Eziway Car Club

Kia Niro, the new electric SUV!Back

On September 13, 2021

The “Current” day family mover - Kia has aimed at the electric car portion of the market but did what I thought needed to be done, they didn't completely go one way and only electric and they didn't completely shut out a big chunk of the pie by making these vehicles ridiculously expensive!

When the news arrived years ago that the automotive industry would be moving towards electric, I was not a fan! So many things came to mind as to why it wouldn't work and how a regular old engine would always trump the electric-powered vehicles but boy, has my mind changed.

One of my biggest pet-peeves was affordability, alongside practicality and charging locations.

Enter Kia Niro, the new electric SUV!

Kia has aimed at the electric car portion of the market but did what I thought needed to be done, they didn't completely go one way and only electric and they didn't completely shut out a big chunk of the pie by making these vehicles ridiculously expensive!

The Kia Niro comes in three editions: Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and All-Electric.

Niro Hybrid

The Niro-Hybrid is a combination of a 1.6L petrol combustion engine with Kia's all-new electric motor as its counterpart as the powerhouse of the new SUV.

The two work together to put out 150KW of power in an energy-efficient AND a fuel-efficient way.

To maintain great fuel economy the electric motor is the 1.6's little helper and helps the Kia chug along with some revolutionary tech upgrades.

The Niro has what's referred to as ‘regenerative braking’. This piece of tech utilises the vehicle's own kinetic energy while the car slows down and transfers the energy into electrical energy to maintain the charge in the electric portion of the vehicle; effectively getting more kilometres to the tank/battery as the maintenance of charge keeps that SUV moving!

The Hybrid not only helps your wallet at the bowser, but most importantly it helps the environment, burning through less fuel and creating fewer emissions.

Niro – Plug-In Hybrid

The Niro- Plug-in Hybrid allows you, the driver, to pick and choose what form of fuel you would like to utilise when you feel you need it most. Unlike its hybrid counterpart, the Plug-in Hybrid is chargeable at all-electric bowsers so if you can't get to a regular servo and you need more juice, the vehicle can be charged to keep you moving.

Niro – All Electric

Finally, the Niro- All Electric is self-explanatory. No 1.6L engine, no combustion, no fuel, just powered off DC current. Full electric.

This powerhouse puts out the same amount of power with absolutely no emissions.

The All-Electric edition can take you 455 kilometres to a full charge and 0-80% charge on a DC-DC charger only takes 54 minutes. Making this vehicle practical for a daily driver.

Special Features

It comes with a full JBL sound system as it stands out feature above the previous models and a navigation system that has charging locations pre-installed giving you peace of mind that you'll never be stranded with no juice.

What all 3 editions share is an impressive design: a powerful punchy grille, smart lines down the doors and a futuristic rear. This car is a head-turner not only for its economical strengths.

Along with looks, this rig has the smarts. Lane keep-and-stay assist will keep you safe on the road, adaptive cruise control and a new edition, ‘Rear Cross Traffic Alert’. This new safety feature will detect cars coming across the vehicle as you reverse out a car park or busy street.

To be expected in today's age, the multimedia system is backed by apple car play or android auto and Bluetooth all displayed on a sleek, 10.25-inch LCD screen.

So to conclude my summary of the new Kia Niro, I was truly surprised when I took the time to read up and learn about this particular SUV and really, the future of most of the industry. Kia ticked the boxes in the looks, power, and intellect department but what they also satisfied were my pet-peeves of the electric world. This car is practical. It's full of space, smart and safe features and is a good-looking family SUV. The issue I had previously with charging locations doesn't exist anymore, as today there are so many more locations to charge electric vehicles and the car itself comes with navigation to said charging points. It never seems like a big issue to find a charging station.