October 10, 2022
Blog Admin
2023 Kia Niro Hybrid First Drive Review
It’s been said dozens of times before, but with each new model it bears repeating – Kia has come a long way in three decades. Now accounting for 4.6 percent of the US market, 2021 was also Kia’s best sales year ever. Kia’s Plan S aims to offer 14 battery electric vehicles by 2027 with the expectation that more than half of its global sales will be of the electrified variety by 2030.
So far this year, Kia’s already debuted hybrid and PHEV versions of the Sportage as well as the brand’s most powerful vehicle yet, the 576-horsepower all-electric EV6 GT. And now we’re onto the follow-up to Kia’s first electrified model, the Niro, which continues to be available in hybrid, plug-in, and all-electric varieties.
Quick Stats 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid SX Touring
Engine/Motor: 1.6-liter I4 w/Two Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors
Output: 139 Horsepower/195 Pound-Feet
Efficiency: 53 City / 54 Highway / 53 Combined MPG
Base Price: $26,500 + $1,295 Destination
A little bug of a car when it debuted in 2017, the second-generation Niro is less bubbly and bulbous for 2023. Kia sharpened the exterior design, better defining the corners edges rather away from yesteryear’s bean-like curves. Character lines are distinctive, giving the small Niro a toned profile, like it’s been working out. On looks alone, the hybrid and PHEV models look nearly identical. They can be equipped with the same wheels and the same, black-painted D-pillar.
Distinguishing the Niro EV from its ICE-equipped brothers is a smoother, flatter minimalist front fascia. And because of the smaller grille opening, the EV looks less grumpy.
The Niro interior has been cleaned up quite a bit, too. The infotainment screen sizes carry over but their placement is now atop the center console rather than within it. By showcasing the screen this way, the cabin instantly feels upscale. The 8.0-inch infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is standard but only for entry-level LX models.
Worth noting is that Kia is deftly serious about its Plan S future. Sustainability is as much about carbon footprint as it is about emissions.
Hybrids remain the gateway vehicle into the world of electrification. Kia corporate estimates that two-thirds of buyers will opt for the hybrid, likely due a starting price of less than $30,000.
When equipped with the available smart cruise control (SCC), the Kia Niro also comes with machine-learning capability. The AI algorithm will learn a driver’s on-road habits and adjust the SCC to best mimic how the driver actually drives and reacts.
The Niro EV drove and handled fantastically. The Niro Hybrid, under the same driving conditions, was hollering like an angry toddler. On its own and versus similar subcompact CUVs, the hybrid performs as expected. But against its electric sibling, it comes off as lackluster. The EV is definitely the most entertaining of the Niro trio.
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