The 2023 Kia Niro is vital to the Kia brand electrification strategy. It's an all-new version of a nameplate launched for the 2017 model year. The new, second-generation Niro is available in three flavors: hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and fully electric (EV). According to Kia, the Niro HEV (the subject of this review) will garner the vast majority of the model's sales (Kia executives say close to 70 percent). The automaker expects the Niro EV to capture about 25 percent of sales, with the "middle child" Niro PHEV gathering the rest.
Kia Motors is moving ahead boldly on two fronts in the United States. The recently introduced Kia EV6 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) has put a big stake in the ground on the pure-electric side of the tracks. The EV6 joined the prior-generation Niro EV as the brand's opening shots at that still-undefined market. At the same time, the brand didn't turn its back on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles as it upped its annual sales in the U.S. to over 700,000 before COVID-19-inspired parts issues conspired to cause vehicle shortages.
The 2023 Kia Niro HEV contributes to both electrification and ICE-engine efforts. As a small, high-fuel-economy crossover SUV at an affordable price, it promises to contribute significant sales in this era of crazy-high gasoline prices. At the same time, its electrified powertrain enables it to deliver diminished carbon dioxide emissions in line with Kia's overall environmental goals.
I drove the 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid at a Kia-sponsored driving event in and around Encinitas, California. The event allowed journalists not only to drive but also to interview key Kia product planning personnel.
Kia offers the 2023 Niro HEV in three trim levels: LX, EX, and SX. The EX and SX have optional Touring packages that add equipment. The Niro HEV LX has a base manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $26,490. Pricing for the EX starts at $29,090. The top-level SX has an MSRP of $32,490. To all these, add the destination charge of $1,295. The Niro HEV is currently on sale, while the closely related Niro PHEV and Niro EV go on sale later in the year.
The Niro Hybrid test vehicle was an SX Touring trim that Kia equipped extremely well with a Harman Kardon premium sound system and dual 10.25-inch digital displays. With about $1,000 in options, it had an MSRP of $35,900. Add to that the destination charge of $1,295 for a total of $37,195.
Photo: Jack R. Nerad
The 2023 Kia Niro HEV's exterior is more angular and conservative than the Kia EV6 BEV. Inspired by Kia's "Opposites United" design philosophy, the Niro presents an attractive version of the brand's "tiger nose" grille while achieving an impressive 0.29 coefficient of drag. Undoubtedly the most controversial aspect of the exterior is the "Aero Blade." Often finished in a color that contrasts with the body color, this slight protrusion across the vehicle's rear-most pillar aids airflow around it and toward the hatchback rear.
With a wheelbase 0.8-inch longer than the 2022 Kia Niro and an overall length increased by 2.5 inches, the 2023 Niro Hybrid is roomier and more accommodating than ever. At the same time, the cargo area behind the rear seats is up only marginally—from 22.4 to 22.8 cubic feet. At the same time, that is quite a bit of cargo space for a vehicle only 174 inches long.
Passenger-space dimensions for the new 2023 Niro—headroom, legroom, and hip room—are all up versus the 2022 Niro, and rear-seat legroom benefits the most. Thanks to front seats that have gone on a diet, rear legroom has increased by more than 2 inches, which in vehicle terms, is a lot.
What car buyers will discover is a contemporary interior that consciously eschews animal hides and is, instead, upholstered in eco-friendly fabrics. The slim seats, made possible by narrow high-strength steel frames, are covered with "bio" polyurethane and Tercel fabric made with m eucalyptus leaves. The front seatbacks include integrated coat hangers. Kia makes the crossover's headliner from recycled wallpaper. (Really.)
Not only does the Niro HEV have its environmental boxes checked, but it also checks the technology box big time. The base LX trim has an 8-inch LCD touchscreen color display with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In contrast, all other trims have a 10.25-inch LCD touchscreen with navigation and a premium sound system with SiriusXM satellite radio and an embedded modem. This unit, like many Kia 10.25-inch units, inexplicably requires wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The Niro Hybrid delivers its instrumentation and driver information via a 4.3-inch TFT display flanked by digital readouts. While not as impressive as the 10.25-inch digital display on the Niro EV, it still teams very well with the infotainment display to quickly deliver a great deal of information.
Photo: Jack R. Nerad
The 2023 Kia Niro's infotainment continues in the brand's tradition of intuitive, easy-to-use systems. While the base LX trim's 8-inch screen is beginning to look small as screen sizes escalate, the 10.25-inch touchscreen in the test vehicle was as clear as just-Windexed glass. Apple CarPlay integration was easy and, once tethered to its wired-only connection, operated just as Apple intended. A wireless phone charger is unavailable in the LX (lowest) trim but is standard on all others.
The base sound system offers 6 speakers, while an 8-speaker Harman Kardon unit is the standard sound system in the SX trim. It provided excellent sound reproduction and more than enough power to fill the car's interior with sweet notes. Standard USB ports on the sides of the front seats offer back-seat passengers easy access to device charging.
The Kia Niro HEV features a robust array of advanced driver assistance systems. Many of its standard Kia Drive Wise systems are optional on luxury-brand models. Standard are forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance, lane-following assistance, driver monitoring system, blind-spot warning with parallel park exit warning, rear cross-traffic warning, safe-exit system, and a rear-seat reminder system. Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and navigation-based curve control is an option. So is forward-collision warning with cyclist and intersection turn assistance. Available Highway Driving Assist essentially leverages adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-following assistance to offer nearly hands-free driving for limited periods in certain circumstances.
The Niro's standard lane-keeping assistance is laudably unintrusive. The blind-spot warning system will alert you to an impending disaster while leaving a parallel parking space. And the rear cross-traffic warning system will apply the brakes if you don't respond to its notifications promptly. Among other functions, the driver monitoring system provides a departure alert if the leading vehicle accelerates from a stop and you don't react within a specific time. The feature is unnecessary in California, where the bleating of the horns of cars behind you serves the same function but more quickly.
Kia Connect connectivity, accessible in-car or through the Kia Access app, is standard on Niro EX and higher trims. The Niro HEV also has over-the-air-update capability to automatically ensure that maps and other infotainment systems are up to date. 911 connect and roadside assistance are also part of Kia Connect. Stolen-vehicle recovery and immobilization can assist law enforcement agencies in recovering the vehicle if it's stolen or just horribly lost. Niro owners can use Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant smart speakers to control certain vehicle functions, such as starting the engine remotely.
Photo: Jack R. Nerad
Kia did not bless the 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid with exceptional power. The other members of the Niro trio have substantially more. The PHEV has 180 horsepower, and the EV has 201. Still, the HEV is fun to drive, thanks to the fact that Kia's North American product planners persuaded the parent-company engineers to tighten up suspension tuning. Steering is reasonably quick and direct, and the HEV doesn't roll or wallow in corners. Braking feel is above average.
For the record, Kia powers the Niro HEV with a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder gas engine coupled to a 32-kW permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. The combined output is 139 hp and 195 pound-feet of torque. The unexpected 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission enhances driver engagement. While the Niro Hybrid is fun to drive, perhaps its most endearing trait is its stellar fuel economy. Equipped with 16-inch wheels, it offers 53 mpg city/54 mpg highway/53 mpg combined fuel economy. With 18-inch wheels, it returns 49 mpg combined fuel economy. The total range in the test vehicle's configuration is 479 miles on a tankful of regular gas.
The Niro not only has Sport and Eco drive modes but also offers an interesting Green Zone drive mode. This mode automatically switches the HEV to battery-electric operation in residential areas, near schools, and close to hospitals. The hybrid can use navigation and driving history to recognize favorite places like home, office, and soft-serve ice cream drive-throughs.
The 2023 Niro HEV has other endearing traits, too. It uses regenerative braking to aid efficiency by capturing energy that it would otherwise lose as heat in braking. Still, it does it in an under-the-radar manner—appreciated in an era when some regenerative braking systems are genuinely irritating.
Up-level equipment like the heated and ventilated front seats in the SX trim are welcome. The driver's seat power-adjusts 10 ways with adjustable lumbar support as well. Kia covers the seats in the SX with "vegan leather," a plant-based plastic.
Much as there is to like about the PHEV and EV versions of the 2023 Kia Niro, the HEV is the value sweet spot in the line. The base LX is a particular bargain with a base price well under $28,000 and 54-mpg fuel economy. But the value continues even as you climb the trim ladder to the SX. Bigger wheels lead to slightly poorer (but still stellar) fuel economy. Still, the extra stuff like the larger infotainment display and the Harman Kardon premium audio keep the value story going.
The Niro Hybrid delivers more driving enjoyment than 139 hp would lead you to expect. And for a vehicle of its size, it offers excellent interior accommodations for as many as five plus good cargo space. Those desiring all-wheel drive will have to settle for front drive, but that is not an issue in most instances. As an all-around model, the 2023 Kia Niro HEV is, in my eyes, a real bargain.
Jack R. Nerad has reviewed cars, trucks, vans, and sport utilities for over three decades. He managed the editorial efforts of Motor Trend magazine and Kelley Blue Book and currently is the host of the SportsMap Radio Network program America on the Road, which is available on Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Stitcher, and other outlets.
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