[TEST DRIVE] Kia’s Niro Hybrid solidifies its place as price-competitive, fuel-efficient SUV

[test Drive] Kia's Niro Hybrid Solidifies Its Place As Price Competitive, Fuel Efficient Suv

Kia's 2025 Niro Hybrid SUV / Courtesy of Kia

Kia’s 2025 Niro Hybrid SUV / Courtesy of Kia

By Lee Min-hyung

Kia’s Niro Hybrid SUV appears to have solidified its id, making it one of the price-competitive and fuel-efficient choices for drivers searching for each consolation and spectacular gas effectivity.

The Niro debuted in 2016 and has since established itself as a flexible car, appropriate for each leisure actions and each day commutes.

When this reporter test-drove the 2025 Niro Hybrid, it proved comfy sufficient to rival a typical sedan. The trip was easy with no noticeable downsides, making certain a snug journey even on a latest four-hour journey between Seoul and Daejeon.

The car is supplied with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and a 32-kilowatt electrical motor, delivering a mixed energy output of 139 horsepower. The carmaker’s claimed gas effectivity for the mannequin is 20.8 kilometers per liter.

There was widespread skepticism concerning the gas effectivity claims made by carmakers, as many drivers have been disenchanted by lower-than-expected mileage when driving their automobiles on the highway.

The interior of Kia's Niro Hybrid SUV / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung

The inside of Kia’s Niro Hybrid SUV / Korea Instances picture by Lee Min-hyung

Nonetheless, this was not the case with the Niro Hybrid, which achieved an precise gas effectivity of over 19 kilometers per liter through the four-hour drive, overlaying each metropolis and freeway routes between the 2 cities, roughly 170 kilometers aside.

The beginning value for the car is 27.13 million received ($18,400). Few automakers are at the moment able to mass-producing such a cost-effective SUV, as most luxurious carmakers supply comparable fashions at greater than twice the worth.

That is evident from the sturdy export efficiency of the Niro Hybrid. In response to knowledge from the carmaker, the car was the top-selling mannequin exported to different international locations through the first 10 months of 2024.

Nonetheless, the car shouldn’t be an excellent choice for drivers preferring swift acceleration or sturdy cornering, because the Niro Hybrid was designed to supply economical driving and easy acceleration.

Demand for automobiles just like the Niro Hybrid is predicted to proceed rising within the coming years, pushed by the continued hole in electrical car adoption each domestically and internationally.

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