The new and improved Kia Niro has had its full unveiling - and here’s everything you need to know about one of Britain’s best-loved crossovers.
The Niro is something of a darling of the UK automotive industry.
Since being introduced back in 2016 it has notched-up a clutch of industry awards, particularly when it comes to the all-electric ‘e-Niro’ variant.
And when Kia first announced a Niro facelift back in November last year, it came with a real overhaul to the styling.
There are colour-contrast rear 'c-pillars', 'boomerang' light clusters at the back, and a new ‘Tiger’ grille front face to make the Niro look more grown-up.
We were told how Kia really wanted to go above and beyond to use sustainable materials wherever it could - with the headlining made from recycled wallpaper, for example.
We also learned that there would be three distinct versions - a self-charging hybrid-electric, a plug-in hybrid and a full-blown EV.
And the good news is that we now know precisely what those individual powertrains will be.
Starting with the all-electric Niro, the headline figures are this: a 64.8kWh lithium-ion polymer battery results in a range between charges of 288 miles, which is an improvement on the outgoing model’s range of 282 miles.
There’s power of up to 150kW - or 203 PS - which provides plenty of oompf. There’s 255 Nm of torque and your Niro lease will see you accelerating from 0-62mph in just 7.8 seconds. There’s also DC rapid-charging capabilities, with a 10 to 80 per cent replenish taking around 43 minutes.
A Kia spokesperson says there’s other electric wizardry under the bonnet, explaining:
“When temperatures are low, the system in Niro EV uses navigation-based battery conditioning to pre-heat the battery when a charge point is selected as a destination, which helps shorten charge times and secure battery performance.”
Underpinning both the HEV and PHEV models is Kia’s 1.6-litre GDI petrol engine and a dual-clutch automatic transmission. In both cars, reversing takes place solely using electric energy, which cuts down on CO2 emissions .
The regular hybrid marries the petrol engine with a 32kW electric motor, which combine to produce overall power of 141 PS.
With the PHEV you can expect an electric-only range of up to 40 miles - meaning a Benefit in Kind (BIK) tax bracket of just 8 per cent for the year 2022-23, which is news to put a smile on the faces of business lease customers.
Inside the cabin there’s an eye-catching pair of 10.25-inch display screens, a 10 inch head-up display, advanced ‘Voice Car Control’, a power tailgate, and a host of driver assistance systems as part of Kia’s ‘DriveWise’ package.
It means lease customers enjoy Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, intelligent cruise control, ‘Junction Turning’ and ‘Junction Crossing’, the latter of which ramps-up the safety when negotiating busy intersections on the road.
What’s more, the new Niro should be a heap of fun to drive, too.
A Kia spokesperson adds:
“The all-new Niro has received suspension and steering improvements to deliver an enjoyable and responsive drive. At the front, the new Niro benefits from a MacPherson strut-type suspension, while the rear gets a four-link type set-up. Both, front and rear geometry together with an optimised steering gear ratio have been tuned for improved responsiveness, stability and ride comfort.
“A new tilt-type strut bearing reduces the friction in the strut and enables a smoother start of damper motion. It also reduces the friction in the steering system that together with an individual steering software tuning provides a very natural steering feel with excellent feedback.”
The new Niro goes on sale in the coming weeks, so we will keep you posted.
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