Kia Niro review

It may have looked a bit humdrum, but the original Kia Niro was quite revolutionary. It was one of the first SUVs to democratise electrification, and this latest version continues what its predecessor started. 

Like before, it’s been built to accommodate regular hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and a fully electric car (EV) setups – although the Kia Niro EV has recently been taken off sale. For this latest generation, the Niro is a bit bigger, and it certainly looks a whole lot sharper and more modern.

Rivals include the closely related Hyundai Kona, first and foremost. You also might be considering the Toyota C-HR and (if you’re not set on hybrid power) the Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq.

Is the Niro as good (or better) than those cars, and does it deserve a spot among the best family SUVs you can buy?

What’s New?
- January 2026: 2, 3, 4 trims renamed Pure, Evolve and Aspire
- July 2022: First UK deliveries
- April 2022: Orders open. Choice of 2, 3, 4 trims. All cars have 1.6 GDi petrol engines. Hybrid has 139bhp, plug-in hybrid has 180bhp; both have six-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. 1300kg towing capacity
- February 2022: Kia Niro debuts in hybrid and plug-in hybrid forms

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Whether you choose the regular hybrid (HEV) or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Kia Niro, you get the same 1.6-litre petrol engine and six-speed automatic gearbox. It’s just that the PHEV gets a more powerful electric motor, giving it a combined output of 168bhp. The HEV has 136bhp. 

The HEV is quick enough, although it takes a heavy right foot to perform an overtake or join the motorway. It never feels any more sprightly than its 0-62mph time of 11.1sec suggests, and the automatic gearbox can sometimes make matters worse, being hesitant to shift down at times. 

In short, if performance is a priority, you’re better off looking at the Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq 1.5 TSI 150 – both do 0-62mph in around nine seconds – or perhaps the Niro PHEV (9.9sec). 

The Niro HEV will switch into fully electric mode for short periods of time – for instance, in start-stop traffic or at mild cruising speeds – while the PHEV is capable of going much further on electric power alone. On a full charge, it’ll travel on electric power alone for up to 40 miles, officially.  

For comparison, the Toyota C-HR PHEV only goes one mile further. Mind you, the Cupra Formentor PHEV goes 78 miles. 

You’ll get closest to the Niro PHEV’s 40-mile figure in urban areas, which is really the Niro’s home turf anyway. You see, it’s easy to drive around town, due to its light steering and regenerative braking system (which puts energy back into the battery). 

The regen settings range from Off to Level 3, and can be controlled using paddles behind the steering wheel when you’re in Eco mode (in Sport the paddles change gear). Even in its most aggressive setting, the regen effect isn't strong enough to create a true one-pedal driving style, but it is effective enough that you rarely have to touch the brakes out of town. 

At higher speeds, you’ll notice that the steering is a bit imprecise, and that there’s a noticeable amount of body lean. It certainly doesn’t feel as agile as the sporty Ateca.  

On the plus side, the ride is generally comfortable. The suspension does a fine job over speed bumps around town and manages the effects of uneven motorways and A-roads really well, although harsher crevices, such as deep potholes, can send a bit of a shudder through the interior. For maximum comfort, go for the cheapest Pure trim, which has smaller (16in) wheels. 

It’s worth noting that, due to the extra weight of its bigger battery, the PHEV model rides a bit more firmly than the HEV. Still, it’s never particularly severe. 

The Niro is quiet when running on electric power alone, and the petrol engine only becomes vocal when worked hard. The transition from electric to petrol power is generally smooth, too. You notice more wind and road noise at higher speeds than in, say, a Skoda Karoq but it’s nothing that will get too grating on a long trip.

“If you do a lot of town driving, I’d recommend the Niro. It may be a family SUV, but it’s not too big and bulky, and you can cruise around on near-silent electric power.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

The Niro Hybrid’s interior closely mirrors that of the electric Kia EV6 – and that’s no bad thing. There are soft, tactile materials gracing the areas you touch most frequently, and plenty of gloss-black and chrome details to lift the impression of quality.

The steering wheel is covered in faux-leather, and while there are some cheaper looking, harder plastics lurking in areas lower down, most of them have a textured finish. Lower-spec Pure models have fewer trim finishers and look a little cheaper, but all Niros feel sturdy and well made. 

All versions of the Niro get a height-adjustable driver’s seat, and if you step up to Evolve trim you get eight-way electric seat adjustment and variable lumbar support. That said, even if your budget only allows for Pure trim, you'll find the front seats provide plenty of side bolstering and are firm enough for longer journeys.

Visibility is good all round, and while the rear pillars are quite wide, the windows are large enough to give you a decent view over your shoulder. For extra confidence when manoeuvring, all Niros give you a rear-view camera and rear parking sensors. Front parking sensors are standard on Evolve models and above.

With Aspire trim, you also get a head-up display and two 10.3in screens for the infotainment and digital driver's display, arranged in a curved panel (entry-level models get the 10.3in main infotainment touchscreen but a 4.2in TFT instrument cluster). 

The infotainment touchscreen is positioned conveniently high up on the middle of the dashboard, making it easy to see. It has a relatively intuitive operating system and sharp graphics, so it's not too distracting to use while you're driving. Adjusting the interior temperature or volume for the stereo is easy enough thanks to rotary knobs on the dashboard, but you need to use a touch panel to switch between the climate controls and radio, which can be a little fiddly. 

All trims get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, and  Evolve models and above get a wireless charging pad. The standard stereo is replaced with an uprated Harman Kardon system if you go for Aspire trim.

“You’re often switching between the climate controls and shortcut buttons, so I think it’s a shame that the button to switch between the two isn’t a physical one.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

The Kia Niro HEV compares fairly well with family SUV rivals for space in the back. Six-footers have a good amount of head and leg room, even if they’re behind someone of a similar height.

There’s a generous amount of foot space under the front seats, while the hump in front of the middle passenger on the floor is small and doesn't get in the way too much. The electric sunroof that comes as standard on Aspire trim cars doesn't reduce head room to any great degree.

Storage space up front includes door pockets that are a decent size and two drink holders in the centre console, although the storage cubby under the central arm rest is smaller than in some rivals. Rear-seat passengers get two cupholders on the fold-down centre armrest and a small storage area on the door for a drinks bottle.

All Niros get a boot that’s uniform in shape and has a height-adjustable floor, as well as a foldable parcel shelf that takes up very little space when not in use. They allow you to make the best use of the space on offer – space we’d describe as acceptable rather than cavernous.

The regular hybrid’s boot offers 451 litres of capacity. That’s more than you’ll find in a Toyota C-HR, but less than in a Peugeot 3008 or Skoda Karoq.

The PHEV’s boot is quite a bit smaller at 348 litres (the battery eats up room), but it should still be big enough for a weekly shop or a family weekend away.

In terms of seating flexibility, the Niro’s rear bench splits in a traditional 60/40 arrangement and you can't slide the seats back and forth. On the plus side, the boot load lip is tiny when the adjustable boot floor is in its highest position, making it easy to lift heavy items in and out. The seats lie virtually flat when folded down, which is helpful when you’re sliding in long objects.

“Ferrying around my family of four was easy peasy. They had room to stretch out and the boot was big enough for a few bags.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

The Kia Niro HEV is cheaper than an equivalent Toyota C-HR but a little more expensive than equivalent versions of some regular petrol-powered SUVs, such as the Seat Ateca. 

The PHEV costs quite a bit more to buy outright than the HEV but is the better choice for company car drivers. That’s because its lower CO2 emissions and ability to go a good distance on electric power places it in a much lower benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax bracket.

Still, company car drivers will also want to consider rivals and, while the C-HR PHEV belongs to the same bracket, PHEV versions of the Cupra Formentor are in an even lower bracket. As you might’ve guessed, fully electric alternatives (such as the Kia EV3) are much cheaper to run as a company car than any PHEV on sale.

When it comes to fuel economy, the Niro HEV’s official figure of 64.2mpg is very impressive, although a little optimistic (expect an average of around 50mpg in gentle driving). Even so, it's certainly more realistic than the 300+mpg promised by the PHEV version. Your actual fuel economy will depend largely on how often you plug in the car and charge up the battery.

On that subject, a full charge can take as little as three hours if using a home wallbox (the maximum charging rate is 3.3kW). You can also plug in to a regular three-pin domestic socket but it will take even longer to charge up.

While there are cheaper family SUVs out there, the Niro does come with plenty of standard kit. Entry-level Pure trim includes 16in alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, climate control, keyless entry and a 10.3in touchscreen. You do miss out on rain-sensing windscreen wipers, but we still reckon this trim represents the best value.

The Evolve trim is also worth considering, and adds auto wipers, bigger alloys, heated front seats and some extra safety kit, including blind-spot monitoring.

Range-topping Aspire trim adds even more kit, including ventilated front seats, heated outer rear seats and extra safety kit, but it’s ever-so expensive.

All versions of the Niro sold in the UK have a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, with good scores for adult occupant crash protection. Protection of younger children sitting in child seats was a little disappointing in the lateral impact test, though, with head protection for a typical 10-year-old rated as weak.

The PHEV Niro did very well in our 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, ranking third out of 76 models in the family SUV class. Its 99% reliability score only fell short of the Toyota RAV4 and Vauxhall Grandland. The HEV, with its respectable 94.6% rating, ranked 27th. 

As a brand, Kia placed eighth out of 30 car brands featured, beating Cupra, Seat and Skoda but not Honda, Suzuki and Toyota. 

Every Niro gets Kia’s seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty, which is longer cover than offered by the majority of rival manufacturers.

“It seems a bit bizarre that the trim levels have different names depending on whether you look at the hybrid or the plug-in hybrid.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Buy it if…

- You prefer comfort to sportiness

- You appreciate good fuel economy

- You want a roomy interior

Don’t buy it if…

- You want a really quick family SUV

- You like agile handling 

- You want the longest electric-only range in the PHEV class

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