The new Kia Niro 2022 gains more space and additional technology

The new Kia Niro 2022 gains more space and additional technology

The new look of the Kia Niro has been revealed, once again in standard hybrid and hybrid formats.

Niro is indeed the model that kickstarted Kia’s transformation into one of the leading brands of electrification. And now, five years after it debuted and sold more than 300,000 units, it’s time for a new generation of the car, which will go on sale this month and reach customers in August.

The former Niro was based on one of the oldest Hyundai platforms – Kia, shared with Ionic. But that has changed now that the new Niro – which will again be available in hybrid, hybrid and pure electric versions – is the first Kia to use the company’s next-generation platform.

The new Niro EV (which has been renamed from e-Niro for this generation) has a cleaner front, has a central socket for the charger, and in the electric car there’s a box with about 20 liters of storage space, which should come in handy for maintaining moisture. cables from the trunk.

Then came the real big changes, with Kia giving the Niro a more dramatic look. In the EV, it’s further enhanced with steel gray inserts on the sides, but a notable feature across the panel are the colorful “blades” that cover the C-pillars.

Cleverly, it is the main body that actually helps the air flow around the sides of the car and improve aerodynamic efficiency. Expect Kia to play with colors and finishes to give customers extra room for personalization.

Kia Niro 2022 suitable for the whole family

All three versions of the car receive an updated powertrain. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids continue to use Kia’s 1.6-liter GDi petrol engine, coupled with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The Hybrid has a 1.32 kWh battery with a total output of 139 hp, while the more powerful PHEV hybrid has an increased battery size – from 8.9 kWh in its predecessor to 11.1 kWh – for a total of 180 hp. 201 hp and a 64.8 kWh battery.

Kia is still fine-tuning the vehicle’s efficiency, but expect the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle to travel 40 miles on electric alone, while the electric vehicle can travel 288 miles per charge. Both hybrids hit 0-62 mph in about 10 seconds. As you might expect, e-Niro’s Electric Instant Punch provides the fastest time of less than 8 seconds.

The new Kia Niro 2022 has an attractive design

At the front, the instrument panel is controlled by dual 10.25-inch screens and ambient lighting, designed to broaden its impact on occupants.

Although the Niro screen is smaller, most of the interface will look familiar to anyone using a Sorento or Sportage. The Niro uses the same dashboard integrated into the dashboard that allows you to switch between the infotainment and heating controls.

The Niro EV is also capable of charging vehicles – you can hook up everything from a laptop to a mobile refrigerator if needed. May be standard on higher trim levels and optional elsewhere.

The shoes are well shaped and have different tread heights, but overall performance can vary greatly depending on the powertrain chosen. The most spacious among the trio is the BEV – 475 liters without luggage. The Hybrid delivers 451 liters, while the PHEV has more than 100 liters to less than 348 liters.

It looks like this Niro is ready to give more EV tricks than the model it’s replacing. Kia promises further integration with its mobile app for remote control of key functions.

Kia Niro 2022 features the latest technology

Because the navigation system will recognize when you indicate a charging station and pre-condition the battery to the ideal temperature to maximize charging speed.

Hybrid models will also define zero emission zones and try to maximize electrical functions within them, for example in PHEV you can define and save your own pure electric zones to ensure you have classes in an ecologically quiet environment.

Kia is still finalizing the British-spec and pricing for the Niro, but we know it will continue to be offered in three trim levels.

The space and comfort of the new Kia Niro 2022

But it covers three powertrains. There’s no pricing information yet, but given the slight increase in size and improved specs, expect a slight increase over the outgoing model – for the hybrid, it could start around £26,000.