New Kid on the Block: 2017 Kia Niro

Welcome to Kia Week on Adam’s Autos! Being one of the fastest growing brands out there currently, its only right that I take a moment and analyze some of their newest, most innovative models.

Let’s face it: Hybrids aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, and small crossover SUVs are one of the hottest selling segments out right now. Therefore, Kia’s decision to introduce an all-new model that slots between the Soul and Sportage in size and somehow incorporates both of the aforementioned elements should come as no surprise. Enter the 2017 Niro, “a new kind of crossover” according to Kia themselves.

Kia's new Niro crossover is literally just that: A crossover between a traditional small SUV and a highly-efficient, practical hybrid. Can it successfully garner up the sales figures that some more established players in this segment have over the years?

So, besides the obvious fact that this car is new and somewhat special in its execution, what else is special about it? I recently had two chances to get up close and personal with the Niro crossover: Once on a trip to Texas for the holidays, and again at the 2017 North American International Auto Show. My personal pictures of the Niro (in grey) on this post are from Texas.

Initial Thoughts

The slits in front of the wheels are functional.

Based on my initial impressions from both encounters, the Niro seems to be solidly built and a strong value in its relatively small segment. While I wasn’t initially a fan of the front-end design of this model, when you consider that many automakers seem to associate the word “hybrid” with “funky design”, the Niro’s face becomes a lot more simplistic and attractive. One rather unique exterior design cue is that the vertical slits just in front of the wheels near the fog lights on the front of the car are functional, and direct air to the brakes to keep them cooler and are also said to improve aerodynamics. This design treatment can be found on the 2017 Kia Optima and Forte, too. Why, if it weren’t for the “Eco Hybrid” badge on the rear hatch, you literally wouldn’t even be able to tell that this model is a hybrid, honestly. That is, until you look at its gauges on the inside, which give you all the useful info you need to know about how fuel-efficient you’re driving, as well as energy flow and battery charging status readouts.

Its What's Inside That Counts

The Niro's interior had a decent amount of leather and soft-touch surfaces given its starting price of just under $23,000. I also was a big fan of the contrasting ice blue stitching found on the seats, steering wheel, and shifter. Overall, a nice effort here.

Speaking of the interior, the model I viewed in Texas was a fully-loaded Touring model. There was no exterior badging that I saw designating the trim level on this early production model. Leather seats, heated and cooled seats, a heated steering wheel, navigation (Kia’s UVO infotainment system with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay is standard on all trims), and Harman/Kardon premium speakers with a subwoofer were just a few of the features included on that model. Other available features include a non-panoramic style sunroof, HID headlights, wireless cellphone charging, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and autonomous emergency braking as part of an advanced technology package. It should be noted that some of these features can be added via a similar package to even the more basic LX model for just over $25,500, which when coupled with Kia’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, becomes an incredibly strong value. I’m quite impressed. The only thing that would've made this overall package somewhat stronger was the availability of all-wheel drive (AWD), as the Niro would've truly had a distinguishable edge over its competitors then.

The most notable "hybrid"
badges were on the rear and front fenders.

What's Underneath?

Under the hood, the Niro is powered by a new 1.6-liter Atkinson cycle engine which makes 103 horsepower on its own. Its supplemented by a 43 horsepower electric motor, which will likely provide great low-end torque. Speaking of torque, expect to get 195 pound-feet of it. The only available transmission is a 6-speed DCT (dual-clutch automatic transmission), which compliments the “uniqueness” of this model well since other hybrid competitors use CVTs (continuously variable transmissions). A 1.56 kWh lithium ion polymer battery is standard. While I haven’t had a chance to drive the Niro myself yet, from what I understand, most dynamics are nicely balanced, and due to the vehicle’s battery pack being placed UNDER the rear seat, there’s no major loss of interior space or comfort. Interior room was pretty acceptable. But what's key is that this vehicle's design allows for overall day-to-day handling to remain intact, too. "Sport" and "Eco" driving modes are offered, and Kia has also designed a unique system called “Predictive-Energy Control”, which actively analyzes road conditions and adjusts performance accordingly to help maximize the Niro’s efficiency. “Oh you fancy, huh?”

Innovation!

Kia has also apparently engineered the Niro to be quieter than other hybrids, namely the Toyota Prius and Ford C-MAX. Foam filled A and B pillars, a rigid body structure, a standard acoustic windshield, and a steering wheel damper are just a few of the ways Kia accomplished this goal. The info sheet on the Niro in this article is from the 2017 NAIAS and provides additional info on key points about this new model. Click on the images for a larger view. 

However, fuel economy is one area where your results may vary considerably with this crossover. On the very base FE (starting at $22,890), fuel economy is rated at 52 city/49 highway/50 MPG combined, which is just shy of the Prius, but in a crossover! However, you can choose NO options on this model, so I would move up from there unless fuel economy is your main concern. On LX and mid-range EX models, fuel economy is rated at 51 city/46 highway/49 MPG combined, still very good for a small crossover. However, Touring models like the ones I saw are rated at 46/40/43, which is a much more noticeable deficit over the base FE model. This is likely due to additional features being added to the car, in particular the larger 18-inch wheels you get on Touring trims.

Thoughts?

So how do you feel about the new Kia Niro? Would you ever consider a hybrid? While it may not be the outright king of MPGs, its certainly the king of small crossover MPGs now. Plus, the Niro does give other competitors an excellent run for their money, overall. Combine the Niro with Kia’s Optima Hybrid, Optima Hybrid Plug-In, and Soul EV, and it’s clear that the Prius, C-MAX, and other competitors should stay alert! Because Kia has them on their radar.

More Kia week soon!

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