2017 Kia Niro Review

there are more hybrid models on the
market than you probably know about and
more being added all the time
case in point he is 2017 Nero it's their
first dedicated hybrid and they claim
that its distinguishing factors are that
it looks good and drives well unlike
some hybrids Prius it's a bold claim so
we will look at those flames and see
what we think let's start with the first
one which you can decide for yourself
how it looks now I definitely think it
looked less weird than the Prius though
some would say the front still has that
Kia look that is typifies by the new
Sportage overall it's about the size of
a Prius but you'll notice it's kind of
higher riding looks a little bit like
one of the subcompact SUVs or crossovers
if you must and in terms of interior
space is similar in that regard - it's a
little bigger inside than the chevy trax
but not quite as roomy as the Honda HRV
now on to the driving aspect in one
regard Kia definitely has a point and
that is because the Niro uses a
conventional 6-speed automatic
transmission and that is not the case
for many hybrids including all Toyota's
and Lexus's like most hybrids you have
the requisite hybrid specific display
there's a simple energy flow diagram
between the gauges and the same in the
center touch screen shows which way the
power is flowing as well as the usual
you know game style means of seeing how
well you're driving how economically it
is just grow leaves on the tree and of
course fuel economy so the most recent
short drive we did we got thirty nine
point seven miles per gallon and that
raises the question how efficient is
this thing well according to the EPA the
niro is not as efficient as the Prius it
comes in three different versions the
lowest trim level the efi is rated 62
miles per gallon city 49 highway the LX
and EX trim levels are 51 city 46
highway and the touring which we're
sitting in get 46 City
and 40 highway and when you see what the
combined ratings are for the Prius 52
miles per gallon on the regular one and
56 in the Eco you start to understand
why Kia is emphasizing how it looks and
how it drives now this is a bit of a
change for a hybrid with a normal
transmission but similar to the Toyota
and Lexus hybrids the city rating is
higher than the highway rating now the
combined ratings are either 50 miles per
gallon for the FES 49 for the two middle
trim levels of LX connieyc or 43 for the
touring which we're sitting in so why so
low for the touring well the company
says it adds a hundred and thirteen
pounds worth of features and different
wheels and tires still that's a big big
difference for not a whole lot of weight
it really does suggest that the car is
sensitive to the amount of weight you
put in it another selling point for the
Niro is passenger volume it has four
cubic feet more than the Prius and three
more than the Ford c-max hybrid now by
the numbers there's an inch and a half
less front seat legroom but I'm 6 feet
tall and I'm fine in this thing and
there's actually a lot of seat travel so
in that regard a bit of an advantage the
back seat is where the Niro really earns
its stripes it has four inches more
legroom than the Prius and an inch more
than the Ford c-max even with the
driver's seat all the way back my knees
are clear car design is a balancing act
so the larger passenger volume means
less cargo volume behind the bass seat
the Prius actually has about 40% more
but once the seats are folded down the
Toyota the Kia and the Ford are all
about the same for total cargo volume
overall the Prius is a tough target to
hit the narrow comes close in some ways
exceeds it in some but its biggest
problem is the same one the Prius and
all other hybrids have which is that gas
is so inexpensive right now it makes
whatever quarks remain in hybrids a
little bit harder to live
with also a little harder to live with
the premium price you might pay and any
chance you have of making that back on
fuel savings in the future
you

2017 Kia Niro Review

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