2017 Kia Niro
#31
Lexus Champion
Try www.fueleconomy.gov
Great website, as I looked it up to compare this Kia to the Rav4 Hybrid. Here are the results:
Great website, as I looked it up to compare this Kia to the Rav4 Hybrid. Here are the results:
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.
#32
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (1)
This is going to absolutely fly off the lots at $23,000. Wouldn't be surprised to see the dealers get greedy and tack on stuff like pin stripes, rustproofing, accesory wheels, "adjusted msrp" for the first few months/year this is on sale.
Its the body style everybody wants now days and I like that it doesn't look weird. Its a great design that isn't real shouty or gimmicky like everything else in this segment(Toyota C-HR, Nissan Juke, Prius, Lexus NX, Soul) Undercuts the Rav4 hybrid by a good $5,000 and gets better gas mileage anyways. Also a good alternative to the Prius for those that want that incredible gas mileage but hate the new Prius styling.
But even if it only manages about 40mpg combined, that's great for a small SUV.
Its the body style everybody wants now days and I like that it doesn't look weird. Its a great design that isn't real shouty or gimmicky like everything else in this segment(Toyota C-HR, Nissan Juke, Prius, Lexus NX, Soul) Undercuts the Rav4 hybrid by a good $5,000 and gets better gas mileage anyways. Also a good alternative to the Prius for those that want that incredible gas mileage but hate the new Prius styling.
But even if it only manages about 40mpg combined, that's great for a small SUV.
#33
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.
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.
#34
Lexus Champion
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...
#35
Lead Lap
#36
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.
#37
Lexus Fanatic
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.
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.
Last edited by mmarshall; 02-01-17 at 05:09 AM.
#38
Lexus Fanatic
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.
Last edited by mmarshall; 02-08-17 at 04:07 PM.
#39
Lexus Fanatic
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.
#40
Lexus Champion
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.
#41
Lexus Fanatic
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.
#42
Lexus Fanatic
So the price premium for the Prius makes the Toyota the better buy. IMO.
#43
Lexus Fanatic
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.
My niggle though is it should have available AWD, looks and feels like it should people were constantly asking if it was AWD.
#44
Lexus Champion
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.
#45
Lexus Fanatic
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.