Kia Niro hybrids coming

The Kia Niro joins the brand’s SUV range here early next year with a plug-in hybrid and a combined petrol engine/electric motor models coming.

Joining the Sportage and Sorento, the Niro PHEV can do about 1.3L/100km on mixed use and regular charging.

The Niro petrol engine/electric motor combination has already set an impressive record for fuel economy

Its official factory combined use fuel economy of 3.8 L/100km for a model on 16-inch wheels was tested in America. A Kia Niro was driven coast to coast, setting a Guinness World Record of 3.69L/100km for the lowest fuel consumption for a hybrid car.

The PHEV does even better fuel economy, thanks to its larger battery pack and bigger electric motor, allowing it to travel distances under electric power alone.

“The Niro plug-in is not just a fuel-efficient vehicle, it’s a great SUV as well and we are excited to be able to bring it to New Zealand and add it into our very popular SUV range,” Kia Motors New Zealand general manager Todd McDonald says.

The Niro also featured strongly in the annual vehicle reliability survey recently published by Consumer Reports, helping to propel Kia Motors into the top three overall.

The survey saw more than 640,000 new vehicles scrutinised over the past year, with owners asked to rate the reliability on a range of criteria, from mechanical items such as engines and transmissions, through to electrical architecture and infotainment systems.

Consumer Reports was impressed with the five-door Niro hybrid, especially the outstanding fuel economy and the vehicle’s versatility. The Niro hybrid is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine in conjunction with an electric drive unit.

With the lithium-ion battery located under the rear seat, it creates a flat cargo floor when the rear seats are folded, which got the thumbs-up from the Consumer Reports team because it allows more usable space than other hybrid competitors.

The new plug-in version of the Niro, which has only recently been released to international markets, has a larger battery pack and can travel up to 40 kilometres on battery power alone, without the assistance of its petrol engine.