Louth Motors: Kia Niro PHEV - the best-selling PHEV has gotten even better

The Niro PHEV was the best-selling petrol PHEV in 2020 and 2019 here and came third in 2021. It really was, and is, a leading PHEV model in Ireland and will be remembered as a bit of a pioneer.

The original model had a solid chunky look about it that projected rugged capability. This new model looks all cutting edge and, dare I say it, a bit over designed. No doubt the Niro’s ability remains but the fancy contrasting C-Pillar is targeted to tempt those drawn by looks and who may overlook substance and I can't imagine who those buyers are.

The back is all angles and has signature boomerang shaped lights whereas the older model had a normal hatchback appearance. The absence of lights at eye level reminds me of a recent Ford Focus and means that the back of the Niro has to factor in all the metal from the c-pillar to achieve its look.

It's as if the rear is encroaching on the side of the car. Design themes are lifted off the EV6 and Sportage and to be fair they are worth lifting.

The internal dash is also familiar from those two models. The changeable display, depending on what you want to control, is a complex thing to describe but very easy and intuitive to use. It’s the car equivalent of an app for each function like radio, satnav and ventilation controls with the touch screen control buttons changing depending on selection.

The PHEV is quite an underrated way of transitioning to all-electric motoring. It gets you used to charging up the battery and exposes you to all-electric travel for quite a distance. And if your daily commute back and forth was 59 km then you’d never hear the 1.6l cc petrol engine start or being used.

Then when you get home it only takes 3 hrs to fully recharge the battery for the next day's use/commute. Fuel economy worked out at 5.0l/100kms for me which was a combination of petrol and electric use.

Transition between electric and petrol power is quite honed now by Kia and for most people they’d call it seamless. Driving a lot of cars with different powertrains I’d also be drawn to using the word seamless to describe the transition. Automatic transmission is necessary for a PHEV and the simple, logical, circular control knob provided by Kia is a design classic.

Performance is fine. A Niro is not a car that you’d be racing to test if a sporty drive is required. It wasn't built for that. It was built for practical, active, family motoring. Some boot space was lost due to the fitting of the battery, but you still get a 358 litre boot that’ll expand to 1,342 litres if you fold the rear seats. It is a simple, honest and earnest drive doing the important bits well like quietness and comfort.

The steering is very light and lacks feedback, so on a twisty road at speed you'd be better off easing off. Noise levels didn't require me to make any notes so a conversation with your passengers at speed won't be an issue.

Power output is the combination of the petrol engine and electric motor outputs that totals 189PS. But 189PS total does not deliver a 189PS car - the numbers don’t work that way.

For the average active family, the power available is good and will cover most of the things in life you’d ask it to do. For the numerologists amongst you the 0-100km/h time is 9.8s with a top speed of 161km/h.

The quality and finish on Kia models is very high and the Niro is no exception. The very high standards in the EV6 have welcomingly made their way into the Niro and Sportage models delivering a relentless rise up the quality ladder and places Kia right up there with the best the competition can offer.

Prices start at €38,500 for the K3 entry model rising to €41,500 for the K4 model that adds in faux leather upholstery, electric front seats that are heated and ventilated and a 10.25 inch driver’s LCD digital display and to my mind are well worth the extra.

If you want, need, the contrasting C-Pillar then factor in an extra €700 on top of the K4 price. I’d stump up for that too as it affords the Niro some street cred.

The best-selling PHEV for the last three years has been thoroughly modernised and should be sufficient to keep it vying for the top PHEV spot for a few more years to come without gouging the cash out of you pockets due to its relatively keen pricing and married to its painless and reassuring seven year warranty.