I do not believe this is a good comparison. Although I have not been able to find specifications for the Niro, I believe that it is a (much) smaller and lighter vehicle than the RAV4.

What I have been able to find, on Kia's website, the Niro is compared to the Prius in terms of engine and drivetrain (which is smaller and less powerful than the RAV4 Hybrid / Camry Hybrid / ES Hybrid drivetrain), and compared to the Honda HR-V in terms of size and interior space. It would seem to be smaller, lighter vehicle with a smaller engine.

 

I agree with everything you say, & that's after driving a Niro for several hours. Drove on a freeway thru hard rain & it handles very well, good power, comfortable, attractive inside & out.

 

Niro is indeed much smaller than the RAV4, which is a Compact Utility vehicle. Niro is more inline with the Subcompact Utility Vehicles: HR-V, upcoming C-HR, etc. And the RAV4 Hybrids are AWD, vs 2WD/Front Wheel Drive on the Niro. That said, 40+ up to ~50 MPG is pretty good, especially with, as others have noted, decidedly less polarizing designs than some of the current alternatives out there. Looking at you Prius...

 

Explain to me how a non-provocative, milquetoast style helps lower fuel consumption.

 

I think it was fairly obvious he meant that styling might appeal to a broader audience, helping its sales.

 

Exactly. I wouldn't be caught dead behind the wheel of a Prius. Its an ugly car(always has been, but this newest generation takes it to a new height). Main thing is I don't want the associated baggage of driving a Prius. I don't want to be defined as some tree hugging, liberal weenie hipster who has a huge beard, smells funny, and who sincerely enjoys going with his free spirited, matted hair hippie girlfriend to vegan lesbian poetry night at their local free trade indie coffee house that also serves locally sourced craft brews.

 

IMO you, like a number of other posters, worry about image too much. Buy and drive what YOU like, what YOU want, and what YOU can afford....and never mind what others think. (You're never going to please everyone, no matter what you choose). However, I agree with you that the new Prius, though well-built and much better-driving than its precedessor, is one fugly machine.


And, yes, the Niro is indeed much better-looking. I saw one yesterday at the D.C. Auto Show, out on the floor, unlocked. Unfortunately, Kia did not have one on their test-drive loop outside, which I wanted to sample. Instead, I test-drove the Soul EV (all-electric), which I was very impressed with....but that's a topic for another thread, not this one.

 

I had spent a little time at the D.C. auto show looking at the Niro (can't spend too much time on any one vehicle at the show)...and was impressed. I spent some more time today, at a local Kia shop, doing static-reviews, inside and out, and was even more impressed. I plan a test-drive very soon (maybe later this week), and a full-MM review. But, even without the formal test-drive, this car is so impressive simply in the way it's designed and built, and the materials used for a vehicle of this class, that, IMO, Kia has hit a home run. The question, though, is....will the public buy it?...the Prius is so well-entrenched as the King of compact-hybrids that, like the Ford F-150 with pick-ups, it would take a nuclear weapon to knock it off its pedestal.

 

I don't know if anyone has been watching closely, KIA is advertising the Niro with a combined 43MPG fuel efficiency. Each model will vary, this will never fly off the lots as some claim.

 

43 mpg theoretically puts it in between the C-Max and the Prius, given, that's not an inflated goal given by Hyundai. Over 7000 miles, my work C-Max is averaging just over 36 mpg. And that's with me trying my darnest to drive green.

 

FE/LX/EX models have markedly higher EPA ratings (about 5-6 MPG) than the Touring models. Kia does not have a complete answer for this, but it appears to be a function of how the hybrid drivetrain is programmed for response, and the greater rolling-resistance of the larger tires used on the Touring models. I will discuss that somewhat in my upcoming review.

 

So the price premium for the Prius makes the Toyota the better buy. IMO.

 

My cousin and I liked the Nero a lot too when we were there. I'd definitely choose one over a Prius.

My niggle though is it should have available AWD, looks and feels like it should people were constantly asking if it was AWD.

 

Agreed, and best post in the thread! I'm going to start parking my A4 in the Eco-Friendly Vehicles spots at Whole Foods just to annoy Prius drivers since it has auto engine shut off, LOL!

 

One reason it doesn't quite equal the Prius mileage is that the Niro seems to be built with lots more solid materials, which add weight. Though, in fairness, the latest 4Gen Prius is a significant improvement, in that area, over the Cracker-Jack 3Gen version.