2023 Kia Niro : HEV, PHEV or EV?

2023 Kia Niro : HEV, PHEV or EV?

29 October 2022 BY Jean-Sébastien Poudrier
Kia Niro  2023

Kia was one of the first car manufacturers to give you a choice when it comes to every type of electrified powertrain. Some brands started by slowly incorporating hybrid technologies into their lineup; others went straight for it with an all-EV conversion. The plug-in-hybrid-electric-vehicle (PHEV) configuration came a lot later than the other. What is funny enough is nobody thought of bringing all three types of powertrains in one model until the Kia Niro came out. 

 

This was a bold move from Kia, and many other manufacturers copied the idea by offering hybrids, PHEVs, and just gas-powered vehicles under the same model. However, Kia is still the only manufacturer offering HEV, PHEV, and EV powertrains for a single model. The idea is simple. You don't have to choose a model according to its powertrain, but you can select the model first and then choose the powertrain that suits your need the best.

 

A couple of Word About the Kia Niro

 

The sub-compact SUV's popularity increased a lot in the past few years, and this is due to the fact it offers all those powertrains options. Nevertheless, I think the Kia Niro is an exciting vehicle regardless of what is under the hood. The sub-compact SUV is a lot of fun to drive and offers excellent comfort. It is full of high-tech features and also quite good-looking. Kia hit a home run with this vehicle, and the fact you can choose between so many types of electrified powertrains is just the cherry on top of the cake. Now the big question is; which powertrain is better for you?

 

HEV – Hybrid Electric Vehicle

 

The 2023 Kia Niro HEV offers a simple combination between a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder and a single electric motor. The combined power of those two is 139 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. What makes HEV setup far more interesting than others is the presence of a 6-speed automatic gearbox instead of a CVT, like you find on pretty much any hybrid vehicle. This version is the simplest of the lot since you are not involved in the EV part of the powertrain. Everything is automated, and it helps the vehicle to get an average fuel consumption of 4.3 L/100 km in the city and 4.6L/100 km on the highway.

 

PHEV - Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle

 

The 2023 Kia Niro PHEV is powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder combined with a single electric motor for a total power of 180 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. It benefits from an 11.1 kWh power unit, so it can store enough energy to have a range of 53 km on average on full EV driving.

 

This is by far my favorite powertrain because it gives you the best of both worlds. It can run like a regular hybrid when it's out of electricity. However, as you may expect, it is slightly more expensive than the HEV model. This means you need to put EV driving to use to make it worth it. I wouldn't recommend this powertrain if you live far from most destinations you drive to on a daily bases.

 

EV – Electric Vehicle

 

Electric vehicles are getting more and more popular every day. If you want to get your shot at it, the Kia Niro is a good choice. The Korean subcompact SUV is powered by a single electric motor making 201 hp and 188 lb-ft of torque.

 

Jean-Sébastien Poudrier



Tags: Kia, Kia Niro, Kia Niro PHEV

Author: Jean-Sébastien Poudrier

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