Kia Niro Review (2016-2022)

It’s not unusual for a company to launch a small SUV these days – virtually every manufacturer has one – but in 2016 it was very unusual for a car company to launch small SUV with no conventional petrol or diesel options. When Kia unveiled the Niro hybrid SUV, it was very clear that all versions would be electrified to one degree or another, and a plug-in hybrid and a full-electric model followed suit.

The first Niro released was a ‘self-charging’ hybrid, which means you don’t have to plug it in so, in addition to other SUVs, that means it also competes with conventional hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius hatchback. In 2017, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model followed, with a battery that you could charge by plugging it into a wall socket or dedicated charger to give you up to 30 miles on pure electric power.

SUVs have rocketed in popularity, and if you’re going to take on the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, the Skoda Karoq, and the Ford Kuga, let alone other hybrids such as the Hyundai Kona, the Toyota C-HR and the Peugeot 3008, you’d better have something good. A zero-emission electric version, called the e Niro, was introduced in 2018, but we’ll cover that in a separate review.

The looks are subjective – you can make up your own mind about them – but the interior styling is conservative. Build quality is good, even if the materials used don’t feel all that special. It’s a bit underwhelming compared to the chic Peugeot 3008, but that doesn’t mean it’s unpleasant.

Space inside is reasonable, and four adults should have no problems fitting in, although the middle rear seat is on the tight side. Headroom is a little less generous in models with a panoramic sunroof, but they also look great and used buyers love them, so it makes the Niro more desirable as a second-hand buy.

At 373 litres, the hybrid’s boot is reasonable but not class leading, which is largely because the battery takes up room under the floor in the hybrid. The plug-in hybrid has an even smaller boot at 324 litres, because of its larger battery pack, but the all-electric e Niro has a hefty 451-litre boot, because the battery is mounted underneath the floor, so it’s by far the most practical of the three.

Still, you can fold the rear seats down pretty much flat if you need to transport larger items. If you want more space from a Kia SUV, check out the Sportage.

The hybrid Niro can run solely on electric power only for a short period and, together with the engine, it produces 139bhp. Like all Niros, it's front-wheel drive and uses a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, instead of the CVT transmission fitted to many hybrids.

The Niro PHEV’s 30-mile electric range means it has the potential for much better fuel economy, but only if you have somewhere to charge it, and rely mainly on the electric motor. If the battery starts to run out of charge, you’re back to using a petrol engine, so it’s best suited for relatively low-mileage journeys.

Performance in both models is perfectly adequate around town, although they’re both heavy cars and aren’t particularly nippy if you want to overtake or get up to speed on a motorway. That weight also affects handling, especially in the heavier plug-in model, which leans a little too much while cornering. You have to drive it quite conservatively, although the light steering, which doesn’t deliver much feedback, doesn’t encourage you to do anything else anyway. A Seat Ateca SUV is much more fun to drive. Still, both versions of the Niro are comfortable enough.

At launch, trim levels start with a trio of numbered models. The entry-level 1 included a DAB radio, Bluetooth, 16-inch alloy wheels, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and air-conditioning, while 2 added a seven-inch touchscreen with satnav and a reversing camera, as well as rear parking sensors. The 3 had a bigger eight-inch screen, 18-inch alloys and leather upholstery.

Customers early in the Niro’s life could opt for the top-end First Edition, which had extra safety systems including a blind-spot warning feature and automatic emergency braking, as well as keyless entry and start and a sunroof. A top-spec 4 model was introduced later, with brighter headlights and adaptive cruise control, while the 1 was dropped.

A facelift in 2019 added various new features across the range, including a larger 10.25-inch screen on 3 and 4 models, while the 2 got an eight-inch infotainment system in place of the original seven-inch item.

The all-electric e Niro has the lowest running costs but, on paper at least, the PHEV is the next best option. We’ll repeat the caveat that you’ll need to keep it charged and do mostly shorter journeys to get the best out of it. The official fuel economy is up to 201.8mpg, but what you actually get will vary dramatically depending on how you use it.

Of the Kia Niro hybrids, there will be tiny variations in official fuel economies depending on model, but the official MPG figure is up to 58.9mpg on the 2 model.

Insurance groups range from 11 to 15 out of 50, which means premiums should stay pretty low. The PHEV models tend to be a bit more expensive, but there’s not much in it.

Servicing is required every year or 10,000 miles, which isn’t the longest of intervals, but Kia’s prices tend to be pretty reasonable. The manufacturer also has a fixed-price service plan called Care that bundles the cost of future services. At the time of writing, a third- and fourth-year service package for a 2019 model year Niro hybrid was £419.

Kia has a very good reputation for reliability, backed up by results in independent studies. The brand came ninth out of 30 manufactures in the 2021 What Car? Reliability Survey.

The Niro itself came 6th out of 14 in the hybrid cars category of the same survey. That might not sound quite as good, but that category had proportionately higher scores than many others, and a numerical result of 97.9% isn’t half bad. It also finished 12th overall out of 75 cars in the 2022 Auto Express Driver Power survey so, in short, feedback from owners is very much positive.

Kia excels when it comes to new car warranties, and the Niro comes with a class-leading seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty. Toyota covers cars for up to 10 years and 100,000 miles, but you have to get your car serviced at a franchised Toyota dealer once a year to get anything more than the standard three years and 60,000 miles.

Issues to watch out for with the Niro include a stutter or jerk on PHEVs when moving away from standstill. Most of these issues seem to affect North American owners, although a few UK owners have reported the same issue, with no obvious fix.

There have been a couple of recall, too. One was to fix a heat build-up in a power relay assembly, while the other addressed burrs in the clutch actuator housing, which could damage the oil seal. Affected cars should have been fixed by now, but it’s worth checking with a Kia dealer to see if the car you’re considering has been sorted.