Kia Niro REVIEW | Wessex Garages

• Kia's first dedicated hybrid and first ever hybrid in the UK • Delivers low-cost, high-efficiency motoring in a stylish crossover package • Built on an all-new platform and featuring an all-new powertrain • Fuel economy of up to 74.3mpg with CO2 emissions from 88g/km • Available with the latest connectivity and driver assistance features Kia's pledge to reduce the average CO2 emissions of its range by 25 per cent before 2020 takes another major step forward with the launch of Niro, the company's first dedicated hybrid model and first hybrid of any description in the UK. Niro, with combined fuel economy of up to 74.3mpg and CO2 emissions starting at just 88g/km, joins the all-electric Soul EV in Kia's green-car line-up and will soon be followed by the Optima plug-in hybrid. Niro is not your run-of-the-mill hybrid. It delivers the high efficiency and low running costs of a petrol-electric car with the style, practicality and desirability of a compact crossover. It is based on an all-new platform which will only ever be used for electrified vehicles, and has an all-new powertrain featuring a 1.6-litre, 104bhp internal combustion engine and a 43bhp electric motor driving through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The compact five-door, five-seater Niro was a joint design between Kia's studios at Namyang in Korea and Irvine, California. The sleek crossover profile has a low drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.29, while extensive use of high-strength steel and aluminium in the body construction helps to keep down weight. Both are significant factors in Niro's low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Niro is not a hair-shirt fuel-saving car, however. Its horizontally structured interior exhibits the high-quality fit and finish of other recent Kia introductions like the Sorento, Optima and Sportage, and it is available with the latest connectivity and active safety technologies, including Kia Connected Services featuring TomTom®, wireless smartphone charging, autonomous emergency braking, smart cruise control and lane-assist, blind spot and rear cross traffic warning systems. In a first for Kia, it also offers Android Auto, which links Android smartphones to Google Maps navigation, Google Play music, hands-free calls and texts and voice recognition via pre-downloaded apps. Hybrid sales in the UK and mainland Europe have doubled over the past five years and are expected to reach 700,000 annually by the end of the decade. Niro ensures Kia is perfectly positioned to take advantage of this growing demand. It is offered in the UK in a four-strong model range – designated grades ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’ and ‘First Edition’ – all featuring a high standard specification. http://www.wessexgarages.com/kia/new-cars/kia-niro-new/ https://www.facebook.com/wessexgarages https://twitter.com/wessexgarages/