lbs. combined at 4,000 RPM. All versions also come with a dual-clutch 6-speed SportMatic automatic transmission......which, IMO, is a feather in their cap, since one does not have to put up with a quirky CVT transmission like in several of the competition. Even at the Niro FE's (for Fuel-Economy) low base price, a lithium-ion battery pack for the electric motor is standard, which is considered state-of-the-art for most electric and hybrid vehicles outside of the much more expensive Tesla class (Tesla, however, does have some lower-cost models now starting between 30 and 40K). All versions drive the front wheels only...there is currently no AWD version planned. One interesting feature, though, of the Niro's hybrid drive train, compared to that of most other hybrids, is that of sharply different EPA mileage ratings (5-6 MPG, on average) that are noted between the three lower-trim versions and the two Touring models, with the Touring models having the lower figures (see the Niro's web-site for details). Kia doesn't seem to have much of an explanation for that (I talked to some reps) except to verify at least part of what I suspected......that the Touring models default to the Sport driving-mode, which has slightly more aggressive engine/transmission response than in the Eco mode for economy. The larger tires used on the Touring models, with more rolling-resistance, may also be a factor. Still, if the Touring models have the Eco setting available at the push of a button, they should also have the Eco's higher EPA numbers published for them. Doesn't quite make sense to me, but then, a lot of things in the auto business don't make sense to me, either.
I static-reviewed several different Niro models, but, for the test-drive, chose a silver EX with minimal options. I figure that is the way that it would appeal to the majority of its buyers.....the EX is somewhat nicer than lower-level versions (and offers more colors), but still comes with a lower price, smoother-riding tires, and better gas mileage than the Touring versions. It listed for between 26K and 27K....quite reasonable for a vehicle like this.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2017 Kia Niro EX
BASE PRICE: $25,700
OPTIONS:
Carpeted Floor Mats: $130
Cargo Mat: $95
Wheel Locks: $55
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $895 (about average, maybe slightly more, for a vehicle this size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $26,875
DRIVETRAIN: *(See description in the OVERVIEW section)
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 51 City, 46 Highway, 49 Combined
EXTERIOR COLOR: Silky Silver (a rather weird name, but that's what Kia calls it)
INTERIOR: Gray Cloth with Leather.
PLUSSES:
Seamless, well-designed hybrid drive-train interaction.
Normal-feeling brake pedal (this used to be a problem with hybrids).
Quick steering response.
Wind noise well-controlled.
Relatively tight turning radius.
Conservative body styling/design aids outward visibility and interior space efficiency.
Well-designed, easy-to-use interior control layout.
Excellent, simple, fore/aft shift-lever motion.
Relatively simple, easy-to-read electronic / analog-combined primary gauge panel.
Superb fit/finish inside and out.
Mostly durable, high-quality materials and hardware inside and out.
Solid-closing doors.
Carefully assembled at the factory.
Mirror-like paint finish (especially with the red paint) almost completely eliminates orange-peel.
Relatively comfortable, though firmly-padded front seats.
Long Hyundai/Kia 10/10 and 5/60 warranties...but only the 5/60 is transferable outside of the immediate family.
MINUSES:
Some road noise evident on coarse surfaces. .
No spare tire....standard Tire Mobility Kit on all versions.
Too-limited paint color choice. (IMO)
Hard-feel-plastic sun-visors....but thick and durable.
Cheap-feeling headliner.
Potential depreciation potential greater than with the Prius...but that's not the car's fault.
EXTERIOR:
I was very impressed with the Niro's exterior, in many ways. The basic, squarish, conservative, two-box design may put off some Star Wars fans, but does a lot for outward visibility and interior space efficiency, which, in this class, only Subaru really seems to do with any regularity. Up front is the now-typical "Tiger" grille and back-swept headlights, which clearly identify it as a member of the Kia family. The sheet metal feels solid and durable by today's standards, well-fitted, and well-painted...the paint jobs on the samples I looked at were virtually mirror-smooth and almost totally lacking in orange-peel. As usual, though, the marketers skimped a little in the paint-color choice....though the seven colors offered are reasonably attractive if a little on the dull side (base FE models only get four colors). The Snow White Pearl and Crimson Red colors seemed to be the two most cheerful...everything else was standard funeral-home fare. Everything on the exterior seemed to be well-fitted, well-attached, well-finished, and of a high-quality feel.....but the body lacks a midlevel side-moulding for parking-lot protection. The doors, hood, and rear-hatch-lid all opened and closed with a solid thud. In this never-ending world today of overly-large wheels and stiff-riding, low-profile rubber-band tires, it was nice to see, on the FE/LX/EX versions, 16" wheels and reasonably-soft 60-series-profile tires....more on those later.
Overall, the exterior gets a solid A. Give it a few more (and brighter) paint colors, and a standard (or available) body side-moulding to ward off dings/dents, and it would get an A+.
UNDERHOOD:
In general, underhood layouts of gas/electric or full-electric vehicles are not designed (or intended) for Do-it-Yourselfers, so I won't spend a lot of time dissing the layout like I sometimes do underhood. Unlike other vehicles, gas/electric hybrids have to fit in two separate motors and their associated hardware.....so one does not expect (or get) a lot of room underhood to work on them. It can also be dangerous if one is not scrupulous about following exact Repair-Manual procedures....so that is best left to well-trained Technicians.
Still, having said that, underneath the solid-feeling hood is the usual insulation pad, and both the transversely-mounted 1.6L in-line four and the smaller, permanant-magnet AC electric motor fit in reasonably well, though the gas engine's plastic cover prevents top-component access. Dipsticks, reservoirs, and filler-caps for the gas engine are readily-accessable, though a few of them are located in unusual places.
INTERIOR:
IMO, though there are a couple of small exceptions here and there, the fit/finish of the Niro's interior, and quality of the materials used, equals or excess that of the already good exterior. OK.....I'll get the nit-picking out the way first, since I've got a lot of good things to say about the interior. As is typical of a number of Japanese and/or Korean-designed vehicles, the seat padding is somewhat firmer than I usually find comfortable. The sun-visors are in fact thick and durable material, but have a hard unpleasant feel to them when you grab them (many automakers, even in their upmarket vehicles, are skimping somewhat on that).The very thin felt-lining on the ceiling headliner feels cheap. And the glove-box latch, though adequate, could be a little more solid. That's it, though. The rest of the interior, particularly for a vehicle in this class, is a class act in material quality. All of the controls have a smooth and/or solid action; the buttons operate seamlessly, the leather-wrapped steering wheel is pleasant to hold and use, and the basic control layout is simple and intuitive by today's standards. The primary gauges consist of electronic-style energy-meter and battery-consumption graphics, and a traditional circular analog speedometer. The nice, fore/aft traditional shifter for the transmission operates seamlessly. Almost everything inside looks and feels like it was carved out of a block of granite. The trim is well-finished and well-attached, The inner-door panels, though not particularly ornate or plush to look at, have durable, well-fitted materials and what appears to be real brushed-chrome (not silver-painted plastic) door handles. The headroom is fine, both front and rear, even with a sunroof housing......a testament to the car's conservative design and relatively high roofline in back. Legroom is not vast, but generally in line with other vehicles this size. The stereo sound quality is excellent for a vehicle in this class......you don't expect a Mark Levinson or Harmon-Kardin-class stereo, but this one is not far off. The video-screen, in the center of the dash, is nicely integrated, so it doesn't have that cheap pop-up look on the top of the dash that even some upmarket vehicles have. It can be, however, like most automotive video-screens, somewhat complex. Virtually all of the interior hardware is solid-feeling and high quality. Even the small thumb-wheels that open and close the dash-vents for climate control were well-thought out.....Kia really sweat the details in this car. The thumb-wheels are heavily coated in a flexible rubber-type compound that feels just right on your fingertips, white position-markers imbedded in them, and operate with a firm but almost fluid-like precision. The seat upholstery (cloth, cloth/leather, or real leather, depending on trim-model) feels nice and of high quality.
So, the exterior, the interior, especially for a vehicle of this class, gets a solid A. Put some softer-feel fabric on the sun-visors, and give the seats a little softer padding, and it, too, would get a A+.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Open the rock-solid hatch lid, and one is treated to a relatively roomy cargo for a vehicle of this size....another benefit of the box-conservative body style. The center of the cargo floor is covered in a nice black carpet that feels nice and is well-attached, though the walls on either side are of a cheaper black plastic. The split-rear seat, of course, folds down for added cargo room if needed. A retractable pull-shade-type of cargo cover come standard on EX and Touring models. The brochure says that feature is not available on entry-level models, but I don't see any reason why the dealer's parts-department can't simply order the pieces and snap them right in (indeed, many automakers do that as a dealer-accessory). The center floor panel folds up with slick and durable-feeling built-in hinges. Off to the sides of the center of the cargo floor are two cubby-compartments built down into the floor. Under the floor are a couple of pull-up Styrofoam compartments for tools and other items, and, below that, what IMO is the vehicles's single worst feature....a Tire Mobilty Kit (which includes a built-in gauge) instead of either a real spare, temporary spare, or donut. The Kia reps say it is for weight-control.....I say B.S.; it's cost-cutting (perhaps some of both). Not even a temporary spare is an option.....you're stuck with the El Cheapo kit (which may not even work in some circumstances). But, considering everything else that this car gives you for the price, I won't get too worked up over that. If desired, a vinyl custom-fit cargo-tray/liner is available as an $80 accessory to protect the carpet on the floor from moisture and dirt (my test car didn't have it, but I recommend them).
ON THE ROAD:
With your right foot on the brake pedal, and after deactivating the left-foot-operated parking-brake pedal, start up the drivetrain by pressing on the engine START/STOP button. Depending on the engine temperature, battery-charge, and other factors, that will either start up the gas engine or power up the battery-pack for the electric motor. As with most gas/electric hybrids, dash-gauges show the state of the drivetrain, which motor is powering the front wheels at any given moment, the amount of main-battery charge left, estimated miles left on the charge, and whether the drive-mode is in ECO or SPORT (Sport is achieved by moving the shift lever left and manually bumping the gears up and down in the +/- slot. The gas engine, once warmed up, will shut off at idle or a full stop, and start up again when it's time to take off...otherwise, the electric motor will take over. Buick likes to brag about how smooth and unnoticeable their automatic engine start/stop system works on their new LaCrosse flagship sedan....that's why they did not include a deactivation switch for it. I found the coupling/uncoupling system in the Niro to be just as smooth, if not more so, than in the big Buick......and, yes, I have driven the new LaCrosse. The 6-speed dual-clutch transmission (a first, I believe, in in American-market hybrid) shifted smoothly and seamlessly, whether in full-automatic, Sport-Auto, or Sport-Manual mode. I liked the simple, slick-operating, easy-to-use fore-aft shift lever.....no frustrating or awkward E-Shifters. Sport-Auto mode, as expected, holds the engine RPMs up a little longer before shifting, but doesn't seem to affect the quality of the shifts any. In all of the modes, power-level from the drivetrain, and transmission response, was fine for all normal driving.
While the Niro is not intended to be a sports sedan or an aggressive-driving machine (see Kia's new upcoming Stinger for that), the designers have, nonetheless, done a decent job on the Niro's chassis. Steering response is quite rapid for a vehicle of this type, but it is accompanied by some noticeable body roll on sharp steering-inputs (most people won't notice any on average cornering). Road noise is noticeable, particularly on coarse road surfaces, but is not obtrusive. Wind noise was generally well-controlled...and this was a good day to test that, with strong cold northwesterly winds and snow flurries flying from time to time. Ride comfort wasn't quite what I expected with the 16" wheels and relatively high-profile 60-series tires, but it was certainly not what I would call rough, and perfectly acceptable for a daily basis (and I tend to be sensitive to ride comfort). I particularly liked the relatively normal-feel of the brake pedal...in the past, gas/electric hybrids have often had a problem, on the regenerative-braking systems, with overly-sensitive pedals. And, due to the conservative design of the roofline and windows, it was a delight to be able to look out all around and be able to clearly see traffic and pedestrians all around you, not having to depend on radar, cameras, or blind-spot detectors.
THE VERDICT:
While Kia and Hyundai have done American-market hybrids before (including the Sonata and Optima sedans), they were not particularly competitive or well-engineered compared to the class-leading hybrid systems in Toyota and Lexus products. The Niro (and the soon-to-be-introduced Hyundai Ioniq) is their first attempt in the U.S. to introduce a true, high-mileage, small Toyota-Prius-fighter. And, I'd say that the Niro not only gets into the boxing-ring with the Prius, but, in some ways, actually beats it in the first several rounds. Whether it can last all fifteen rounds, of course, depends on its long-term reliability, freedom from repairs, and sales-appeal, where the Prius has long reigned as the champ in this segment. And, of course, the Niro not only competes with the Prius, but with the Ford C-Max and, when the plug-in Niro hybrid debuts, the new 2nd-Generation version of GM's Chevy Volt.
Right now, if it were my money (though that could change in the future as new vehicles and versions of existing ones are debuted), in this class, I'd pick the Niro as a daily driver. I find it the easiest car of the bunch to live with on a daily basis. It clobbers the Ford C-Max on overall build-quality (though the C-Max is not exactly a slouch in that department, either), has the most user-friendly interior and dash design of the bunch, excellent fit/finish, the longest drivetrain and bumper-to-bumper warranty, the best outward visibility, easy to use controls, and a good tight turning radius for maneuvering. True, the Prius has a solid, enviable reliability record and strong resale value...but, based on my (admittedly) short one-day review experience (and a few days at the D.C.auto show), I think that the Niro would be a nicer vehicle to live with on a day-to-day basis. But, of course, that is up to each individual buyer.
And, as Always......Happy Car-Shopping.
MM
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