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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.พ. 2025
- This is the new Kia Niro. It's a striking hatchback that combines the practicality of a crossover with the eco-cred of a clever hybrid system. But what's it like to drive? Is is as spacious as rivals as the Nissan Qashqai, or as economical as a Toyota Prius? Find out in this full, in-depth review.
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00:55 - Looks like Mat got this one wrong, guys! Since 2017 sat nav has come as standard for the Kia Niro!
Hey Mat you also got wrong that it doesn t come with a spare wheel bad in my country Cyprus it comes at standard!
Not sure if the editing affected it, but was surprised it was a only a "consider" rather than "shortlist" verdict given how overwhelmingly positive the review was?
The reason for the groaning sound is magnetostriction. When the electric motor is stressed but not allowed to do much work, the magnetic flux generated by it basically turns the coil into a speaker and hence, the vibrations are amplified into that audible noise.
Thanks for the explantion. It was never the less a hilarious scene...;D
Thanks for the explanation! But why don't Prius make this kind of sound then?
Vedant Vohra
Pardon me??
what if you get the same sound off a non hybrid car
Is that not harmful to the electric motor? I wonder if they could have applied a program that if the car is at a stand still and the brake is partially depressed to not send as much power to the electric motor. Maybe Toyota figured that out and could be the reason the Prius doesn't make the noise. Curious about it now though.
kia just keeps getting better and better with their new cars
We have a Kia Niro Hybrid (HEV) from 2020 and it’s achieved as high as 76.1 mpg on a mix of motorway, countryside and town driving (45mins drive in total). So overall quite economical considering its size and interior is very smart, spacious, boot is decent size. I feel like this review doesn’t entirely do the car justice.
Anyone who wants to know if the Niro is worth to get it, yes it is.
I currently own one and it is amazing. Ranges better than a Prius (45mpg vs the Niro's 60mpg. I drove 2 at one point. The stupid Prius as an ex company car), handles way better with it's extremely sharp steering, very comfortable ride and driving feel, stable around corners, easy to park and good for novice driver with tons of features and creature comforts for drivers and passengers alike like back aircon, cruise control, apple play, NFC charging, tons of charging points, blind spot assist, reverse cam and for my model, aircon seats for both front seats.
However, it does have it's weakness. It's very heavy and when you reverse, it might catch you offguard and rolls abit if you're at a gradient. The lack of a spare tire is disturbing, validated but disturbing. The creeping brake sound is from the regenerative braking module but still it creeps me out sometimes when the brake is just partially depressed.
But still, it's better than that dumb Prius so if you want a hybrid, go for this.
Difficult to know which car you are referring to
niro.....
Why do you need charging points for the Prius? It is a hybrid, or you are confused, thinking that it is an electric car. Oh, if it is, how did you get 45mpg???)
@@TL-xw6fh Probably means mobile phone charging points in the car.
I'm torn between this and the new Corolla... 3cm height or sunroof? Decisions, decisions...
Love my Niro--- you didn't mention how much fun the sports mode offers.
Wait.. There's a Sports Mode?! I've been driving it for 3 years and I've never even known there's Sports Mode let alone used it!
@@MrLolx2u I have the lower end model, so i assume all models have it. from drive move the transmissions shift rod to the left. by default you're in sport mode. you can also do manual shifting from bumping it up and down in that position. (within reason, the computer uses it as a suggestion mostly. )
@@PghFlip oh THAT sport mode. Ye I never used it cuz it makes zero sense for a car like this and the DCT already works well in its normal setting.
Recent dreadful weather, but my window squirters work first time and consistently. 3 months and 9000 miles in, its a brilliant car
Great review! Would love to see a Prius vs Niro vs Ioniq head2head!
Thanks! You might be in luck there :)
Jeremy Nechytaylo really? Would rather watch my wallpaper paste dry ....
carwow hi, its a bit of shame you didn't mention how it behaves like hybrid. I am considering possibly a purchase of one. Very important is for me how it behaves in traffic jam. If you can force it to go electric like you can do in plug-ins. Or if you don't have that option when and how often will combustion engine kick in. In one review someone complained that hyundai kicks in every other moment for no reason... even when stationary.
Great review sir. Would it be consider it as the only car for a family ? Thank you
Jeremy Nechytaylo i
Can't speak for anyone else, but I bought a Niro LX (not quite the bottom trim level) "regular" hybrid (not the plug-in model) a bit more than 2 months ago, and have been very pleased. It's not perfect (the parking brake is, or would be, useless as an emergency brake, and is annoying to use even for its intended purpose), but it handles quite well on mountain roads, and straight-line performance is better than the Crosstrek it's replacing. Electronic features are generally good, easy to see on-screen and easy to use - the "touch-screen" actually responds to just a touch, rather than having to tap it. Mat doesn't care for the shift lever, but I like it just fine as it is, and I agree with him about the brakes. Much better - predictable and firm - than the Prius I test drove. The Niro is also easier to get into and out of than the Prius. Mine averaged 48.4 mpg on a 2,800-mile road trip on interstate highways, which are not a hybrid's strong suit, and it's getting 52 mpg around town. That's twice the mileage of the Crosstrek it's replacing. True, there's no 4WD, but I've survived for decades without 4WD, including a dozen years in Colorado. I'd like a real spare tire instead of an inflater kit, but I understand the weight savings, and if I want to spend $200, I can buy a steel wheel and a temporary tire - there's room in that well in back for a spare. All in all, I'm happy with mine.
You've got the Niro in the States too??
@@ZerokillerOppel1 Yes! 5 years later, I bought my 2nd one, with a few new features, this spring. So far, it's just as reliable and economical as the 2018 it replaced.
Matt, please stop maltreating the load covers.
adilator He can do whatever he want too
Agree! I cringe every-time I see him throwing them on the tarmac!
Christo Stone Who cares? He can throw the load covers on the ground whenever he wants to!
I care and he should care as a car journalist about the cars he reviews. What are you? Twelve?
Christo Stone No, I'm twenty. And if i own a car, then i will sometimes throw load covers on the ground
Just to say, the noise you hear at low speed, is the electric motor doing its job, this car always starts off in electric power, once it has done three and a half miles the petrol engine kicks in.
At very low speeds the electric motor will move the wheels but you must realise that with all electric motors, there will be a noise of the brushes making contact with the armature of the motor. Mike Palmer
Thank you, Mat, for the best reviews and they're all delivered with a clear British accent. It's not surprising that your videos are followed by so many people for whom English is not their first language.
7:13 when a bunch of mosquitos hovers around your head...
Kia & Hyundai are getting better and better :)! I really love these cars
7:15 that's a built in ship horn to tell traffic to move!
Khaled Hossam lol
haha😂👌
It's a Didgeridoo
A hugely overlooked car in my opinion. I really like it, looks good in this color and spec. That sound it makes when creeping along is hilarious, I can imagine it being really annoying.
It’s so people who are blind are made aware car is there so they can hear it
@@rossmackenzie3672that sound is actually the brakes. He's either got the ebrake on or barely has his foot off the brake pedal. The electric motor simulates an old-school automatic, so it will begin to creep forward without touching the accelerator. Most automatic cars have done this for ages but not many have the instant electric torque to overcome the brakes. I drove an Ioniq HEV and now have one of these, this has been my experience. The pedestrian sound is very different.
Why is he always so heavy handed with everything ??!! Always slamming the bins, bashing the switches, literally pulling off the steering wheel 🤦🏻♂️ Be honest, would you let him near your car?
When he threw the luggage against the seat... i felt that
He's probably trying to generate 3 years of use out of in 3 minutes.
He's hillarious I was cracking up when I saw this video😂😂😂
7:35 stops drivers from inching forward at red light. Brilliant
The new updated and improved 2020 Kia Niro seems great. I hope it can be reviewed soon.
I love watching your reviews they are so amusing and you make me laugh, yes the noise at the end was so weird, I would consider like you said but I need USB at the back, the spare tire is a must.
Love the videos but should be called ‘how to wreck a car’s interior in 5 minutes’. Do they charge you to replace buttons, parcel shelves and door bins after you’ve finished?
Family cars like this will go through a hard life. We can't employ a five-year old to do the wrecking for us (thanks a lot, child labour laws) so Mat, being the thorough road tester that he is, endeavours to give his best impression.
carwow What a reply ! :P
I feel like you mistreat some cars more than others :(
Well then I'd like to see him throw that suitcase around in something like a S class or Cayenne, just for best impression's sake
@@suprenormal Exactly. Never saw Mat throwing a suitcase around a Porsche Cayenne, or a E class. Just because its a expensivs car.
Oh my god that rolling sound. Just drove a Hyundai Kona Electric in a car sharing service, it made the same sound
I did a shot of tequila every time Matt said 'Toyota Prius' and so now i'm dead. Congratulations Carwow. You win this round.
You smacked that suitcase into the boot twice! It's the other way around when the camera switches ;) (4:05)
When I watched the review I was positive it would be labeled as "shortlist" since not many faults were said about the car. And in the end, it is just a consideration? Am I the only one who is confused by the verdict?
Fran Krsto that sound thoe
Yes, seems strange. The cons are rather strange. The sensors in other colours blend in much better, the "noise" is just a matter of using the brake rigth. My old Audi A3 with DSG, made the same sound. The lack of spare tire...well thats just the future tbh. Like that or not. In my world it´s a shortlist, if you are in for a hybrid. The PHEV is even better, so worth checking out too.
It's a Kia: it'll start to fall apart six months after you buy it.
iatsd Yeah, that's why they give industry leading warranty. If what you're saying is even remotely true, KIA would go bankrupt long time ago.
Probably because it is 'reasonable', not great at anything and low speed ride is poor. And a few other things in that it is all OK, not better than others.
Had a test drive with the Plug in one the other day .... not bad ,..... but I won't swap it for my Kia Sportage 2016 4wd turbo diesel yet .
'The 5 annoying things..' talk about nit picking! Only the footbrake a valid point.
I’m not a fan of hybrids due to the lack of power but I have to say the quality and smoothness is amazing
Have had the 2018 Premium Luxury trim for 2 months now. Never have experienced that groaning sound. Also you are able to drive that slow only if you do gymnastics on the brakes, or the "handbrake" is on, otherwise the basic torque of the electric motor will carry the car a bit faster than that.
This specimen seems to have xenon front lights, so it's some lower trim, from Business Premium the front lights are full led.
Your reviews are the best!!! Keep doing a good job for us !
Hey there. I love your reviews mate, but why do you keep on throwing things and damage them i.e load cover, etc.
Just bought a 2019 Hybrid Niro 4: previous owners had put in a spare wheel, so you can get them.
You know I like a lot how you manage to explain and make analytical comparisons between cars but it`s just one thing that annoys me, is when you smash a suit case or something else in a relative accessible brand like the thing that you did with the suit case in the trunk and it`s not the first time, I never see you do that in a Mercedes, so not cool and not so funny. And that sound the break makes reminds me of the sound the tripod makes in War Of The Worlds :)). Nothing else to complain the rest is great work!!
My favourite car journalist in my favourite channel
It's a good thing the handbrake is of the manual, foot operated variety. Less likely to fail than those Vicky electric buttons.
T H-L 'Foot operated handbrake.'
Do you know why the Kia Niro isn't a Top Safety Pick for IIHS? I've been trying to decide between the Kia Niro and Hyundai Ioniq. I like the amount of room for the 2nd passengers the Niro has. It seems like a great choice if I have kids one day and need to put in/remove car seats. However, the Ioniq is an IIHS Top Safety Pick for both 2017 & 2018. Additionally, Hyundai offers a lifetime warranty for the battery, which is one of the biggest longterm concerns for hybrid owners.
was browsing a few weeks ago, no review on this. pleasantly surprised you did one! definitey considering a ‘smalltage’ ^^
Hi Matt. I have a Kia Niro 2. It has the 7 inch screen and does have the sat nav as standard as well as apple CarPlay.have you tried the 2 spec because it rides on 16inch wheels and gives both a better ride and better economy as opposed to the 19inch wheel on the Niro 3. I enjoy your reviews. Regards Stephen.
Do Kia Stinger GT review please 😉
I put on about 1000 miles per week on my Niro as an Uber driver. Can’t say enough about how I love this car! I had a Prius and needed a new headlight. The dealer had to remove the front bumper to replace it. Is that what you call good engineering?
Dude i love your videos
please Mat do a review on a maserati. I don't know why you didn't so far. I would love a review on the Levante and if possible a head to head with other luxury SUVs like an x6 ,Velar..etc.not a single decent review on Levante and you are a fair unbiased reviewer.wish you can!
I have one of this. Very cute. I'm loving it
The latest one has an electronic parking brake. A work mate just got one, very much loaded with kit including an electric sunroof.
Could you please review the 2020 Niro (Chargable hybrid)
I'm almost in love, except for that groaning noise. 😳 Might have to stick with my Prius for a little longer. Would be really nice to have a larger hybrid with excellent mpg though.
Hi Matt. Great vid as always. You look very identical to Aussie cricketer George Bailey. Especially when ☺
Would be nice to hear more about the hybrid nature of the car
My family just bought a new Kia Niro 2 2020 edition love it nice to go with are diesel be transporter t6
Carwow, you guys really need to rewiv the 2020 Kia Niro HEV or PHEV, to let us know if its as good buying the 2018 or the 2020 version.. Thank you :)
Absolutely love this car! ❤️
1. Hybrid doesn’t have spare wheel due to the battery taking up that space. (Likely)
2. The sound of the brakes is actually regulatory in some markets where on electric power, the car has to make some noise to alert pedestrians
Wrong on both occasions - in other countries you can get space saver spare wheel, at least I have on my 2020 MY, and the weird braking sound didn't happen to me in 19000 km and 2 years of owning the car. You get a way more subtle sound generated when driving on electric-only power. It hard to hear TBH, pedestrians in city don't notice it unless really close, less than 1m
the 'super cool dubstep group' is called Nero and they are indeed great
The oneplus 5 mention made me love this channel even more 😂
1:00 - The Level 2 does comes with navigation as standard
Engine valves are steel with a Sodium Filled cavity in the valve head to aid cooling them, not made from Sodium.
And not sodium chloride either. Review turned off at that point. Does this person actually think he is informing the potential buyer by presenting such inaccurate garbage?
C-HR vs Niro ? Which one is better?
OnePlus 5 so now I have one more reason to like your videos.
Surely this ought to be compared to a rav4 hybrid or C-hr hybrid, they are SUVs after all. Prius is a hatchback last time I looked. The Toyota gearboxes never break so for me personally don't mind them holding revs.
Nice review, however, I must point out you need to throw the salt over your left shoulder when you spill salt. That way, you hit the devil in the eye!
4:05 At least you rolled the rear window down. You wouldn't want to have to give Autoglass a call...
Another great review. Are you planning to review the new skoda karoq?
My 2019 Ioniq makes the exact same sound when pressing gently on the brake like in 7:10
you can easily get a full size spare tyre... i have one... from factory... it is optional...
Another useful video. Thanks man👍
Why not mention the boot size ? This is a serious contender, and there are many on the roads so it must be a success.
Omg Thank God we have something to rival the Prius. This looks incredible compared to it
I have 2019 Kia so far 98000 miles driven not problem at all just change oil and brakes pad
Mat, when you're gonna test Insignia grand sport ... that car really loves me because I'm thinking of buying it.
We haven't reviewed the Grand Sport, but we have filmed the Sports Tourer! th-cam.com/video/ida3yGSrIak/w-d-xo.html
carwow ...yes, I looked at this test will you test the grand sport in general?
Can't tell if I like those onitsuka tigers or not. They look comfortable though
Can you please do a review of the KIA Optima plug-in hybrid! Pleeeeease!
Hi there, I like your tests very much. Is it possible for you do do a comparence test with Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid/ Niro hybrid. Because that is what Im going choose from when I buy on of these in the fall
nice review! can you do a kia stinger review please
Volkswagen T-roc soon?
I love your reviews not only are they factual but they're hilarious to. Love the part about the JBL speakers. So you can listen to ya wicked beatz now in it🤣🤣👌 class
Great video! Please do the Kia Optima GT Line. 🙏🏻
Great review. You seemed to like the car but your final advice was only to ‘consider’ it!! How much does it cost compared to other hybrids?
Great video once again. I am loving this content drive!
After watching loads of reviews and reading the specs and brochures I finally took the plunge and got a Niro PHEV. I hate it and heres why:
The electric motor isn't powerful enough to pull the car up a hill if you have passengers and the engine has to kick in. Also if you want to be warm in winter, then the engine has to be running. When activating the cruise control and letting the gas pedle go, there's a short delay where the car thinks about this and if your going up hill then you end up slowing down. The charge cable can be locked into the car, but if you unplug the other end of the lead then this releases the lock.
Martin Randall those are really helpful and honest points. Much more useful than the video. Thanks.
Martin Randall I recently bought a 2018 Niro EX and I’m really enjoying the car had no issues driving up on the hills or during winter cause I live in anchorage alaska. The one I own doesn’t plug into the wall which I like and saves me loads on gas. Sport mode is my favorite!
@@DAA989 well I'm glad your experience has been more positive than mine, but I believe the PHEV part which causes me the issues.
Can you compare Skoda Kodaiq and BMW X1
Great review, what would you advise. This car 2nd hand with 58k on it. Or a new hyundai i20, I know the i20 is smaller but they are both the same price in my country
This video is a good contrast with the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV video. Matt's simply not consistent in how he adddresses vehicles. He talks about the Kia being ok in terms of soft touch materials, yet he disses the Outlander - which has more soft touch materials than the Kia. It's similar throughout. The Mitsubishi is constantly run down, while he talks up the Kia. But the Kia is a cheaper car in every respect.
I lol'd at that slow brake noise
Can you please review the e Niro
As always the best reviews from you Matt, that is why I changed from carbuyer to carwow.
But may I suggest the new Porsche Panamera and the new Range Rover Vogue for future reviews?
Because those two are really valid options for average wages,middle class families which corresponds to about 80% of the population??🤤
You should do a review on the honda vezel hybrid... But i know in usa you only get the HRV model... The hybrid model is cool
The Roman emperor was "Nero"...nice car though😂
Another top review from Mr W
I just subscribed after a long laugh recovery 7:15 😂
any chance you could mention which cars do it better?
Not mentioning of engine n battery capacity, really?
I was very seriously considering to take Niro for 24 month lease until I checked Autotrader and saw hundred Niros for sale with very small mileage, 800 to 2K miles, fresh 2017 cars returned after few months of use. If that was a comfy reliable car, nobody would throw them back after just few months of use, wouldn't they? Any thoughts, insiders, research, owners real experience share?
Jack Worth lots of ex demos. Almost every dealer had to have more than one demo available due to the dealer contracts, and even more dealers got more in for company cars. I have one, and it's bloody brilliant.
It's Kia Diet Sportage
Stop complaining about CVT transmissions making that noise, its way more efficient than regular automatic transmissions and the results of people complaining like that is that they, like Subaru for example, implement fake gear changes that actually makes the gearbox less efficient...
I hired this car via rental and really liked it
Please always specify hybrids. This will be more and more pronounces feature in future. So is it 48V hybrid or full hybrid? How fast can drive in EV mode. How large is battery?
Arnis Tarassu Google.com
NEEEEEEEEEEEERD
Impressive for a hybrid. Can’t get a manual? Not sure you can get the car in Australia. Trouble with electronic hybrids is a lack of character- still prefer a diesel manual while they’re still available.
I actually prefer a foot parking brake or even better a hand brake than an electronic one.
Matt, why wouldn't you review Maseratis ? Like forreal !
i looooove maseratis
Which model would you like to see us review?
carwow Granturismo
carwow Levante, Ghibli, Quattroporte.. pretty much the whole line up🙄
Levante
Hey Matt, Could you kindly do the review on Kia Rio Plz