New Kia Niro SUV detailed: price, specs and release date
January 18, 2022 by
More details have been confirmed for the upcoming Kia Niro. This family SUV will once again be available with hybrid engines and as a fully electric car. Read on for full details.
- New Kia Niro revealed
- Second generation of SUV
- Completely revised design
- Sustainable interior materials
- Available as a hybrid or electric car
- Features location-based electric tech
- Goes on sale 2023
More details have been confirmed for the all-new Kia Niro. This second generation of the SUV is arriving with an overhauled design, new sustainable interior materials and some clever new electric-car technology.
The new Niro will compete with hybrid alternatives such as the Honda HR-V and Toyota C-HR when it goes on sale next year.
New Kia Niro design
One thing that’s clear about the new Kia Niro is just how drastically different it looks compared with the old car. It’s inspired heavily by the Habaniro concept from 2019, most obvious in its two-tone bodywork.
Upfront it sports ultra-thin LED lights and a full-width chrome bar sitting above a thin grille.
The brake lights have been pushed so far out on the rear of the car that they’re practically on the side of the new Kia Niro, while reflectors in a formation similar to the front lights feature on the rear bumper.
New Kia Niro interior
The interior of the Kia Niro is said to be made of sustainable materials, with headlining made of recycled wallpaper, seats from bioplastics and even water-based paint on the door panels.
You’ll have the pick of three upholstery options, named ‘Charcoal’, ‘Medium Grey’ and ‘Petrol’. 74-colour ambient lighting has been introduced throughout the cabin too.
The layout of the cabin is similar to the new Kia EV6, with a low-set centre console and an infotainment system that’s angled slightly towards the driver, too.
You’ll also spot the 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, which is likely to be a standard feature on all versions of the new Niro. All should use an identically-sized central infotainment system as well.
A 10-inch head-up display will also be on offer for the Kia Niro. If you’ve never used one of these before, imagine it a little bit like the overlays you’ll see on a racing game — showing info like speed and navigation — projected onto a small portion of the windscreen.
New Kia Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid
You’ll have the option of two hybrid engines for the Kia Niro. Both use a 1.6-litre petrol engine linked up to an electric motor, though one is a ‘self-charging’ hybrid and the other a plug-in.
The ‘self-charging’ option produces 141hp, and will utilise new location-based technology. This will allow the car to automatically switch to electric-only in areas where exhaust emissions are deemed particularly harmful — including near schools, hospitals and residential areas.
No word yet on performance details of the plug-in hybrid model or its electric-only range. Expect an increase over the existing car’s 30-mile capability, and to use the same location-based EV tech as the standard hybrid.
Both cars will use a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
New Kia Niro EV
The new Kia Niro will also be available as an electric car, although it’ll drop the previous model’s e-Niro name.
It could well borrow tech from Kia’s sister company, Hyundai, and the Ioniq 5 electric car. If so, that car’s smaller 58kWh battery could appear in the new electric Kia Niro, giving it around 240 miles of range.
It appears Kia plans to offer just one battery option for the new Niro EV at launch, though.
New Kia Niro price and release date
The new Kia Niro range will go on sale in 2023 and will likely cost slightly more across the range than the outgoing car.
Expect to pay somewhere around £28,000 for the regular hybrid, £34,000 for the plug-in version and £36,000 for the electric Kia Niro.
Can’t wait for the new car to go on sale? Compare the latest carwow Kia Niro deals on the current model or compare the best electric cars and top 10 SUVs on sale now.