Some notes from a long term driver of a Hybrid Niro (mine is a 2018 LE). I drive for mileage (not quite a hyper miler, but close). Most of my driving is city and "highway with significant traffic", so my average speed is about 30 MPH. Here in the Florida panhandle, it is warm most of the year. That said, in the dead of winter, I get about 60 MPG. In warmer weather, that goes up to about 65 MPG. Now, most people don't drive like me, but if you do aim for high fuel efficiency, this is what can be done.
@@MacNerfer Before I got my Niro, I drove a 1985 Toyota Tacoma pickup with the 4 liter V6 engine. I probably averaged about 23-24 MPG on a truck rated to get 17 - 18 (and many folks said they never got that much). A lot of it is not so much slowing down as it is don't accelerate so hard. The harder you press on that pedal, the more gas you burn. If everyone would just do that and get several MPG more, that is a lot less oil we spend money on, and more money to buy other things that (hopefully) are made here.
Team PHEV. As a mom in the drops off, pick up lanes at school 5 days a week all on electric. Plug in at home and go. A few longer trips a month means gas will be used enough to not go stale.
The Kia Niro is the 7th best selling car this year in the UK. That is a great achievement - well done Kia. In the UK all Kia cars come with a 7 year warranty or 100,000 miles.
Dealership markups are exactly why id rather do without them and order straight from factory. Also freight and delivery. It would be cheaper to fly to the factory and drive them home
I hear ya, unfortunately traditional car manufacturers / importers are not allowed (by law) to sell vehicles directly. That is the exact reason why Tesla styles itself as a technology company and not a vehicle manufacturing company, hence they can sell direct to the end user.
You're not going to save any money with a direct approach. Someone else will just get a bigger cut like with Tesla model, but people feel good as they think they are saving by them not having dealers. Meanwhile their prices go up many times a year on the site.
I was blessed to buy a used 2021 PHEV that had just been traded in. SX Touring… so much better than the new ones. I like having more (enough functional) buttons. I like the full leather seats (heated & cooling). I like the normal non-pano sunroof. I like older non-boxy styling. As for the piano black… I wrapped the chrome dask in Matt black vinyl bought from Amazon. Such a fantastic car!!!
I have a 2018 Niro Hybrid. It seems the drivetrain is essentially the same in the new models. Fuel efficiency has been fantastic, reliability has been a none issue, and it's a comfortable car to drive. Sport mode breathes some life to performance when needed. Not a a great option when you have lots of cargo, but otherwise highly recommended.
Based on reports on the Kia owner's forum going back to 2017 the 1.6L gas engine in these Kia's is pretty bulletproof. There at least a half dozen owners reporting over 100,000 mile with no engine issues. Several have over 200,000 with no engine issues (no tranny problems either)! @@awesomepainting1588
I got a 2024 niro phev in northern Ontario and it’s great as a daily driver as I can plug it in at work or at home. And having the gas engine makes it great for the long trips out of town particularly as charging infrastructure is basically nonexistent in northern Ontario. Thought they had a great review and would recommend this car.
This car seems so nice for the niche it serves! I also like your points about the PHEV is about reducing gas consumption not trying to mimic an EV. I wonder if it rides close to as well as the Sportage for road trips.
Almost 2,000 miles on my 2024 Niro HEV ... cumulative average according to the dash - 56.5 mpg. Mixed driving here in Providence, RI with some trips up to Boston and the Cape. Twice I have tried to calulate tank to tank gallons at the pump by hand and get just ever so slightly lower mpg than the car calculates; about -1 mpg, so I think the presented figures are pretty close. The car keeps three mpg registers, "Cumulative" which you can reset (but I will leave for very long term, "tank to tank", and "trip", which is ignition on to ignition off. Every time you shut the car off it flashes the "trip" calculation. This is a seriously fuel efficient car. If you do lots of hyway at 75 plus I think you'll be in the mid to hi 40s. But if you do mixed driving and get into the hybrid style of driving you will hit the EPA spec. Occasionally I'll do 5 mile errand around town and the trip calc by the car will be in the mid 60s. I have had several 10-15 mile secondary road trips that broke 70 mpg.
In Quebec province they get an additional 2,500$ rebate for the PHEV and it's forbidden (by law) to sell at a higher price than the MSRP. For people driving less than 40 km per day (considering winter time), the PHEV is the one to get...as long as home recharging is possible.
Retired guy here. I live in a town of 250,000, so small. My guess is that I normally go, on average, about 15 miles per day. Except now I have granddaughter exactly 10 miles from the house. So, my 20 mile commute 3-4 times a week would be Fully EV. My garage has 120v of course, but ALSO has a 240 outlet doing absolutely nothing...so, that become an option. This little car looks great, exterior and passenger compartment are almost identical to ford escape i currently drive. Only the hatched storage is a compromise from the Escape...but that means fewer requests from friends to schlep stuff around for them. Thanks for great review. I wonder how much of the bells and whistles are sacrificed if I go for a used one from 2020 or so? It actually looks like not that much, really.
Very detailed and helpful review. This will definitely help alot of people who are looking to purchase their first HEV or PHEV. Your as tested fuel economy even more impressive for the HEV at 3.9L/100 km. Thank you for answering my heat pump question. Keep up the great work. 👍
You can tell your viewers that you can get that wing in the black color matched to the car, two tone is optional. I Test drove the Niro HEV the only thing I didn’t like was that plastic piece on the front doors, a dust magnet. The car runs very well, I just waiting for the Prius in Jan/ feb to drive to make a decision . Will trade in my 22 Santa Cruz sel premium I don’t have much use for the rear bed, tine to go green again once owned a 2004 civic hybrid put on 183k driving into Manhattan everyday from where I live 22 miles north in Rockland County . Great review as always you two. I drove the sx touring model top of the line 36k no markup!
I recently was able to sit in a new Prius. Supply is really limited, and the dealership had already sold the one they had in the lot, so I could only sit in it, not drive it. IMO, the Prius looks cooler, and it's slightly cheaper. But the view out, especially the view to the back is really limited. It just felt like a much smaller car, although it has more luggage space (less room in rear seats, and the car is a few inches longer than the Niro).
This may be the vehicle I replace my 16 Toyota Prius V with. I was looking at the new Prius prime, when it comes out but this vehicle has caught my eye. I would like a ev but I really don't want to spend that much money. The plug in hybrid seems pretty perfect. I have a few years left on my car but this car has really impressed me!
So nice to have so many choices for the Koreans! Zack's comment about PHEV & apartments -- and all those who park on the street for whatever reason - is right on. Also is a huge factor for EVs which the US Govt doesn't seem to consider at all 😵😲. I have a 2019 Niro PHEV & average 125 mpg over 16,000 miles. At the time I bought mine, the US Niro PHEV had a tax credit which nullified the cost difference. Today, without that tax credit, the HEV would probably make the most sense.
Just traded my much loved 2019 Niro PHEV EX for a slightly used 23 Niro HEV SX. I wanted a bit more space for growing grandchild and my wife strangely struggles with the driver's seat & ingress & egress in 19, not so in 23. 23 is quieter, softer ride, significantly more space in rear seat & a bit more space all around.
I have the Sportage hybrid and use the HVAC/radio toggle. I also set my default to radio since there are 4 dedicated HVAC buttons on the left side. I really like this Niro and its fuel efficiency.
Great review. Glad to see one video compare both HEV and PHEV. I'm seriously considering the 2024 PHEV top-trim over a Kona EV or Niro EV, only because I don't have to worry about range anxiety for those few trips a year where I cannot charge the batteries while parked overnight (like at the airport). Best reason to get the PHEV version? As someone who leases, I would STILL be eligible for Federal and State tax credits off the MSRP, lowering my monthly lease payments. Plus, hiring an electrician to install a Level 2 charger in my garage would qualify for a nice rebate to cover the costs from my local utility company (thank you NJ for being a Blue State).
For the PHEV in the US, there's an optional cold weather package that adds a battery-powered cabin heater, so the car doesn't need to burn gas just for heat! I don't know if it's a heat pump or resistive. But either way, that's important for me in the PNW with relatively short commutes and errands, since it gives me primarily electric all year instead of just for a few months in summer. However... the Niro PHEV still isn't the almost-all-electric commuter and hybrid roadtripper car that I hoped for. When I test drove, I was disappointed that after a hard acceleration to merge onto the highway, the engine stayed on at around 1200 RPM for several minutes afterward. I was in EV mode with the wheels being driven by the electric motor, while driving gently and even idling at a traffic light, but the gas engine just would not turn back off for several minutes. I later learned from the manual that the engine will turn on and stay on if it has needed to turn on to accelerate a few times, to fully warm it up to reduce wear. So keep in mind that if you have a shorter commute or errands, you might end up with the engine idling on for most of it if you have even just 1 or 2 moderately quick accelerations. If you're very light on the pedal, you'll be alright. This for me was a dealbreaker though. One last thing, there's a hidden "EV+" mode that you can access by holding down the EV button. The manual says it adjusts acceleration so that gas only kicks on if you put the pedal nearly full to the floor. I didn't get to try that out, but that might be handy for driving economically by staying in EV and keeping the engine from accidentally coming on, causing that several minutes of 1200 RPM warmup.
Really appreciate that you mentioned about the electric heater, and I'm pretty sure Canada is getting that too (called "PTC Heater" in the spec sheet I believe). My understanding is that it's a lot easier to keep it in EV mode if you have it in Eco mode, though I'll try holding down the button for the EV+ mode when I get my hands on one. Eagerly anticipating the vehicle as I already put down a deposit for the 2023 PHEV.
So you end up getting the Phev or Hev? I’m also debating between this two models and I have experienced same issue while testing the Phev, the engine kicked in after a quick acceleration and was on for few minutes after, it’s true was cold outside around 0 degrees Celsius ….didn’t know about the trick with holding the Ev button …
I see that Kia has again, placed it’s signal lights very low on the body. I do not care for this design nor do I feel it is as safe a place for these very essential signals lights/ I would much prefer them to be higher up, so that they are more in the line of sight for the driver of the vehicle behind the Niro. When you are behind a vehicle like this, in traffic you tend to be watching for brake lights (in this case, mounted high on the body) with the idea in mind that you may have to come to a quick stop. It make driving life much more difficult to have to try and look low for a possible last minute signal from the vehicle on front of you. I’d really like to hear from Andrea and Zack, as to what their thoughts are on this low placement of signal lights. As always, thank you for the great videos.
Bought 2024 LX hybrid. It rides like the older Prius. Lots of road feel and noise. If they could use some or more sound deadening it would improve ride so much! I’m in US
Nice looking vehicle! I like the dash/infotainment design too. I’ve never liked the tablet-style dash. They all seem as if the designers got lazy & just slapped it on. Come on manufacturers-at a refresh time, make the change.
You two have topped yourselves, excellent review and perspectives. Don't think I'd own either but that blue paint on the phev looks great. Thanks for continuing to post concise and pertinent automotive info. 🙏
Another great video you guys. You sure have fun doing your videos. A couple questions please. Would you chose the hybrid Niro or the pure electric and are there any gov't rebates for the hybrid in Canada and B.C.? Thank you so much. I thoroughly enjoy your videos
Well, when you noted that when the EV is needing a full charge that it takes 2 hours and 45 minutes to fully charge it, then that was a turn off. I don't fully understand Hybrids, but thats the route I would go. I like the extra trim options you get. I like the mileage noted, the space, the look. I am pretty impressed with this Kia. With the hybrid, how often do you need to gas up and charge?
I just looked at that, I'm coming out of a 2016 Prius Touring Ed. and the Niro has much better visibility, and slightly better mpg. Plus so much more room in the back. I also never liked the dash monitors for being able to see the gages.
I’m looking at buying the HEV or PHEV but am confused by all the varying reviews. Some are saying this car is great and some are saying it’s one to avoid. Thats quite a divergence in opinions. Not sure what to think. I’m leaning towards getting one but the extremely negative reviews by others are giving me pause. Thoughts?
It' s always a fun time watching your reviews. I wonder if Hyundai and Kia are working harder at gadgetry than reliability. As comments show there are still lots of concerns over engine and / or transmission issues for the two Korean brands.
Great reviews! Question: Can you drive the plug-in without "plugging" it in? Example; you only have access to a power supply once a week? Will it harm it?
I was recently looking at purchasing a used hybrid, selling my 2016 Tuscon. I’m now going to wait…. prices will come down as interest rates increase. I do have a 2022 Hyundai Elantra hybrid, ordered June 2022, still waiting to get information on build/ship date, good luck with that!
Yet another great review from you guys. I’d love to see you do a comparison of these two Niro models (the hybrid and plug-in hybrid) and the all-new Prius and Prius Prime, once those two models are available for a full drive and review.
Got a PHEV on order, won't get it until July. Different trims in the UK. I'm getting trim 3. Has everything I want. They are rated for towing here, wonder why they're not over there
I am so confused, at Kia Build and Price in the US, there isn't any version of the 2023 Hybrid or Phev that have the larger digital cluster with analog style round speedometer. The ones you drove do have this. ???
Wow Andrea been waiting for this video. A friend of mine who's totally anti electric, she's seen a couple of them now in the flesh and us smitten by the car. Let's see if she softens her view on electrified cars? 🚗
Glad you enjoyed the video, we are really impressed with the Niro. It's affordable, spacious enough and gets fantastic fuel economy. A hybrid is a great choice for your friend because she can just drive it and enjoy the savings at the pump, no need to plug it in or worry about range anxiety.
@@andreaspencer9813 Gosh Andrea, you're so right. I have shard this video with her and will discuss it with her in due course. In the meantime, it sounds like this Niro is getting nearer to yours and Zack's ideal electrified vehicle?
@@timphillips4147 I think if you don't have a large family and need the extra space, the Niro is a great option. It has a really comfortable drive, I am really surprised by it.
Great review once again, thank you :) As a current owner of the 2019 Niro SX Touring HEV, I might want the new PHEV with the additional HP except it doesn't have an electric driver seat with memory. Maybe I might go for a Sportage or Tuscon instead.
Excellent review. Do you know if the PHEV US version has configurable instrumentation cluster? I noticed in your video it shows the analog like speedometer, but what I see around here in California, they all show the digital speedometer and tachometer.
8:10 Are you saying that even if you used the panel for climate controls while driving, it'll default back to radio after sometime or only when you first start the car?
@@andreaspencer9813 thanks Andrea, owning a 2019 PHEV SX I was on the fence about upgrading and the one trim option may have helped me decide to keep mine a tad longer, even though the bigger electric motor and heater sound like good improvements. We got the SX by pure luck but the stereo and leather with ventilated seats would be hard to give up.
Ooohhh A nice sunny place! 👍🏻👍🏻 Not bad vehicle with an awesome gas mileage. It’s look like I will keep an eyes on both Kia and Hyundai to see what happen next few months. Great video Andrea! 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you glad you enjoyed it. We are really impressed with the Niro, if you don't need a ton of space, you can't beat the fuel economy on the hybrid and plug-in hybrid.
I really enjoy your videos they are very down to earth. I love how you give Canadian and American specks. Here's my question can a American buy and import Canadian version of cars or vice a versa. Great show keep up the great reviews.
Thanks so much for the positive feedback, really happy to hear you are enjoying the show. As Zack commented below, you can purchase used cars but not new.
Sharp looking and great technology. If plug-in hybrid/EV’s are your thing, then you’d be crazy not to put it onto your consideration list. Great review(s). Thanks for the video.
Interestingly today, one of those Porsche Cayenne diesels with the odd paperwork/warranty/release date/hold dates related to that ‘Dieselgate’ situation came up on a Gov’t auction site (Quebec). It sounded similar to your acquisition experience. It was a 2015 diesel with only 10,000 kms on it. By 2pm today it was over $32,000 Canadian.
@2:27 Kia Canada should use it for their print ad! Great shot! Awesome detailed review! Can't wait for them to arrive in Canada. It ticks more boxes in my wish list vs. Prius Prime. 1. Higher ground clearance (seen lots of Primes with damaged front bumpers, yikes!). 2. More cargo space, YET shorter by 12 inches (Great job Kia!) 3. More high-tech/driver-comfort features.....and the list goes on. Keep it up Kia!
Excellent video as usual. You two really do a fantastic job. Sorry, but I choose neither one. I'm going with the new Prius hopefully in an all-wheel drive.
The US market has less features. No fully digital driver display or heads up display in the hybrid model. Pretty disappointing. Perhaps in another model year there’ll be changes.
@@justind8125 Sometimes the US gets some good features, other times Canada. If everything was exactly the same trim wise in both countries, my life would be so much easier. lol!
You’re looking to buy a 2023 Kia Niro hybrid, my advice is to purchase literally any other car. Three weeks into my four year lease with the temporary tags and plastic still on the floor mats, this car just abruptly stopped in the middle of the road saying hybrid system failure. It has 1100 miles. What a joke.
I dont understand the whining about the buttons for radio/volume control. All the buttons you need are on the steering wheel. Volume, mute, on, off, mode, next station, next preset.
The original Niro looks boring. But they are so efficient and comfortable. Even if the new one looks overstyled, especially from the front and that R8 lookalike side blades, it should remain an efficient and practical choice. Its almost like a Soul with hybrid and PHEV. But for those who don't like anything fully electric, like me. Given the new Prius looks so sharp, that would be a tough choice when both are practical hatchback.
Imo, if it were available as awd, kia would double its sales.....throughout all the provinces, the northern states and the spine of the rockies, a significant % of buyers want awd. Again, and this is not just kia, the northern u.s. states' weather is no different than canadian provinces but the usa gets jipped with lack of heated seat and steering wheel options, among others,
Nice review as usual, guys! As a city dweller, I'd be in the hybrid (vs. PHEV) camp. With this or any PHEV, if you're always running in pure electric mode, charging overnight and not doing a lot of longer highway commutes, the IC engine and its gas and oil reserves could be sitting unused for months. Hardly ideal. You would probably need to be adding a gasoline preservative at the very least. My choice would be regular hybrid or Pure EV.
I love the styling of the Niro, but price wise, the Niro hybrid is about the same as the king of hybrid--the New Prius, and thousands more than the Corolla Hybrid; and the Niro PHEV is even more expensive than the Prius Prime(PHEV)! Performance wise, it's about the same as the Corolla Hybrid and not even close to the Prius and Prius Prime. It looks like a good vehicle, but for the same price, I would rather get the Prius.
I don't agree the heat pump of the plug-in. First, Plug-in hybrid battery is placed the inside of the car. You will heat-up battery temperature anyway. Second, The heat pump benefit is so small. BEV range is 200~300 miles. Plug-in EV range is 30miles. How much you can get mpg benefit by heat pump? Third, Think about Heat pump weight mpg loss. The heat pump benefit is even smaller. In spring, summer and autumn, it's all a loss. Why? You don't use heat pump.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
![ลองสุ่มไอโฟน 990 โกงมั้ย? [ โกงมั้ยครับ ep.101 ] | DOM](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bfsWe0j492k/mqdefault.jpg)
Some notes from a long term driver of a Hybrid Niro (mine is a 2018 LE). I drive for mileage (not quite a hyper miler, but close). Most of my driving is city and "highway with significant traffic", so my average speed is about 30 MPH. Here in the Florida panhandle, it is warm most of the year. That said, in the dead of winter, I get about 60 MPG. In warmer weather, that goes up to about 65 MPG. Now, most people don't drive like me, but if you do aim for high fuel efficiency, this is what can be done.
Sowing the blank down would save untold barrels of oil in Amurrica.
oh.... you mean "slowing the *&*!@ down" .... took me a second, lol. But yes, that makes a huge difference, for every vehicle.
How has your reliability been?
@@MacNerfer Before I got my Niro, I drove a 1985 Toyota Tacoma pickup with the 4 liter V6 engine. I probably averaged about 23-24 MPG on a truck rated to get 17 - 18 (and many folks said they never got that much). A lot of it is not so much slowing down as it is don't accelerate so hard. The harder you press on that pedal, the more gas you burn. If everyone would just do that and get several MPG more, that is a lot less oil we spend money on, and more money to buy other things that (hopefully) are made here.
Team PHEV. As a mom in the drops off, pick up lanes at school 5 days a week all on electric. Plug in at home and go. A few longer trips a month means gas will be used enough to not go stale.
Im with you..
there are fuel stabilizers that may be a good option as well
Most valuable car at this moment..
The Kia Niro is the 7th best selling car this year in the UK. That is a great achievement - well done Kia. In the UK all Kia cars come with a 7 year warranty or 100,000 miles.
Dealership markups are exactly why id rather do without them and order straight from factory. Also freight and delivery. It would be cheaper to fly to the factory and drive them home
I hear ya, unfortunately traditional car manufacturers / importers are not allowed (by law) to sell vehicles directly.
That is the exact reason why Tesla styles itself as a technology company and not a vehicle manufacturing company, hence they can sell direct to the end user.
You're not going to save any money with a direct approach. Someone else will just get a bigger cut like with Tesla model, but people feel good as they think they are saving by them not having dealers. Meanwhile their prices go up many times a year on the site.
@@gs98999 very true! Plus the price you pay for a Tesla is not worth it at all. Nothing is put together well and service Centers are horrible
My mistake I thought the console by the shifter was all gloss black
My sister has the hybrid version and this exact spec. She absolutely loves it. She can't get over how much equipment she gets for the price.
It's quite incredible, so glad your sister is enjoying her new Niro.
The deer
I was blessed to buy a used 2021 PHEV that had just been traded in. SX Touring… so much better than the new ones. I like having more (enough functional) buttons. I like the full leather seats (heated & cooling). I like the normal non-pano sunroof. I like older non-boxy styling. As for the piano black… I wrapped the chrome dask in Matt black vinyl bought from Amazon. Such a fantastic car!!!
I have a 2018 Niro Hybrid. It seems the drivetrain is essentially the same in the new models. Fuel efficiency has been fantastic, reliability has been a none issue, and it's a comfortable car to drive. Sport mode breathes some life to performance when needed. Not a a great option when you have lots of cargo, but otherwise highly recommended.
Is there any enginee issues with Kia cars bcz most of tge people says, Hyundai and Kia have enginee issues all the time.
Based on reports on the Kia owner's forum going back to 2017 the 1.6L gas engine in these Kia's is pretty bulletproof. There at least a half dozen owners reporting over 100,000 mile with no engine issues. Several have over 200,000 with no engine issues (no tranny problems either)! @@awesomepainting1588
We are lucky to be Canadians who live in an apartment with chargers in our garage. I think the PHEV may likely be our next vehicle.
I got a 2024 niro phev in northern Ontario and it’s great as a daily driver as I can plug it in at work or at home. And having the gas engine makes it great for the long trips out of town particularly as charging infrastructure is basically nonexistent in northern Ontario. Thought they had a great review and would recommend this car.
Thank You so very much ! I how know what one to get (HEV) . You both can come for a ride when I pick one up . Bless You Both .
This car seems so nice for the niche it serves! I also like your points about the PHEV is about reducing gas consumption not trying to mimic an EV. I wonder if it rides close to as well as the Sportage for road trips.
Almost 2,000 miles on my 2024 Niro HEV ... cumulative average according to the dash - 56.5 mpg. Mixed driving here in Providence, RI with some trips up to Boston and the Cape. Twice I have tried to calulate tank to tank gallons at the pump by hand and get just ever so slightly lower mpg than the car calculates; about -1 mpg, so I think the presented figures are pretty close. The car keeps three mpg registers, "Cumulative" which you can reset (but I will leave for very long term, "tank to tank", and "trip", which is ignition on to ignition off. Every time you shut the car off it flashes the "trip" calculation. This is a seriously fuel efficient car. If you do lots of hyway at 75 plus I think you'll be in the mid to hi 40s. But if you do mixed driving and get into the hybrid style of driving you will hit the EPA spec. Occasionally I'll do 5 mile errand around town and the trip calc by the car will be in the mid 60s. I have had several 10-15 mile secondary road trips that broke 70 mpg.
Just bought at 2025 Niro PHEV EX. 3 trim levels for 2025 ! I was sold on it with the $7000 in rebates.
Great video! I’m team hybrid as I do a lot of highway driving, the fuel economy is amazing and offers more features.
In Quebec province they get an additional 2,500$ rebate for the PHEV and it's forbidden (by law) to sell at a higher price than the MSRP.
For people driving less than 40 km per day (considering winter time), the PHEV is the one to get...as long as home recharging is possible.
Retired guy here. I live in a town of 250,000, so small. My guess is that I normally go, on average, about 15 miles per day. Except now I have granddaughter exactly 10 miles from the house. So, my 20 mile commute 3-4 times a week would be Fully EV. My garage has 120v of course, but ALSO has a 240 outlet doing absolutely nothing...so, that become an option.
This little car looks great, exterior and passenger compartment are almost identical to ford escape i currently drive. Only the hatched storage is a compromise from the Escape...but that means fewer requests from friends to schlep stuff around for them.
Thanks for great review.
I wonder how much of the bells and whistles are sacrificed if I go for a used one from 2020 or so? It actually looks like not that much, really.
I am considering the Escape PHEV… did you buy the Niro? If yes, what made the difference? I still have a month to decide.
Very detailed and helpful review. This will definitely help alot of people who are looking to purchase their first HEV or PHEV. Your as tested fuel economy even more impressive for the HEV at 3.9L/100 km. Thank you for answering my heat pump question. Keep up the great work. 👍
You can tell your viewers that you can get that wing in the black color matched to the car, two tone is optional. I Test drove the Niro HEV the only thing I didn’t like was that plastic piece on the front doors, a dust magnet. The car runs very well, I just waiting for the Prius in Jan/ feb to drive to make a decision . Will trade in my 22 Santa Cruz sel premium I don’t have much use for the rear bed, tine to go green again once owned a 2004 civic hybrid put on 183k driving into Manhattan everyday from where I live 22 miles north in Rockland County . Great review as always you two. I drove the sx touring model top of the line 36k no markup!
I recently was able to sit in a new Prius. Supply is really limited, and the dealership had already sold the one they had in the lot, so I could only sit in it, not drive it. IMO, the Prius looks cooler, and it's slightly cheaper. But the view out, especially the view to the back is really limited. It just felt like a much smaller car, although it has more luggage space (less room in rear seats, and the car is a few inches longer than the Niro).
This may be the vehicle I replace my 16 Toyota Prius V with. I was looking at the new Prius prime, when it comes out but this vehicle has caught my eye. I would like a ev but I really don't want to spend that much money. The plug in hybrid seems pretty perfect. I have a few years left on my car but this car has really impressed me!
So nice to have so many choices for the Koreans! Zack's comment about PHEV & apartments -- and all those who park on the street for whatever reason - is right on. Also is a huge factor for EVs which the US Govt doesn't seem to consider at all 😵😲.
I have a 2019 Niro PHEV & average 125 mpg over 16,000 miles. At the time I bought mine, the US Niro PHEV had a tax credit which nullified the cost difference. Today, without that tax credit, the HEV would probably make the most sense.
Just traded my much loved 2019 Niro PHEV EX for a slightly used 23 Niro HEV SX. I wanted a bit more space for growing grandchild and my wife strangely struggles with the driver's seat & ingress & egress in 19, not so in 23. 23 is quieter, softer ride, significantly more space in rear seat & a bit more space all around.
Luckily for someone like me who leases, I DO GET the U.S. and State tax credits!! Yippee!!
I have the Sportage hybrid and use the HVAC/radio toggle. I also set my default to radio since there are 4 dedicated HVAC buttons on the left side. I really like this Niro and its fuel efficiency.
I like it except for the Starsky and Hutch black stripe on back. I would get it without that ……..Love San Diego ! ❤️
I have no money to buy a car but I do enjoy watching your great, in-depth, thorough and yet honest videos! Thanks 🙏
Great review. Glad to see one video compare both HEV and PHEV. I'm seriously considering the 2024 PHEV top-trim over a Kona EV or Niro EV, only because I don't have to worry about range anxiety for those few trips a year where I cannot charge the batteries while parked overnight (like at the airport). Best reason to get the PHEV version? As someone who leases, I would STILL be eligible for Federal and State tax credits off the MSRP, lowering my monthly lease payments. Plus, hiring an electrician to install a Level 2 charger in my garage would qualify for a nice rebate to cover the costs from my local utility company (thank you NJ for being a Blue State).
Kia's got game in its designs.
@11:47 👍Good on you guys to raise awareness around this Stealerships greed out of control
I still can’t believe they never fixed the wireless CarPlay/Android Auto on top trim
For the PHEV in the US, there's an optional cold weather package that adds a battery-powered cabin heater, so the car doesn't need to burn gas just for heat! I don't know if it's a heat pump or resistive. But either way, that's important for me in the PNW with relatively short commutes and errands, since it gives me primarily electric all year instead of just for a few months in summer. However... the Niro PHEV still isn't the almost-all-electric commuter and hybrid roadtripper car that I hoped for. When I test drove, I was disappointed that after a hard acceleration to merge onto the highway, the engine stayed on at around 1200 RPM for several minutes afterward. I was in EV mode with the wheels being driven by the electric motor, while driving gently and even idling at a traffic light, but the gas engine just would not turn back off for several minutes. I later learned from the manual that the engine will turn on and stay on if it has needed to turn on to accelerate a few times, to fully warm it up to reduce wear. So keep in mind that if you have a shorter commute or errands, you might end up with the engine idling on for most of it if you have even just 1 or 2 moderately quick accelerations. If you're very light on the pedal, you'll be alright. This for me was a dealbreaker though.
One last thing, there's a hidden "EV+" mode that you can access by holding down the EV button. The manual says it adjusts acceleration so that gas only kicks on if you put the pedal nearly full to the floor. I didn't get to try that out, but that might be handy for driving economically by staying in EV and keeping the engine from accidentally coming on, causing that several minutes of 1200 RPM warmup.
Really appreciate that you mentioned about the electric heater, and I'm pretty sure Canada is getting that too (called "PTC Heater" in the spec sheet I believe). My understanding is that it's a lot easier to keep it in EV mode if you have it in Eco mode, though I'll try holding down the button for the EV+ mode when I get my hands on one. Eagerly anticipating the vehicle as I already put down a deposit for the 2023 PHEV.
So you end up getting the Phev or Hev? I’m also debating between this two models and I have experienced same issue while testing the Phev, the engine kicked in after a quick acceleration and was on for few minutes after, it’s true was cold outside around 0 degrees Celsius ….didn’t know about the trick with holding the Ev button …
I’m digging the design of those front seats/ headrests
Oh, and I’m a big fan of Paisley print 🙌🏼
I see that Kia has again, placed it’s signal lights very low on the body. I do not care for this design nor do I feel it is as safe a place for these very essential signals lights/ I would much prefer them to be higher up, so that they are more in the line of sight for the driver of the vehicle behind the Niro. When you are behind a vehicle like this, in traffic you tend to be watching for brake lights (in this case, mounted high on the body) with the idea in mind that you may have to come to a quick stop. It make driving life much more difficult to have to try and look low for a possible last minute signal from the vehicle on front of you.
I’d really like to hear from Andrea and Zack, as to what their thoughts are on this low placement of signal lights.
As always, thank you for the great videos.
Love piano black, keeps interior shiny and clean looking (that is if you wipe your interior clean) 😁
Bought 2024 LX hybrid. It rides like the older Prius. Lots of road feel and noise. If they could use some or more sound deadening it would improve ride so much! I’m in US
Some people have installed their own sound deadening, probably some videos on that.
Nice looking vehicle! I like the dash/infotainment design too. I’ve never liked the tablet-style dash. They all seem as if the designers got lazy & just slapped it on. Come on manufacturers-at a refresh time, make the change.
42 mpg must've been on Sport mode. On Economy mode, I'm averaging about 59 mpg...and that's after driving 1000 miles.
In Quebec, the PHEV is less expensive than the Hybrid with the provincial discounts. Easy to choose even if you don’t have charger.
No idea how anyone can get so excited about a KIA.
Kia makes the most beautiful cars right now and this one is no exception . I'm really loving this car and much better option than the Prius.
Thank you for quick response.
You two have topped yourselves, excellent review and perspectives. Don't think I'd own either but that blue paint on the phev looks great. Thanks for continuing to post concise and pertinent automotive info. 🙏
great info as always. fantastic channel for car buyers. Thanks.
Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed it.
Great video u2! Zack I can tell you've beem doing a few crunches, lookin slimmer 🥯🧀🥐
I like the looks of the niro, but we’re you afraid of 0 to 60 time? Trunk/storage space?
Another great video you guys. You sure have fun doing your videos. A couple questions please. Would you chose the hybrid Niro or the pure electric and are there any gov't rebates for the hybrid in Canada and B.C.? Thank you so much. I thoroughly enjoy your videos
Well, when you noted that when the EV is needing a full charge that it takes 2 hours and 45 minutes to fully charge it, then that was a turn off. I don't fully understand Hybrids, but thats the route I would go. I like the extra trim options you get. I like the mileage noted, the space, the look. I am pretty impressed with this Kia. With the hybrid, how often do you need to gas up and charge?
Can't wait to compare it to the new toyota prius before buying.
I just looked at that, I'm coming out of a 2016 Prius Touring Ed. and the Niro has much better visibility, and slightly better mpg. Plus so much more room in the back. I also never liked the dash monitors for being able to see the gages.
I’m looking at buying the HEV or PHEV but am confused by all the varying reviews. Some are saying this car is great and some are saying it’s one to avoid. Thats quite a divergence in opinions. Not sure what to think. I’m leaning towards getting one but the extremely negative reviews by others are giving me pause. Thoughts?
Superb and interesting reviews - well done
Its pretty much the only prius fighter on the market. We need more midsize hatchback/wagon hybrids. Talking to you honda, subaru and mazda.
How was the power in EV mode on the PHEV? Could you drive it at highway speeds?
It' s always a fun time watching your reviews. I wonder if Hyundai and Kia are working harder at gadgetry than reliability. As comments show there are still lots of concerns over engine and / or transmission issues for the two Korean brands.
I’m purchasing the PHEV in the U.S. and put money down on it 6 months ago and will probably just us the level 1 charging system.
Yes, no need to install a 240 volt outlet. My Mom has a PHEV and uses Level 1, it works great for her.
Great reviews!
Question: Can you drive the plug-in without "plugging" it in? Example; you only have access to a power supply once a week? Will it harm it?
Of course you can do it that way, but it’s a waste of batteries ($$$). Better to just buy hybrid if you can’t plug in regularly.
I was recently looking at purchasing a used hybrid, selling my 2016 Tuscon. I’m now going to wait…. prices will come down as interest rates increase. I do have a 2022 Hyundai Elantra hybrid, ordered June 2022, still waiting to get information on build/ship date, good luck with that!
Yet another great review from you guys. I’d love to see you do a comparison of these two Niro models (the hybrid and plug-in hybrid) and the all-new Prius and Prius Prime, once those two models are available for a full drive and review.
great review!
Got a PHEV on order, won't get it until July. Different trims in the UK. I'm getting trim 3. Has everything I want. They are rated for towing here, wonder why they're not over there
I am so confused, at Kia Build and Price in the US, there isn't any version of the 2023 Hybrid or Phev that have the larger digital cluster with analog style round speedometer. The ones you drove do have this. ???
Hope you guys are enjoying your time in San Diego!
We did enjoy San Diego, the weather was beautiful for us.
Wow Andrea been waiting for this video. A friend of mine who's totally anti electric, she's seen a couple of them now in the flesh and us smitten by the car. Let's see if she softens her view on electrified cars? 🚗
Glad you enjoyed the video, we are really impressed with the Niro. It's affordable, spacious enough and gets fantastic fuel economy. A hybrid is a great choice for your friend because she can just drive it and enjoy the savings at the pump, no need to plug it in or worry about range anxiety.
@@andreaspencer9813 Gosh Andrea, you're so right. I have shard this video with her and will discuss it with her in due course. In the meantime, it sounds like this Niro is getting nearer to yours and Zack's ideal electrified vehicle?
@@timphillips4147 I think if you don't have a large family and need the extra space, the Niro is a great option. It has a really comfortable drive, I am really surprised by it.
@@andreaspencer9813 Can't disagree with you Andrea, it ticks a whole load of boxes for sure!
Kia Niro Hybrid vs Kia Sportage Hybrid - Which one is better?
Great review. Great entertainment value. You guys are the best no matter what vehicle is reviewed. I never miss your reviews. Keep them coming.
Great review once again, thank you :) As a current owner of the 2019 Niro SX Touring HEV, I might want the new PHEV with the additional HP except it doesn't have an electric driver seat with memory. Maybe I might go for a Sportage or Tuscon instead.
PHEV. Sounds like a great price for that trim.
Excellent review. Do you know if the PHEV US version has configurable instrumentation cluster? I noticed in your video it shows the analog like speedometer, but what I see around here in California, they all show the digital speedometer and tachometer.
😂 I like it when you guys say.. where are we babe.??!! we are in America!! 😅😂 so funny!!
I love it ❤..
I'm for car like this car 👍
Great review and love both models Plug it in and go shopping or for a coffee.
Glad you enjoyed the review.
8:10 Are you saying that even if you used the panel for climate controls while driving, it'll default back to radio after sometime or only when you first start the car?
Yes, reverts back after you use it
I thought I saw on another channel that the PHEV has an ceramic electric element new for this model.
Yes, it has a PTC heater for the plug-in model to help extend the EV range in colder temperatures.
@@andreaspencer9813 thanks Andrea, owning a 2019 PHEV SX I was on the fence about upgrading and the one trim option may have helped me decide to keep mine a tad longer, even though the bigger electric motor and heater sound like good improvements. We got the SX by pure luck but the stereo and leather with ventilated seats would be hard to give up.
@@robbilton9006 Yes, it's pretty stripped down, I think I would miss some features especially the power driver's seat.
do you think golf clubs would fit cross ways in the back ? thx
Hello to you both,
Nice review I do like the style of it yet I'm not sure I would get one for myself.
Thanks for watching, glad you liked the review.
@@andreaspencer9813 I do like the review.
Ooohhh A nice sunny place! 👍🏻👍🏻 Not bad vehicle with an awesome gas mileage. It’s look like I will keep an eyes on both Kia and Hyundai to see what happen next few months. Great video Andrea! 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you glad you enjoyed it. We are really impressed with the Niro, if you don't need a ton of space, you can't beat the fuel economy on the hybrid and plug-in hybrid.
I would steer clear of any Kia/Hyundai with the dual-clutch transmission. Very bad reliability concerns.
I really enjoy your videos they are very down to earth. I love how you give Canadian and American specks. Here's my question can a American buy and import Canadian version of cars or vice a versa. Great show keep up the great reviews.
Only used cars, not brand new.
Thanks so much for the positive feedback, really happy to hear you are enjoying the show. As Zack commented below, you can purchase used cars but not new.
What color is that?
Sharp looking and great technology. If plug-in hybrid/EV’s are your thing, then you’d be crazy not to put it onto your consideration list. Great review(s). Thanks for the video.
Interestingly today, one of those Porsche Cayenne diesels with the odd paperwork/warranty/release date/hold dates related to that ‘Dieselgate’ situation came up on a Gov’t auction site (Quebec). It sounded similar to your acquisition experience. It was a 2015 diesel with only 10,000 kms on it. By 2pm today it was over $32,000 Canadian.
That's worth over $50,000 USD. One just sold for $52,000 USD with 46,000 Miles! Check it out on Bring a Trailer ...
What’s scary is that exchange rate. Wow!
anyone can tell me this vehicle is good for taxi
Lots of inventory in Seattle now.
I agree with Andrea! I will wait to see how good compare to Kona.
@2:27 Kia Canada should use it for their print ad! Great shot! Awesome detailed review! Can't wait for them to arrive in Canada. It ticks more boxes in my wish list vs. Prius Prime. 1. Higher ground clearance (seen lots of Primes with damaged front bumpers, yikes!). 2. More cargo space, YET shorter by 12 inches (Great job Kia!) 3. More high-tech/driver-comfort features.....and the list goes on. Keep it up Kia!
If only this came with All Wheel Drive!
Excellent video as usual.
You two really do a fantastic job.
Sorry, but I choose neither one.
I'm going with the new Prius hopefully in an all-wheel drive.
i had the wrong career Zack drives nice cars talks about the hot topic with a hot lady, you lucky guy
Like it a lot ..... but New 2023 Prius is still Number 1
I think Toyota is making a comeback finally 😀😀😀
With Prius you don’t get Canadian $5000 rebate. Only $2500
Love it
I bought a Niro SX today; Android Auto requires a wired connection, not wireless.
Depends on the screen size
I’ve been waiting for this one. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻. I’ve watched Zack since driving television. What ever happened to the show. Keep up the great work.
The US market has less features. No fully digital driver display or heads up display in the hybrid model. Pretty disappointing. Perhaps in another model year there’ll be changes.
But, then the US gets that extra trim of the plug-in hybrid with a lot more features that we are missing in Canada.
@@andreaspencer9813 very true! Suppose it’s all relative.
@@justind8125 Sometimes the US gets some good features, other times Canada. If everything was exactly the same trim wise in both countries, my life would be so much easier. lol!
You’re looking to buy a 2023 Kia Niro hybrid, my advice is to purchase literally any other car. Three weeks into my four year lease with the temporary tags and plastic still on the floor mats, this car just abruptly stopped in the middle of the road saying hybrid system failure. It has 1100 miles. What a joke.
😮😮
I dont understand the whining about the buttons for radio/volume control. All the buttons you need are on the steering wheel.
Volume, mute, on, off, mode, next station, next preset.
Yep haven't used the volume control on the radio in years the steering wheel control is all. I need (Hyundai Sonata)
The original Niro looks boring. But they are so efficient and comfortable. Even if the new one looks overstyled, especially from the front and that R8 lookalike side blades, it should remain an efficient and practical choice. Its almost like a Soul with hybrid and PHEV. But for those who don't like anything fully electric, like me.
Given the new Prius looks so sharp, that would be a tough choice when both are practical hatchback.
Car sales have tanked so it's a surprise KIA dealers can slap market adjustment markups!
Imo, if it were available as awd, kia would double its sales.....throughout all the provinces, the northern states and the spine of the rockies, a significant % of buyers want awd. Again, and this is not just kia, the northern u.s. states' weather is no different than canadian provinces but the usa gets jipped with lack of heated seat and steering wheel options, among others,
I want a 20kwh battery with 50+ ev mile range. This won't cut it.
The Kia Niro Hybrid back-blade is simply ugly, no thanks! Your presentation is first-rate as always.
Nice review as usual, guys! As a city dweller, I'd be in the hybrid (vs. PHEV) camp. With this or any PHEV, if you're always running in pure electric mode, charging overnight and not doing a lot of longer highway commutes, the IC engine and its gas and oil reserves could be sitting unused for months. Hardly ideal. You would probably need to be adding a gasoline preservative at the very least. My choice would be regular hybrid or Pure EV.
Not getting this model in my country
I prefer the plug in hybrid
I love the styling of the Niro, but price wise, the Niro hybrid is about the same as the king of hybrid--the New Prius, and thousands more than the Corolla Hybrid; and the Niro PHEV is even more expensive than the Prius Prime(PHEV)! Performance wise, it's about the same as the Corolla Hybrid and not even close to the Prius and Prius Prime. It looks like a good vehicle, but for the same price, I would rather get the Prius.
I don't agree the heat pump of the plug-in.
First, Plug-in hybrid battery is placed the inside of the car. You will heat-up battery temperature anyway.
Second, The heat pump benefit is so small. BEV range is 200~300 miles. Plug-in EV range is 30miles. How much you can get mpg benefit by heat pump?
Third, Think about Heat pump weight mpg loss. The heat pump benefit is even smaller. In spring, summer and autumn, it's all a loss. Why? You don't use heat pump.
I'm curious how this stacks up to the Toyota Corrolla AWD Hybrid, top of the line XSE because it seems to be very close in price?