2019 Kia Niro PHEV review

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2019 Kia Niro PHEV: Kia delivers a BOGO

Buy one, get one. That’s what we love about our local grocery store. There is always a two for one going on for some particular product. It may be green beans, or a pound of ground coffee or even a sugary cereal.

The same can be said for your local Kia dealer. Pick up a 2019 Kia Niro PHEV and you will be getting a gas and electric vehicle that can carry you as far as you need to go, as long as there’s fuel in the tank.

Is it a specialized vehicle or one that can be all things to all drivers? Let’s take a look.

The 2019 Kia Niro PHEV is the brand’s plug-in hybrid electric version of the Kia Niro Hybrid. This plug-in derived version of their standard hybrid Niro has the added ability of traveling up to 26 miles exclusively on battery power alone. After it has depleted that power the Niro relies exclusively on fossil fuel (gasoline) for motivation. But worry not, as the Niro presents the best of both worlds.

What makes it move?

The new Kia Niro gets its power from a single source: Kia’s 1.6-liter Kappa direct-injection Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine producing 104 horsepower and 109 lb-ft of torque.

That small engine (we’d love a turbocharger!) is connected to a hybrid power control unit that is more powerful than the previous version (it’s been around awhile). It shares this motor with its corporate cousin, the Hyundai Ioniq. On its own it delivers 60 horsepower. Combined with the Niro’s gas powerplant it makes 139 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque.

The Niro’s Lithium-ion polymer batteries live under its rear seats while another set is nestled underneath the cargo hold floor. By design, placing these batteries here lowers the Niro’s center of gravity for improved handling. There’s a 24.7 Amp Hour capacity, and the cells are capable of 8.9 kWh of energy. A dual-clutch transmission (DCT) delivers power to the front wheels, and helps to provide the 26 mile range of the electric motor.

The Kia Niro PHEV competes against the Ford C-Max Hybrid, Toyota Prius and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

Looks really do count!

For a while, it looked like automakers went out of their way to make their hybrid vehicles appear as space-aged as possible.

Others, like Kia, tamed themselves, acting with restraint. As a result, the Kia Niro is more traditional in appearance than other models that tend to scare us when viewed in the wild. In the case of the Niro, we have a hybrid electric crossover utility vehicle masquerading as a … wait for it,…a crossover utility vehicle. Quite capable, you only realize it’s a hybrid by the blue highlights and eco-style badging outside. Other than the charging door on the left fender, it appears identical to the standard Kia Niro Hybrid.

Inside, there’s a 7-inch gauge cluster instructing drivers how to get the most from their Niro PHEVs. There are alerts about fuel levels, vehicle range, mileage yardsticks, and charge status as well.

According to Kia officials, charging the battery will maximize your all-electric range and save the most on fuel costs. “Customers can choose just how much or how little to recharge, and regardless, the Niro will still be a high-mileage hybrid,” they said.

A console-mounted ECO switch changes the Niro’s drive characteristics according to his or her mood. With ranges of ECO, Hybrid, EV, still we found it most engaging in Sport Mode. By keeping it in pure hybrid mode, we were able to maximize the EV mileage until back on normal surface streets, which is where the full electric modes shines brightest. By the way, if you are counting, expect to spend about 9 hours for a full charge from a standard household outlet. An optional (extra cost) level 2 (240-volt) charger will do the job in just 2.5 hours. A cool feature: Normally plug-in vehicles include an alarm which blares when someone unplugs your charging cord. In the case of the Niro, it automatically releases the lock so that someone else can have a chance at a charge, too.

Do you have a cubic foot fetish. If so, the Niro will serve you well with 19.4 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats in their upright position.

Fold them forward and that area expands to 54.5 cubic feet. Moving to the front row, comfort has seemingly returned to the seats of the Kia Niro PHEV. While not always Kia/Hyundai’s strong suit, we were able to arrive refreshed after a long day behind the wheel.

Electronically, the Kia Niro PHEV is aces! Equipped with virtually all the electronic niceties currently in vogue, it included Lane Keep Assist, Smart Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Braking, Blind Spot detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Front and Rear parking assist. Add to these, a Harman/Kardon Premium sound system with Clari-Fi along with the Kia UVO eco infotainment environment, and the addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the complete E-Ticket ride.

Behind the wheels.

Getting behind the wheel of the 2019 Kia Niro PHEV left us with a feeling of…wait for it…normalcy. It was the feeling we get whenever we get into other vehicles. Traditional vehicles. We didn’t have to readjust to get used to a center mounted gauge pod. Or any quirky features present in other hybrid models.

But it does have its limitations. You aren’t going to take this off-roading, nor would you even try. Same for the non-existent third row seating. Instead, you will be driving a crossover with loads of personality. Also missing? Range anxiety, because of the fact that as long as there is fuel in the tank, you are good to go. And about that engine: While not an over-the-top engine like that found in the Stinger GT2, it is still a four-cylinder that won’t embarrass itself, accelerating quickly enough to allow you to get past a big rig or two on the highway. But it won’t do it quietly. This engine will squawk when stepped on.

The DCT transmission performed well when underway but did exhibit a touch of hesitation when in ECO mode. It was here, while watching the Niro’s E-Meter, where we were able to recoup 20 of 26 electric-only miles of battery charge through regenerative braking and conservative actions in the wheelhouse.

And just because we could, we drove the final ten miles to our destination on full electric power.

2019 Kia Niro PHEV

Type: Four-door, five passenger CUV with Hatchback

Body: Unibody

Drive: Front Wheel Drive

Engine: 1.6-liter four-cylinder Kappa Atkinson-cycle engine

Horsepower: 104 hp @ 5,700 rpm

Torque: 195 lb-ft of torque

Fuel Delivery: Gas Direct Injection

Electric Motor: AC Synchronous Permanent Magnetic Motor

Horsepower: 60 hp @ 1,800-2,500 rpm

Torque: 125 lb-ft of torque @ 0-1,800 rpm

Battery: Lithium Ion Polymer

Battery Capacity: 24.7 AH

Battery Energy: 8.9kWh

Transmission: Dual Clutch 6-speed automatic transmission

Combined HP: 139 hp @ 5,700 rpm

All Electric Range: 26 miles

Total Range: 560 miles

Curb Weight: 3274 pounds

Length: 171.5 inches

Wheelbase: 106.3 inches

Width: 71.1 inches

Height: 60.8 inches

Ground Clearance: 6.3 inches

EPA MPGe: 105

EPA MPG: 48 city / 44 highway / 44 combined

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