This CUV is going to not just move the bar but set it! Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Feb. 11, 2016 2017 Kia Niro – Pricing TBA while the hard charging brand targets 50 mpg combined! Here is the static video overview of the drivetrain, interior and exterior. Kia Motors’ Green Car Roadmap revealed at the Chicago Auto Show included the global debut of the all-new 2017 Niro Hybrid Utility Vehicle (HUV). Functional utility with hybrid efficiency, the all-new Niro is an excellent balance for today’s consumer. Under the Kia Motors EcoDynamics environmentally friendly sub-brand, the Niro includes a number of firsts. The Niro is the first Kia to make use of an all-new, dedicated eco-car platform and is an important next step on the path to nearly tripling the brand’s global green car line-up by 2020. A plug-in hybrid powertrain is due to be added to the car’s line-up later in its life-cycle. 2017 Kia Niro Interior/Exterior Design The Niro shows that owners do not have to sacrifice design or utility for efficiency. The Niro’s design begins with wide and low proportions. Up front, the Niro bears a familiar front fascia highlighted by Kia’s signature tiger nose grille and flanked by aggressively shaped headlights. The Niro was designed with aerodynamics creating a relatively low Cd of just .29. Inside the Niro was built around a modern interior. Unfortunately the glossy white accents will harm but the blacks and grays blend in beautifully. Interior roominess comes by way of the Niro’s 106.3-inch wheelbase, body height, and wide stance. Seats with increased pad density in the cushions ensure a comfortable ride, helping to prevent fatigue on longer trips. With its crossover-like proportions, the Niro boasts an elevated seating position much like the Kia Soul, providing drivers with a more commanding view of the road as well as easy ingress and egress. While the clever packaging of the high voltage battery assists in delivering a desirable driving experience, its location underneath the rear seats also increases cabin and cargo space and allows a flat load floor. In addition to spaciousness and comfort, ensuring a quiet interior environment is ensured with large volumes of insulation in the firewall, optimized suspension bushing stiffness, careful body sealing, and application of expanding foam inside the A- and B-pillars all prevent road and tire noise from entering the cabin. Acoustic windshield glass and carefully shaped side mirrors also reduce exterior wind noise. Low levels of noise and vibration is also due to specially designed engine mounts, equal-length driveshafts, and even a damper inside the steering wheel hub. Other NVH measures include a special embossed foam in the floor (under the carpet), and a dense insulating pad underneath the hood also help to keep unwanted noise to a minimum. 2017 Kia Niro Chassis Design The platform consists of 53 percent of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS), including reinforcement in the A- and B-pillars as well as the roof rails, provide both a light weight and rigid chassis. Hot-stamped components and industrial joint adhesive increase torsional rigidity and structural integrity. Other weight reduction measures include lightweight seat frames, aluminum hood, tailgate and several suspension elements including the front lower control arms, front and rear knuckles, and portions of the brake calipers. Kia also touted the parking brake pedal which is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic construction. What is really unique is the Niro lacks a 12V Pb-Acid battery and uses the large lightweight 1.56 kWh Li-Po traction battery through the rectifier/inverter to handle all 12V loads directly. This is really slick. The regenerative braking system was supposedly provided with more linear brake feel. 2017 Kia Niro Hybrid Drivetrain An all-new, heavily atkinsonized 103 hp 1.6L GDI I4 engine with cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and long-stroke-narrow-bore specification promises thermodynamic efficiency exceeding 40 percent! A new exhaust heat recovery system speeds up engine warm-up by routing coolant to a heat exchanger in the exhaust system. A 43-hp traction motor is mounted directly to the second gen 6-speed DSG AT creating an overall output of 146 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. In combination, Kia is also expecting an EPA of 50 mpg combined! 2017 Kia Niro Hybrid Safety As seen in the video, the Niro will be offered with a suite of advanced driver assistance features including Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist; Smart Cruise Control; Lane Departure Warning; and Autonomous Emergency Braking. Kia is expecting the Niro to earn 5-stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and an Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick + with the inclusion of the forward collision warning equipment. An all-new Eco-DAS1 (Driver Assistance System) features Kia’s first application of Coasting Guide and Predictive Energy Control. The Coasting Guide aims at maximizing fuel economy by essentially coaching the driver on when to coast and brake. Predictive Energy Control, meanwhile, uses the navigation system and cruise control to anticipate topographical changes on the road ahead and actively manage energy flow, seamlessly determining when its best to recharge the battery and when its best to expend stored energy to optimize overall efficiency. Other notable features include Smart Air Intake, which reduces drag by carefully managing the intake of outside air for the HVAC system, and also an accompanying Auto Defog system that prevents condensation from building on the glass by monitoring cabin air conditions to manage the cycling of the A/C compressor. The Niro will arrive with the latest UVO3 system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and UVO eServices plus Wi-Fi tethering through a 7-inch capacitive touch screen.
I find it hard to believe 50 mpg combined epa. I sure hope Kia is not following the road of the Ford Fusion Hybrid as a few years ago boasting mpg as 47 city / 47 hwy / 47 combined which was not true. I just have to see it to believe it. Lets face it even the Prius IV the large model only obtains 42 mpg epa combined.
Oh no! I was all set to get the Ioniq and now this! It will probably come down to how I fit in each, useful cargo capacity, and ground clearance. Presumably, there is no all wheel drive version of the Niro. I like the styling of the Ioniq much better, but those roof racks! Interestingly, the Ioniq still has the 12-V pb-acid battery in the rear.
How was the rear seat room compared to other compacts or small crossovers? Looks a bit tight in the video. PS my personal preference. But I can do without parts like hearing details on the HVAC vent surrounds and stitching patterns on the steering wheel leather
Yes that number sounds a bit unbelievable especially given this is not a sedan but a crossover (best we have is the little bit larger RAV4 now but still 50% less efficient). Then again Hyundai/Kia has been more cautious after some earlier EPA mpg issues. One thing that could make this happen is that it's a very small crossover. Looking forward seeing some real world tests...
Motortrend first drive preview: http://www.motortrend.com/news/2017-kia-niro-hybrid-prototype-first-drive-review/
Hi All: On the YouTube video, a Korean responder said they are seeing 45 to 50 mpg and it cost just $20 to $25k. Not sure if that was in $USD or Korean currency. In either case, it looks like this heavily Atkinsonized 1.6L is the real deal given the Korean results. Wayne
But you know our EPA... they'll knock it down to 40MPG or less, not quite the 50MPG "promise/hope." I can't wait to see more results and am still hoping for the best.
If it's less than 50 EPA , they might as well just stay home. Didn't they get the memo explaining that 'Yota owns the global hybrid market ?
But a CUV with a 50MPG rating would be something special, and has the potential to outsell the Prius, given the popularity of the CUV format.
Hmmmphhh. A CUV is just a tall hatchback. Anything over 57" is silly. (except for the Fit.) Well , yeah. I guess that matters to some. This is a SMALL car. If people think taller means safer or roomier , they are deluded.
Taller is what I have been looking for as the most important thing for our next car is ease of entry/exit. When you get older with painful knees and get them replaced you loose a lot of flexibility it is harder to get in and out of a low car like my HSH. My daughter has a Kia Soul and it is the easiest car for entry/exit and SUV's like my Santa Fe are too tall.
The Ioniq hybrid and North American PHEV don't have a lead acid battery. The BEV will have one. http://articles.sae.org/14706/ South Korea's fuel economy testing is based off the EPA cycles. The gen3 Prius is 49.something mpg(converted from L/100km) combined. The Ioniq with smaller wheels has a 52.xmpg rating. It is unknown if they have adopted the new coast down rules and other clarifications that went into effect for 2016 models in the US yet. But an official Ioniq sticker number should fall between the gen3 and non-ECO gen4 Prius numbers, with a possibility of matching the gen4. So the Niro getting 50mpg wouldn't be a stretch.
Here's another "first drive" test from a UK blogger: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/motoring/car-reviews/first-drive-2016-kia-niro-11437025 He got 53.5mpg for his test drive. I go back and forth between the Ioniq and Niro. In the US, the Ioniq will have an earlier release date, I think. That could be the deciding factor for me.
Hi Jay: Thanks for that link! 62.4 mpgUS combined on the NEDC. 50 mpgUS combined on the EPA will be a stretch but I bet the highway spec easily makes it. Wayne
HI All: While we found out more about the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq, there is possibly an even bigger seller using the same drivetrain. Here is a quick promo about the "possibly" 50 mpg rated 2017 Kia Niro. Wayne
