The Kia Niro finished fourth in the 2023 European Car of the Year vote with 200 points. That is 11 behind the third-placed Nissan Ariya and 128 behind the winner, the Jeep Avenger.
Its argument is choice. The Niro comes as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid and an electric, all on one body.
We filmed the new Niro on the Kia stand at the Brussels Motor Show and photographed it on 17 January 2023. The red car carries a gold finalist seal on the rear door. AutoGids wrote before the show that visitors could see the new Niro there for the first time, on a Kia stand in Hall 7.
One Face, Three Drivetrains
Kia’s Belgian press release describes a compact crossover on its third-generation K platform. It is 4,420 mm long, 1,825 mm wide and 1,570 mm high, on a 2,720 mm wheelbase. According to AutoGids, that makes the new car 7 cm longer, 2 cm wider and 1 cm higher than its predecessor.
- The hybrid pairs a 1.6-litre GDI petrol engine with a 32 kW motor for 141 PS combined, through a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
- The plug-in hybrid uses the same engine with a 62 kW motor for 183 PS, and gives up to 65 km of electric range (WLTP, 16-inch wheels).
- The electric version has 150 kW, a 64.8 kWh battery and 460 km WLTP. It reaches 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and charges from 10 to 80 per cent in 43 minutes under optimal conditions.
The video’s title says “HEV Pace”, which is the hybrid in the top Belgian trim.
The plug-in pays for its battery in space. Kia mounts it under the rear-seat floor, and the folded cargo space is 1,342 litres against the hybrid’s 1,445. That is 103 litres less.
Kia Europe’s Sjoerd Knipping said in the release that the previous Niro was the brand’s third best-seller in Europe, with 350,000 sold. Of those, 54 per cent were hybrids, 15 per cent plug-ins and 31 per cent electric, so the hybrid was the one most buyers chose.
From €30,990 To €53,990
Autotijd.be’s January 2023 Belgian list has nine Niro versions, all including VAT:
| Version | Pure | Pulse | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid, 141 PS | €30,990 | €34,490 | €37,990 |
| Plug-in hybrid, 183 PS | €38,790 | €42,390 | €45,790 |
| Electric, 204 PS | €45,490 | €49,990 | €53,990 |
The whole range ran from €30,990 to €53,990. The car in the video’s title, the HEV Pace, was €37,990.
The electric Niro started about €9,500 above the Avenger that won the title.
Specs: Kia Niro (second generation, Kia Belgium release)
Hybrid: 1.6 GDI + 32 kW, 141 PS combined, six-speed DCTPlug-in hybrid: 1.6 GDI + 62 kW, 183 PS, up to 65 km electric (WLTP)
Electric: 150 kW, 64.8 kWh, 460 km WLTP, 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 s
Size: 4,420 x 1,825 x 1,570 mm, wheelbase 2,720 mm
Cargo (seats folded): 1,445 l hybrid, 1,342 l plug-in, 1,392 l electric
| Price | €30,990 to €53,990 in Belgium (autotijd.be, Jan 2023, including VAT) |
Source: Kia press release (Belgium, 2022); caroftheyear.org
More Videos From The Shows
We filmed it at Brussels Motor Show 2023.
Our Take: Kia’s Price List Ranks The Three
The Niro is three cars with one face, and the price list shows how Kia ranks them. The plug-in Pace added €7,800 over the hybrid Pace. The cheapest electric Niro, in Pure trim, cost €45,490, which is €300 less than that plug-in.
The cheapest Niro is also the kind most buyers chose last time. The old Niro sold 54 per cent hybrids, 15 per cent plug-ins and 31 per cent electrics.
Independent editorial. No brand or organiser paid for or reviewed this article.
