Manufacturer Kia Motors Model years 2017–present | Production 2016–present Body style 5-door SUV | |
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Assembly South Korea: Hwaseong, Gyeonggi (Hwaseong Plant) Class Subcompact crossover SUV | ||
The Kia Niro is a hybrid subcompact crossover SUV manufactured by Kia Motors since 2016.
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2013 concept
The Kia Niro concept debuted at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. The car, designed almost entirely by Peter Schreyer at Kia's Frankfurt studio, is a sporty 3-door subcompact crossover with butterfly doors that open into the roof panel. The front wheels are powered by the 1.6-liter Gamma inline-4 producing 160 hp mated with a 7-speed rotary-shifted dual-clutch transmission, while a 45-hp electric hybrid system powers the rear wheels when driving in rougher road conditions.
KX-3 concept
The Kia KX-3 concept followed at the 2014 Guangzhou Auto Show. Inspired by the earlier Niro concept, it has grown larger in size into a compact SUV, measuring 167.71 inches (4,260 mm) long and 69.48 inches (1,765 mm) wide. A turbocharged 1.6-liter engine delivers power to all four wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Production version
The 2017 Kia Niro was unveiled at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show. A subcompact "hybrid utility vehicle" positioned below the Kia Sportage, the Niro uses an all-new hybrid powertrain producing altogether 139 hp, and returns a fuel economy of 43 to 50 miles per US gallon (5.5 to 4.7 L/100 km) thanks to its usage of lightweight materials such as high-strength steel and aluminum. Its battery has a capacity of 1.56 kWh and a weight of 33 kg.
The exterior design, described as "un-hybrid" by Kia, is more conventional compared to those of other hybrid cars, due to Kia's belief that a hybrid vehicle does not have to sacrifice attractive design for fuel efficiency, according to Kia Motors America vice president Orth Hedrick. A plug-in version will be offered later on as well.
The Kia Niro went on sale in South Korea on the 31st March 2016. In its first month on sale Niro hit an all-time sales record in South Korea's green car market, even beating Hyundai Ioniq.
2016 Guinness World Record
In December 2016, the Niro officially received a Guinness World Records title for the lowest fuel consumption by a hybrid vehicle, as it traveled from Los Angeles to New York City with a fuel consumption record of 76.6 mpg.