Motoring

CAROLINE GETS MOTORING

Bunclody native Caroline Kidd brings us reviews of the latest new cars to arrive in Ireland. Caroline is the founder and editor of the online automotive magazine Changing Lanes and a jury member for Irish Car of the Year. Find out more about her editorial and commercial copywriting services at www.changinglanes.ie

KIA NIRO

The Kia Niro was first introduced to Ireland back in 2016. It was a bit of a trendsetter at the time. Not only was it styled as a crossover – customers love them – but it also spawned a successful Niro plug-in hybrid and the jewel in the crown – the electric 'e-Niro'.

Now Kia has had a chance to revisit the Niro and create an all-new version. But electrification remains a key theme with plug-in hybrid and EV versions available, and an upcoming full hybrid. The electric Niro offers up to 460 kilometres of range and doesn’t cost much more to buy than the hybrid. The new Kia Niro plug-in hybrid I’ve been testing goes on sale in Ireland priced from €39,700, while the Niro EV is available from €41,775. The attraction of the plug-in hybrid is the all-electric driving range of up to 59 kilometres, but there’s a 1.6-litre petrol engine at its core.

The new Niro seems to look the part more now of a small, trendy crossover. It's found new direction within the brand's new generation of vehicles like the Sportage and EV6. Kia's design has been evolving over the years and the Niro wears the brand's avant-garde new design language very well to stand out on the road as something a little bit different. 18-inch alloy wheels and LED headlights come as standard for a stylish presence. Inside, there has been a transformation as well. Niro feels more modern and youthful than before, with some very impressive digital displays. A 10.25-inch touchscreen comes as standard and suitably modernises the cabin of the Niro. It's all very simple and intuitive to use, while the cabin quality feels good as well.

In Ireland the Niro PHEV is available in

two trim levels, packed with equipment - the K3 (from €39,700) and the K4 (from €42,700). Standard features on K3 models include heated front seats, dualzone automatic air conditioning, wireless phone charger and Apple Car Play and Android Auto with voice control. There are also lots of standard safety feaInterior tures like lane keep assist, lane follow assist, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot collision avoidance. The Niro is not cheap but that's a lot of equipment. The new Niro sits on a new platform and though it looks compact on the outside, it's surprisingly roomy inside. Naturally, it's not the widest car so three might feel a squeeze in the back. But for two adults or children, it does feel roomy enough. The boot can muster 348 litres of space in the plug-in hybrid. Some hatchbacks have more space these days, though it's still a decent usable boot. The Niro EV actually has a bigger boot of over 400 litres. For this new generation of the Niro, Kia has made some suspension and steering improvements for a more enjoyable and responsive drive. There's also been the addition of more insulation and padding around the vehicle’s structure to reduce engine and road noise. On the road the Niro PHEV does appear to have grownup. It feels more driver-focused now despite its efficient powertrain. It's more refined than before so the cabin is more relaxing. The power output of the hybrid is a healthy 183hp so there’s power when you want it too. There is still a bias to efficiency, but it's a good one. Without charging the battery my fuel consumption was less than 5.0 litres per 100 kilometres, which is very impressive. The Kia brand has real momentum in Ireland with bestsellers like the new Kia Sportage and the EV6. Now the brand has a real chance to make impact in the more compact side of the market, with the new Niro boasting some of the most sought after electrified powertrains and a more stylish design and digital interior. It is expensive to buy, but Kia has packed the Niro with equipment, which goes some way to justify it. The real boon here is of course effiency. The plug-in hybrid is an introduction to electric motoring, but if you forget to charge the battery, it remains a very fuel-efficient car. Model tested: Kia Niro K4

Price: €42,700 Engine: 1.6-litre petrol electric plug-in hybrid Power: 183hp Torque: 265Nm Top speed: 161 km/h Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 9.8 seconds Motor Tax: €140 per year n

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