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The 2021 Kia Niro range of configurations is currently priced from $21,990.
Our most recent review of the 2021 Kia Niro resulted in a score of 7.4 out of 10 for that particular example.
Carsguide Contributing Journalist Andrew Chesterton had this to say at the time: The Kia Niro deserves plaudits for its multi-prong approach to eco-friendly motoring, and the PHEV Sport ticks plenty of boxes along the way.
You can read the full review here.
This is what Andrew Chesterton liked most about this particular version of the Kia Niro: Cabin tech a strong suit, Real-word fuel use impresses, A PHEV with a proper gearbox
The 2021 Kia Niro carries a braked towing capacity of up to 300 Kg, but check to ensure this applies to the configuration you're considering.
The Kia Niro 2021 prices range from $30,470 for the basic trim level SUV Electric S to $47,960 for the top of the range SUV Phev Sport (hybrid).
The default purchase for somebody looking for a mid-sized hybrid SUV is the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. But if that’s too big, there’s the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, C-HR Hybrid and even the Corolla Cross Hybrid which sounds like the marketplace is getting crowded but is really just a reflection of the appetite right now for cars like these. And that’s the catch; the waiting times for a brand-new example of some of these cars is out to many months and even years. So your plan to shop second-hand makes plenty of sense, but don’t expect any bargains in a market currently being dominated by lots of demand and less supply.
Beyond the Toyota brand (which has been doing hybrids longer than just about anybody else) there’s also the Mazda CX-30, Subaru XV Hybrid, Haval Jolion Hybrid, Kia Niro, Subaru Forester Hybrid, Nissan Qashqai e-Power, MG HS, Honda HR-V e and more. For something a bit bigger, try the Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe hybrids. There are others out there, too, that are probably bigger or more expensive than you need, but it's very much a growing scene in the Australian marketplace.
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The boot space varies depending on the powertrain. That's because the batteries for the EV are under the passenger floor, while in the HEV they're under the back seat, and in the PHEV they're under the back seat and the boot floor.
As a result, the PHEV has the smallest cargo capacity, at 324 litres (VDA) with five seats in place. The HEV is the next largest, at 410L VDA, while the EV model offers 451L VDA of cargo space with all seats up.
Drop the seats and you have 1322L (VDA) for the PHEV, 1405L (VDA) for the EV and 1408L (VDA) for the HEV.
You need to know that the PHEV and EV models don't come with any form of spare tyre - they have a repair kit and tyre pressure monitoring fitted. The HEV models have a space-saver spare wheel.
The interior of the Kia Niro is conventional, so if you like the idea of a futuristic car with a cutting edge interior, you might be a little disappointed.
But it is a pretty spacious cabin, with the HEV and PHEV models offering good leg, toe and headroom in the second row. The EV model has a higher floor so feels more compact inside.
But the Niro EV has a bigger boot because it doesn't have any batteries under there (they're under the passenger floor instead). While the HEV has its battery pack under the rear seat, and the PHEV suffers the most because its batteries are under the rear seat and the boot floor. That means it has the smallest boot.
Oddly, some Niro models have a turnkey ignition, and none have a full-digital instrument cluster. There's an 8.0-inch touchscreen in the base grade S, and a 10.25-inch unit in the Sport top-spec model.
You can get Kia Australia to fit a factory-backed wallbox charger for your home or office if you choose the PHEV or EV models. It costs $2830, but will save you time when it comes to charging.
There are five seats in all versions of the Kia Niro. But interestingly the space in all three grades isn't identical. That comes down to the fact the EV model has a higher floor, meaning less toe room, less rear kneeroom, and less headroom front and rear, too.
There is no claimed 0-100km/h speed for any model in the Niro range, but we'd reckon the Niro EV must do it less than six seconds - it's pretty darn quick. The HEV and PHEV? Closer to double that.