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2017 Kia Niro Hybrid Aims for the Toyota Prius
Hyundai is attempting something that no other automaker has done successfully: challenge Toyota in the dedicated-hybrid market. The strategy is to flank the redesigned Toyota Prius with the Hyundai Ioniq and the recently-unveiled 2017 Kia Niro, from its sister brand Kia.
Where the Ioniq takes on the traditional Prius as a less-extroverted sedan, the Niro strikes at the Prius V with its crossover styling. Size-wise, the Niro is slightly shorter than the regular Prius (and quite a bit smaller than the family-size Prius V), but it stands two inches taller and boasts an SUV-like profile.
Frankly, we were a bit surprised by just how tame the Niro’s styling turned out to be. With all of Kia’s talk about aggressive design, we expected something far-out-and-funky like the Niro Concept, an urban-warrior dream car that Kia has had on the auto-show circuit since 2013. Or at least the Soul. Instead, the Niro is surprisingly sedate, a plain-Jane shape that no amount of chrome, body cladding, and blacked-out trim (and Kia has made liberal use of all three) can disguise. The Toyota Prius’ futuristic styling has always been one of its key elements, and even the compact Prius C and bulky Prius V manage to stand out from other cars in a way that the Niro doesn’t.
The Niro is just as sedate on the inside, but that may be a good thing. We’ve been impressed by Kia’s interiors of late; ever since they hired chief design officer Peter Schreyer away from Audi, their cabins have had a decidedly upscale feel. The 2017 Niro shows the same elegant, functional design that we’ve come to admire. Kia designed the Niro’s hybrid components in such a way as to minimize interior intrusion. The cargo bay is slightly larger than that of the Toyota Prius, and it offers a low, flat floor with fold-down rear seats.
Kia plans to offer the Niro with a full complement of high-tech driver aids, including blind-spot and lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. New for the Niro is an available system that Kia calls Eco-DAS (for Driver Assistance System), which uses the navigation system to look at topographical data for the planned route. Eco-DAS has two clever features: Coasting Guide, which coaches the driver on when to coast and when to brake; and Predictive Energy Control, which makes informed decisions about when to pull power from the battery and when to recharge it. It’s impressive to see Kia taking advantage of the car’s ability to sense its environment in order to improve efficiency.
Under the Niro’s hood sits a newly-developed front-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain. The gasoline engine is a 103-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder. Between the engine and its six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sits a 43-hp electric motor, which can allow the car to move at low speeds on strictly electric power. Total system output is 146 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. A plug-in version will be introduced later in the model run.
With any hybrid, fuel efficiency is the key consideration. Kia has not announced EPA fuel economy estimates, but they are targeting a 50 mpg combined rating—an impressive number that would fall just short of the 2016 Toyota Prius’ EPA-estimated 52 mpg.
Low gas prices and Toyota’s dominance of the hybrid segment mean the Kia Niro is facing an uphill battle. Still, the Niro looks like it will be a useful and efficient hybrid, offering shoppers an alternative to the ever-popular Prius. We’re looking forward to getting our hands on one for a comprehensive road test.
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