Street Check: 2023 Kia Niro SX Touring Plug-in Hybrid
The Good Marriage: 33 All-Electrical Miles+A Miserly Hybrid
Love your gasoline inside combustion engine and don’t wish to leap right into a battery electrical car fairly but? Then the wedding of the 2 propulsion methods is what you must take into account, particularly the impressively environment friendly 2023 Kia Niro plug-in electrical hybrid car (PHEV).
![2023 Kia Niro PHEV](https://cleanfleetreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2623.jpg)
The 2023 Niro PHEV is powered by a 1.6-liter gasoline engine and a single 62 kW electrical motor, producing a complete system 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, mated to a clean shifting 6-speed twin clutch transmission (DCT).
The hybrid setup is impressively environment friendly, rated alone at 48 miles per gallon. However the secret to getting the very best gas financial system from a PHEV is by maximizing the quantity of all-electric driving by plugging in. Including collectively the gasoline and electrical energy, the EPA estimates 108 MPGe (Miles Per Gallon Equal). MPGe is a measurement of how far a automobile can journey electrically on the identical quantity of vitality as is contained in 1 gallon of gasoline. To help in environment friendly driving there’s a sprint gauge that goes from Eco (in EV mode) to Energy when the engine kicks in. So studying precisely how a lot stress to use to the accelerator could make a distinction in gas financial system.
In per week of Southern California driving, (80% freeway/20% metropolis) that coated 285 miles, teh Kia returned a mean of 61.2 miles per gallon. Had we spent extra time hitting cease lights within the metropolis and in stop-and-go site visitors, and if we plugged in each evening, we might simply have topped 75 miles per gallon. There isn’t any vary anxiousness as driving in-town miles on pure electrical energy after which heading out for any size street journey with the hybrid system, the 2023 Kia Niro PHEV is nearly unequaled for top mileage and effectivity.
Gas financial system numbers reported by Clear Fleet Report are non-scientific and signify the reviewer’s driving expertise utilizing the sprint gauge laptop. Your numbers might differ.
Charging
The Niro PHEV has an 11.1-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery that’s replenished by way of plug-in charging, which isn’t any completely different than what you do along with your cell phone each evening. With the three.8 kW onboard charger, it takes below three hours to completely cost with a 240V Degree 2 charger or in a single day with a 120V common family outlet. A completely charged battery will ship 33 miles of all-electric driving. The 2023 Kia Niro PHEV doesn’t have DC quick charging. You will need to observe chilly climate can have an effect on the charging time and driving vary.
![2023 Kia Niro PHEV](https://cleanfleetreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2860.jpg)
Charging can be by way of regenerative braking that converts kinetic vitality into electrical vitality and shops it within the battery when making use of the brakes or coasting. This course of will be considered on a touch gauge displaying the facility flowing into and out of the battery.
Regenerative braking isn’t braking within the conventional sense, however is the electrical motor slowing the automobile. The regenerative drive is adjustable with the steering wheel mounted paddles. Three pulls on the left paddle places the braking right into a extra aggressive setting, the appropriate paddle reduces the braking drive. I at all times set the regeneration to the best stage for probably the most highly effective stopping.
Pulling the left paddle utterly brings the Niro PHEV to a cease the place it is going to maintain. When utilizing the brake pedal to cease, the Auto Maintain button will maintain the automobile till accelerating once more. This useful characteristic reduces decrease leg fatigue in stop-and-go site visitors.
Driving Expertise: On the Street
The Drive Mode selector on the steering wheel is for driving in Regular and Sport. New for the 2023 Niro PHEV is the Inexperienced Zone Drive Mode that mechanically, based mostly on navigation and driving historical past, locations the automobile into EV mode in residential areas or close to hospitals and colleges. Regular is the place you’ll want to be when on the open street, letting the hybrid system do its factor. Utilizing the driver-selectable drive modes, charging the battery typically, and utilizing regenerative braking, will get greater than 500 miles from the 9.7-gallon tank crammed with 87 octane gasoline.
![2023 Kia Niro PHEV](https://cleanfleetreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2863.jpg)
On the town with a full battery cost provides probably the most environment friendly driving. For most individuals, the 33 miles of electrical vary is greater than they want day by day, which suggests they may hardly ever be stopping to purchase gasoline.
The motor-driven energy steering was a bit gentle, however nonetheless supplied good street really feel. Maneuvering on the town, together with parking, was simple with a decent 17-foot turning radius. The entrance MacPherson struts with a stabilizer bar and the rear multi-link suspension delivered a clean trip. Tire and wind noise had been low, and the engine in hybrid mode was quiet, besides when kicking in throughout heavy acceleration. In fact, when operating on electrical energy solely, there is no such thing as a engine noise as a result of no engine is operating. Appears apparent, however it wanted to be stated.
The 225/45 Continental ProContact all-season low rolling resistance tires, mounted on 18-inch alloy wheels, delivered dealing with that was direct with little physique roll, however are greatest when on lengthy gas environment friendly runs on the open street. Whereas there’s nothing sporty in regards to the Niro PHEV, it had a really respectable 0-60 time of seven.2 seconds, which is loads fast to merge into freeway site visitors.
With all this, how does it really deal with and trip? The front-wheel drive (all-wheel drive isn’t supplied) 2023 Niro PHEV weighs in at 3,336 kilos with a 57% entrance/43% rear distribution. The rear battery placement and a decrease trip peak end in higher than anticipated driving dynamics.
The load placement, unbiased rear suspension and wider tires, on the SX Touring mannequin we had been driving, smoothed out the trip absorbing most street imperfections. The suspension is on the agency facet which lends to it being a bit sportier, however it might take swapping-out the tires for one thing extra aggressive to actually get a really feel for a way effectively it might deal with. The Niro PHEV isn’t rated for towing, and the roof has a 220 pound load capability.
Clear Design
The Niro PHEV falls someplace between a hatchback and a small crossover. It has a clear and easy design. Exterior coloration decisions are Metal Grey, Graphite Grey, Aurora Black Pearl, Snow White Pearl, Runway Purple, Hearth Orange Metallic, Cityscape Inexperienced, Mineral Blue, and like ours, Mineral Blue with the Black Aero Blade.
![2023 Kia Niro PHEV](https://cleanfleetreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2622.jpg)
The Aero Blade is a C-pillar trim piece that may be painted within the physique coloration at no cost, or in a wide range of contrasting colours, lile ours in black, as a $195 choice. The purposeful Aero Blade improves aero dynamics, wind noise and driving stability by way of an open channel within the entrance that enables air to enter the Aero Blade after which exit out the again. The door molding has small items directing the air move into the Aero Blade. Each little design factor is essential for the stellar gas financial system of the Niro PHEV.
The signature Kia “tiger nostril” grille runs edge-to-edge, resulting in the swept again LED projector head and daytime operating lights, with LED foglights situated within the backside fascia. The facet profile attracts a pleasant line to the A pillars, resulting in a gently sloping roof with rack rails, a shark fin antenna and an built-in spoiler over the rear hatch window.
The edges, with physique coloration door handles and energy folding and heated mirrors, are clean with contrasting black alongside the decrease doorways and fender arches, blacked-out rear quarter home windows, and the black Aero Blade. Machine-faced wheels with painted gloss black inserts give the hexagonal-design a terrific look.
The slender, boomerang-shaped horizontal LED taillights and energy liftgate with a small badge to determine the Niro PHEV as a plug-in hybrid, full the design.
Welcoming Inside
Using exhausting plastic inside surfaces was not a shock, however is completely tremendous for a small automobile with a low base worth. The inside is clear and uncluttered with wonderful visibility because the 6.3-inch floor clearance ends in a seating place with an outlook on the street a bit increased than a sedan, however not as excessive as an SUV.
![2023 Kia Niro PHEV](https://cleanfleetreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2883.jpg)
Clear Fleet Report was driving the Niro PHEV SX Touring mannequin with snug and supportive heated and ventilated entrance seats. All seats had been coated with SynTex, an artificial leather-based seat materials that’s gentle to the contact, resists spills and is straightforward to wash. The motive force seat is 10-way energy adjustable with lumbar and reminiscence, whereas the passenger will get 6-way handbook changes. Entrance and rear head and leg room is roomy, even for 6-foot passengers.
The rear seat has a middle armrest with cup holders and is greatest suited to two adults on longer journeys. The bottom of the entrance seats have distinctive seize handles to help coming into and exiting the rear seats, and the entrance passenger seat has a USB-C port within the facet.
Rear storage options a big flat carpeted floor, made even bigger when the rear 60/40 split-folding seat is folded flat to 54.6 cubic-feet. There’s a hid storage compartment beneath the cargo flooring to carry the cost wire. The boxy design permits for storing bigger gadgets.
![2023 Kia Niro PHEV](https://cleanfleetreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2858.jpg)
The middle sprint within the Niro PHEV SX Touring got here with a ten.25-inch touchscreen housing the navigation and the 8-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, with a subwoofer. Leisure is thru AM/FM and SiriusXM, with USB ports, and smartphone integration by way of Bluetooth and Kia Join, which included wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Bluetooth labored very effectively for voice recognition, and cell phone pairing was fast and simple.
Kia has a intelligent design that switches between the dual-zone local weather controls and infotainment controls. On the slender horizontal display screen beneath the primary contact display screen, there are capacitive contact factors for the temperature and fan, after which by urgent the up-arrow icon, converts the heater management knobs to quantity and channel knobs to manage the radio. This area saver had a brief studying curve, rapidly exhibiting its advantages.
Consolation and comfort options embody an influence tilt and sliding sunroof, dual-zone computerized local weather management with rear passenger vents, rain sensing wipers, a leather-wrapped, heated steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, rear view digital camera, good key with push button begin/cease, digital parking brake, cargo cowl, carpeted flooring mats ($155 choice), LED inside lights, driver and passenger energy home windows with computerized up/down, energy door locks and a cargo cowl. The facility sunroof was a part of the SX Touring package deal.
Security
![2023 Kia Niro PHEV](https://cleanfleetreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2638.jpg)
The Niro PHEV is obtainable with an in depth checklist of normal and elective security options as a part of Kia Drivewise. Since among the options can be found on increased trim ranges and thru packages, we advise getting your automobile with as many superior driver help methods (ADAS) as potential.
Security options accessible on the Niro PHEV embody twin entrance, driver’s knee, front-seat facet, and entrance and rear side-curtain airbags, ahead emergency braking and collision warning, lane departure warning with lane hold and lane following help, stability management, blind spot monitoring, rear cross site visitors warning, park help with entrance and rear sensors, car stability administration, traction management, hill launch help, tire stress monitoring system and an engine immobilizer.
Pricing
The 2023 Niro PHEV is available in two trim ranges, with these base costs, together with the necessary the $1,295 vacation spot cost.
EX $35,135
SX Touring $40,885
Clear Fleet Report drove the Niro PHEV SX Touring, with $850 in choices and the $1,295 vacation spot cost, the whole got here to $41,635.
Warranties
The 2023 Niro PHEV comes with these warranties:
Powertrain – 10 years/100,000 miles
Battery – 10 years/100,000 miles
Fundamental – 5 years/60,000 miles
Roadside Help – 5 years/60,000 miles
Corrosion – 10 years/Limitless miles
Observations: 2023 Kia Niro PHEV
There’ll come a time when extra new vehicles are powered purely by electrical energy than gasoline. The bridge between that time is the plug-in hybrid electrical car, a know-how Kia has mastered with fashions such because the Sorento, Sportage and the Niro PHEV.
![2023 Kia Niro PHEV](https://cleanfleetreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2625-1024x768.jpg)
The 2023 Kia Niro PHEV is a powerful and nearly excellent small crossover. The gas financial system is stellar, the design doesn’t scream for consideration with its clear traditional look, and comes from an organization providing the very best guarantee available on the market.
It’s snug on lengthy street journeys and simple to deal with and zip round in-town. On prime of this the Niro PHEV is competitively priced with small crossovers that don’t supply the identical options, security and guarantee, and even near the gas financial system. Go to your native Kia supplier and see for your self.
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Story and photographs by John Faulkner.
Different Compact PHEV SUVs
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Disclosure:
Clear Fleet Report is loaned free check autos from automakers to guage, usually for per week at a time. Our street assessments are based mostly on this one-week drive of a brand new car. Due to this we don’t deal with points equivalent to long-term reliability or whole price of possession. As well as, we are sometimes invited to producer occasions highlighting new autos or know-how. As a part of these occasions we could also be supplied free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our greatest to current our unvarnished evaluations of autos and information irrespective of those inducements.
Our focus is on autos that provide the very best gas financial system of their class, which leads us to emphasise electrical vehicles, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We additionally characteristic these environment friendly gas-powered autos which might be among the many prime mpg autos of their class. As well as, we intention to supply evaluations and information on superior know-how and the choice gas car market. We welcome any suggestions from car homeowners and are devoted to offering a discussion board for different viewpoints. Please tell us your views at [email protected].