The compact utility that consumes little

Photo courtesy of Kia
The Kia Niro is a new utility with a hybrid drive (petrol/electric). By its interior, transformable, and this mechanical, it is, therefore, comparable to the Toyota Prius v.

Jacques Welcome

Sunday, 27 August 2017 20:06

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Sunday, 27 August 2017 20:06

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The Kia Niro is a new utility to compact size. Another, you say ? But this one has a peculiarity not common among the vehicles of its kind : it has a hybrid drive and consumes little fuel.

Last march, a new compact utility has made its entrance in the showrooms of Kia dealers. It is called Niro. In bengali, this word means ” without end “. Nice metaphor to highlight a peculiarity that is still too rare in its niche : its hybrid powertrain, which allows him to get more kilometers from every litre of gasoline it consumes.

Does this surprise you ? Yet it is true. The vehicles of compact size, combining a body convertible and a hybrid are rare. On the canadian market, there is only two of them, at least in the price range of the Niro. Since 2011, Toyota offers the Prius v, a variant of the Prius common that many consider it as the wagon version of this car hybrid. On his side, since 2012, Ford sold the account drops the C-Max hybrid, a small van was slightly shorter than a Kia Rondo (without the useless third-row seat), which is also available in version plug-in hybrid.

Apart from these two vehicles, the only other utility compact hybrid available in the country is a RAV4. Launched in 2016, this new variant of the popular utility of Toyota, however, is much more expensive than a Niro, a price difference that can be explained, at least in part, by its four-wheel drive, that attribute is missing in the Kia as its two direct rivals.

This glimpse on the market helps to identify the portrait of the Niro, especially as the range of Kia has several other utilities : the little Soul, of which there is an electric version; the Sportage, a compact utility very popular which can be equipped with all-wheel drive; the Sorento, a utility larger who is the champion of the sales of the brand; and finally, the vans Rondo and Sedona. And for all these vehicles, Kia does not offer a hybrid.

Photo courtesy of Kia

The design of the dashboard is modern and its central part is oriented towards the driver.

VEHICLE AFFORDABLE

In Chicago, at the time of unveiling the Niro, in February 2016, the Korean manufacturer had announced that it would triple the supply of “green” vehicles by 2020. The Niro, a vehicle that is affordable, is therefore a point of departure attractive for this strategy. To demonstrate this, the model The input range is offered from 24 995 $, while the model SX Touring, the one that has the staffing to be the most complete, displays a starting price 32 of $ 995. Price that put this newcomer Kia in the sight of the Prius v (28 875 $-34 860 $) and the C-Max (24 237 $-28 358 $).

It’s the same with the engine. The duo consists of a four-cylinder engine of 1.6 L and a synchronous electric motor of 32 kW (44 hp) powered by a lithium-ion-polymer (LiPo) of 1.56 kWh will give the Niro a net capacity of 139 ch. The Prius has 134 hp that gives it a four-cylinder engine of 1.8 L and an electric motor of 60 kW (82 hp) powered by a battery of nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) of up to 1.0 kw, while the C-Max hybrid, which uses a four-cylinder 2.0 L paired to an electric motor of 88 kW (120 hp) and a lithium-ion battery of 1.4 kWh, has 188 hp.

The powertrain of the Niro is complemented by an automatic gearbox six-speed and dual-clutch transmission, which is particularly efficient and, above all, very discreet. The Prius v and the C-Max rather use a automatic transmission to continuous variation which, in each case, does not shine by the refinement. These two vehicles also have a brake less easy to modulate.

Photo courtesy of Kia

A safe convertible large fact of the Niro an ideal vehicle for travelers.

THE LESS GREEDY

The fuel consumption, a decisive factor in the choice of a hybrid vehicle, also favors the Niro. Depending on the version, the average rating of this vehicle goes from 4.7 to 5.4 L/100 km, although Toyota has announced a average of 5.8 L/100 km for the Prius v, and Ford, an average of 5.9 L/100 km for the C-Max. Despite this ” sobriety “, the Kia allows us to accelerate more quickly from 0 to 100 km/h than its rival japanese : 9,5 s him are enough against 10.9 s for the Toyota. The Ford, however, offers a time even shorter, that is about 8.6 s, but for the pleasure of the ride, we revert. In this chapter, the Kia Niro is significantly higher thanks to a supple suspension that masks the defects in the coating and in a specific direction, receiving support is awesome. Its automatic transmission also has a sport mode which allows, at the appropriate time, pull a little more liveliness to its powertrain to perform, for example, an overrun of no concern.

The inside of the Niro with modern design, without excessive design. In an effort to improve the ergonomics, its designers were oriented slightly towards the driver with the central section of the dashboard and the console between the two bucket seats, also very comfortable. The cabin can comfortably accommodate four adults. It is also more spacious than the Prius v, especially for the back seat where there is a clearance top for the legs. The useful volume maximum out of the trunk, by the way, is more important than that of the C-Max, despite the fact that the latter has a body longer. The Prius v, which has a body most high, however, the safety of the larger, an advantage that currency, not only by a slightly higher consumption, but also less attractive. The entry-level version of the Toyota, for example, shows a base price of $ 4000 higher than the Kia Niro, the model is capable of consuming up to 20 % less fuel.

It should be noted that the Niro share its mechanics with the Hyundai Ioniq hybrid, another novelty of 2017, which aims, however, the customer base of the Prius regular. Hyundai also offers a hybrid version rechargeable Ioniq (a rival to the Prius Premium and the Chevrolet Volt, an electric version (comparable to the Nissan LEAF). However, since the Niro also share the platform of the Ioniq, this means that a version plug-in hybrid will soon appear on our market. The subsidiary, a us Kia announces already to the visitors of its website, without specifying when it will be available for sale. Able to travel nearly sixty miles in all-electric mode, this variant should be followed by another, electric this, that would complete a trio of Kia’s “green” in the making.

Guinness world Record for the Niro

Photo courtesy of Kia

On December 11, 2016, in New York, Wayne Gerdes (d.) and his teammate, Robert Winger (g.), receive the certificate of the Guinness world record established with a Kia Niro.

To show to what extent the Niro can be stingy on fuel, the subsidiary of the u.s. Kia Motors America has invited Wayne Gerdes, a écoconducteur seasoned of San Diego, California, across the United States from one ocean to the other in the manner most economical either.

In December 2016, he has left Los Angeles behind the wheel of a Niro EX in the company of Robert Winger, a native of Williamsburg, Virginia. They have traveled 5 979,2 km to reach New York using only chf 183.6 litres of fuel (4,1 full). This represents a consumption of 3.07 L/100 km, a score which earned them the Guinness world record for the ” lowest fuel consumption for a crossing from west to east in the United States with a hybrid vehicle “.

But Gerdes is a veteran of this kind of exploits promotional. For the past ten years, he teamed up with Audi, Ford, Hyundai and Volkswagen to establish various records, but also with Kia. In 2011, in two weeks he has passed through every State of the United States at the wheel of an Optima hybrid, which consumes only 3,64 L/100 km. This feat, which earned him another Guinness world record, will have been training for the record of the Niro !

Name of the car

Base price

24 995 $ (L); 27 495 $ (EX); 29 095 $ (EX Premium); 32 995 $ (SX Touring).

Transport and preparation

1740 $

Powertrain

L4 atmospheric DOHC, 1.6 L; synchronous electric motor of 32 kW; battery LiPo of 1.56 kWh; the net power of 139 hp at 5 700 rpm; net torque of 195 lb-ft at 1 000-2 400 tr/min. Gearbox 6-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive.

Features

Four-wheel independent Suspension. Disc brake for front wheel; drum brakes to the rear wheels. Anti-lock braking system series. Tires : 205/60R16 (L and EX); P225/45R18 (SX).

Ratings

Wheelbase : 2700 mm; length : 4355 mm; width : 1805 mm; height : 1535-1545 mm. Weight : 1409-1467 kg. Tank capacity : 45 litres. Trunk Volume : 635-1789 L. average Consumption (manufacturer) : 4.7 L/100 km (L); 4.8 L/100 km (EX); 5.4 L/100 km (SX).

Competition

Ford C-Max, Hyundai Ioniq hybrid, Toyota Prius v, Toyota’s RAV4 hybrid

Strengths

• Trunk large and practical
• Plenty of space for passengers
• Reduced consumption

Weak Points

• Parking brake pedal annoying
• Version plug-in hybrid expected