Kia Niro arrives NZ January with top safety rating

The new Kia Niro has achieved a five-star Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP) rating, ahead of arriving in New Zealand in January.

The small SUV comes with a range of safety assist technologies as standard. These include all three grades of autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane keep assist, electronic stability control (ESC) and fatigue detection.

However, results of the full width frontal crash test revealed that the rear passenger was poorly protected in the chest and pelvis. Crash readings indicate the pelvis had slipped under the seatbelt and was not properly restrained. This resulted in a penalty to the crash test score.

“While overall the Kia Niro is a safe car, it’s worth looking into the details and seeing if it’s the best fit for your lifestyle and how you would use the car,” AA Motoring Services general manager Stella Stocks says.

“Consumers now have a wide range of options, particularly in the SUV market, so they’re in a position where they can pick a safe car that works for their lifestyle and their budget.”

The five-star rating applies to 1.6 litre hybrid and PHEV variants of the New Zealand sold Kia Niro.

Visit ancap.co.nz or rightcar.govt.nz for the full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings, other vehicle safety information and the specifications of the rated vehicles.