Best and Worst Thing About Your Niro

All Kia Niro related discussions
marjon
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:25 am
Location: South Yorkshire

Post by marjon »

Hi

I am looking at changing to the Niro PHEV when my lease runs out on my Ioniq HEV at start of April.

What and the best and worst things about the Niro in your experience of owning and driving one (particularly the PHEV).
Especially if anyone as made the shift from Ioniq to Niro what are your views (pros and cons) of the Niro compared with the Ioniq.

Just a bit of background for the switch:
1. I want to be able to put my dog in the boot rather than the back seat.
2. Niro PHEV a lot cheaper than Ioniq PHEV
3. The missing features between the Niro 3 Spec and Ioniq Premium SE spec and know I can live without.
4. Looking at PHEV as my daily commute is within the ev range
6. PHEV was not available when I got my Ioniq
7. Did not consider Niro when I was looking at Ioniq due to the slightly worse fuel consumption due it being SUV style body (even though SUV style was better for me).

Thanks

MarJon

Brianh
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:22 am

Post by Brianh »

Hi

I test drove both the Ioniq and Niro and bought the Niro. In a lot of respects there isn't much to choose between them as they are essentially the same car with different clothes on. I prefer the Niro style and also think the interior fit and finish is much nicer than the Ioniq, for example the centre armrest is stitched leather whereas in the Ioniq it is plastic.

There are no serious downsides to the Niro, although compared to the Premium SE Ioniq you will lose the electric seat memory (annoyingly there is full electric seat adjustment in the Niro PHEV but no memory but you get over it). Also I believe the Premium SE Ioniq has the panoramic roof which is not available on the Niro but that's never been an issue for me. The only other issue is that because the battery occupies the lower level of the boot there is nowhere to store a spare wheel, not even a skinny one unless you want it in the main boot.

The boot isn't the biggest but my German Shepherd dog fits comfortably in it and can stand, sit, lie or turn round without any problems.

I can easily get 30 miles of EV range as where I live it's fairly flat and I havn't had it through a really cold winter yet which could affect the EV range. Fuel consumption on a short journey is 300mpg plus but it can register 999mpg on a nice day when the heater or climate control isn't being used. Once per week I do a journey of around 150 miles round trip and get about 100-110mpg cruising on the motorway.


Charging takes around 2.5 hours from 0 EV miles using my Chargemaster charger or around 3.5 hours with the 'granny' 3 pin charger. On my tariff it costs about £1.40.

All in all I would heartily recommend the Niro PHEV

Hope that helps
Brian
jerrytaff
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2018 8:28 pm

Post by jerrytaff »

Still happy with my PHEV - minor irritation that I need to run the ICE to demist the car - even though the blower is so effective that at this time of year it only takes a few seconds to demist- not long enough for the ICE to actually generate any heat.....and lack of a spare wheel is always a concern. I can't quite achieve Brian's fuel consumption on the longer trips - closer to 85mpg for 120 mile trip, but also comfortably achieve/exceed 30 miles on EV.

With current lead times, you might be lucky to get the PHEV by the end of April when your lease expires - I hope you can hold onto your Ioniq beyond then.

By April, the full EV should be available in the UK - apparently that has improved boot space - even over the HEV as the battery pack is under the floor of the car. So it should be compatible with a spare. As it offers plenty of performance, and range I can see the sales of the PHEV dropping off a cliff edge if priced in line with the similar technology found in the Kona. How many people really need more range than it offers? For those that do, on a regular basis, the PHEV isn't such an attractive proposition either as there will be more economical alternatives.
2018 PHEV 3 in Gravity Blue :D
Previous DS (formerly Citroen) DS5 Prestige BlueHDi S/S Auto 2.0, Jaguar X type 2.0 S Diesel
marjon
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:25 am
Location: South Yorkshire

Post by marjon »

Thanks for the responses.

@brianh
The memory seats is not an issue for me as I am the only drive so seat only gets moved when it goes for a service. Think I have only had to use the memory function three time in the nearly 2 years I have owned it and one of those was to set it up.
Ioniq Premium SE UK spec does not have sun roof and its not a feature I care about as I would never use it.

@jerrytaff
Hopefully lead times wont be an issue most of the dealers are very confident of getting one by mid to end of march if I oder in next couple of weeks. So thats the plan more than likely order at weekend if the dealer gets close to the leasing company quote. There is only about £10-20 per month in between them anyway.
I would much rather go with a dealer than use an online leasing company even if I have to pay a few pounds more.
Don't thing ev version is going to be available in time for me. Pity but maybe my next car will be electric though.

Does the Niro PHEV have one of those tyre repair foam spray things then?
I know that the Ioniq you can just call their customer after service number if you have a puncture and they will come out and put on a 'loan' tyre to get you to a dealer/tyre place and once you have sorted the puncture out call them and they come and pick up the 'loan' tyre.
Brianh
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:22 am

Post by Brianh »

Yes the PHEV comes with a tyre repair kit which is fine for a simple puncture. I've not heard of a loan tyre service but there is 12 months RAC cover included with the car.
dmrodgers
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2017 4:51 pm
Location: East Riding of Yorkshire

Post by dmrodgers »

Brianh wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 9:30 am Yes the PHEV comes with a tyre repair kit which is fine for a simple puncture. I've not heard of a loan tyre service but there is 12 months RAC cover included with the car.
KIA Assist in conjunction with the RAC has the loan tyre option. If the tyre is beyond a tyre repair using the foam kit the RAC will loan you a universal wheel to enable you to get to the nearest tyre service centre for replacement.
MY18 Niro 4 Graphite
jerrytaff
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2018 8:28 pm

Post by jerrytaff »

dmrodgers wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 4:09 pm
KIA Assist in conjunction with the RAC has the loan tyre option. If the tyre is beyond a tyre repair using the foam kit the RAC will loan you a universal wheel to enable you to get to the nearest tyre service centre for replacement.
Thanks for that info. I was unaware of this. That at least will provide some short term assurance.
2018 PHEV 3 in Gravity Blue :D
Previous DS (formerly Citroen) DS5 Prestige BlueHDi S/S Auto 2.0, Jaguar X type 2.0 S Diesel
niroal
Posts: 183
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2017 11:22 am
Location: North Kent

Post by niroal »

We too looked at the Ioniq before the Niro & dismissed it as too small. especially as the Ioniq can't even take a roof rack.
My overall economy is in the high 90s (measured on fill to fill, not the trip comp), but we do a lot of 300+ mile trips with no sensible charging.
We have done over 17000 miles in our year of ownership. I easily get over 30 miles on EV. I do drive with very limited regard to economy & also have changed the energy saving tyres for Michelin Cross Climate all season tyres.

One excellent addition we have got is the Travall dog guard that fits very well behind the rear seats & also allows the luggage cover to still be used. We also have the divider for when we need to carry luggage & our cocker spaniel.

I have leased mine through our local dealer & there is one thing to be aware of, On a personal lease (without maintenance) you cannot extend the Kia assist as you are not the car's owner, you have to buy through a third party, I got green flag for just over £40 with home start & onward travel. It does appear you get European cover with the lease, just not UK after year one.
Niro 3 PHEV Graphite
radar2018
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 5:26 pm

Post by radar2018 »

I find that the sat nav most annoying, I have a £100 tomtom and it shows a road that has been open for close on two years, and it has been on this sat nav for at least 15 months and has lifetime free updates.
I then buy a £30000 car with a tomtom map system and find that I am travelling through fields, getting the weirdest instructions and if I want updates I have to pay to get them put onto an SD card
KIA NIRO PHEV OCT 2018 Gravity Blue
marjon
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:25 am
Location: South Yorkshire

Post by marjon »

@niroal
Thanks for the dog guard recommendation. Going try without one to start with as I don't think our lab will try to jump over the back seats.
So you only get 1 year Kia Assist?
or as just because its a lease?

@radar2018
Do you not get free map updates?
Ioniq has three years of free updates but can only be done by dealer. Not that the updates are that up to date still major roads missing or incorrect. I think it's exactly the same system as the Kia.
Not a major issue but I do use the traffic side of it on my daily commute. How long does the Traffic updates last is that just 1 year?
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