Questioning the sealed front of the electric versions (photo: Keinan Cohen)
The way of the world is that the new brings out the old, "A generation goes and a generation comes and the country is forever standing" said Ecclesiastes, but with all due respect, what do we do when the outgoing generation of the Niro has finished its term but the new generation is shy of arriving and the country is forever standing up to the demand for new cars?
Well, in this case the creativity of the cooperation between a manufacturer and an importer comes in the positioning of a new-old version of one of the local bestsellers - the "Plus" configuration for the Kia Niro.
A brief history of the Niro: at the end of 2016, Hyundai (the owner of Kia) presents two solutions for hybrid compact family transportation.
Hyundai gets the Ionique and Kia the Niro crossover.
The configuration, drive, price and leasing brought it to its respected position as one of the cornerstones of the brand in the local market.
At the end of 2021, the new Nero will be presented, but it is shy of reaching the markets, including Israel.
It is a very challenging sight to the eye.
But he came to be practical, not aesthetic (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
Externally, there is no escaping the simple fact that Niro Plus is a very purposeful consequence of the original Niro.
In other words, if the Nero was never a head-turner candidate, the Nero Plus is, but to the other side.
In other words, come on, appearance is not one of the selling points.
Apart from the hood that was added behind it, its front comes with the opaque look of the electric versions in the past and some other minor changes in the lighting units.
In the driver's area, the familiar look of the Niro.
When it was introduced it was fine, today it is already a bit old-fashioned in front of the pyrotechnic shows of the digital dashboards.
Old-fashioned or not, for those who just want simple, convenient and clear operation of the driver's environment, he does it great - a button and a dial for every operation - a patent that still works.
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The driving position is high and the view out is very good (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
Other equipment changes are the growth of the multimedia screen from 8 to 10.25 inches, in which you will find not only iPhone and Android connectivity, but also a variety of information displays about the fuel-electricity consumption.
The EX finish level being tested is intended for private customers and includes, among other things, built-in WAZE navigation, a smart key, rain and parking sensors, leather and fabric integrated seats and an auto-dimming mirror.
The LX trim level for fleets is missing the last three.
In the safety specification there is no difference between the two.
Automatic braking, lane departure correction, adaptive cruise control, reminder to prevent forgetting children, automatic control of lights, driver fatigue warning and more.
Lots of switches, storage compartments and simplicity in human engineering (Photo: Kenan Cohen)
The pros in Niro Plus focus on the back seat.
As a version born to respond to the taxi market, it fine tunes the use of this wing in a great way.
The increased door opening, the roof that has been raised by 8 cm and the grab handles that have been added to the middle beam make getting in and out of it particularly comfortable. Do you need to buckle children in car seats? Easy. Another addition that makes life here much more pleasant are the necessary and important air conditioning outlets for those sitting here. Charging sockets? They haven't reached that yet.
The volume of the trunk, which tends to be reduced in the plug-in versions, is not only unaffected, but even increased from 324 to 367 liters in the Niro Plus. It's not so noticeable at the level of the trunk floor, but for those who load a lot and height - The square opening and the new roof line add a new dimension of utility. There is no spare wheel, good luck.
The height and the door key make it easier to access the back seat (photo: Keinan Cohen)
The propulsion system of the tested Niro combines a 1.6-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor powered by an 8.9 kWh rechargeable battery. The combined power is 141 and the torque is 27 kgm.
The front wheel drive and the gearbox is a six-speed dual clutch.
These are not dizzying figures and the pace accordingly, very calm.
The immediacy of the power supply in the electric mode allows you to move with it without too many compromises as long as you don't overdo it.
Hyundai-Kia electrical systems are praised for their high efficiency, here the situation is no different.
The claimed range of 49 km is found not only to be a completely realistic figure, but one that can easily be surpassed in moderate driving. I covered 44 km in real driving conditions.
A handle at the back of the middle beam makes it easier to get in and out (photo: Kenan Cohen)
Like the vast majority of vehicles with this drive, the weak point is with the elimination of the electric stock in the battery and the switch to gasoline drive only, in which the 1.6-liter engine with its 105 horses struggles to move the vehicle.
And it's a noticeable and well-heard effort.
The gearbox sweetens the pill by making good use of the limited resources.
The rate of energy recovery to the battery certainly helps it return to hybrid drive quite quickly.
The fuel consumption of the Niro Plus Plug-in in our test was 21.2 km per liter. As a plug-in hybrid car - this is a figure that can improve drastically if the owner makes frequent use of the option of charging and electric movement even for a range of 40 km.
For residents of major metropolitan areas, this will cover a daily commute with ease.
The addition is mainly for height (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
When driving the Niro, it is easy to notice that the relatively high driving position, one of the advantages of the Niro in the eyes of its customers, is maintained here as well. Do the two cm added to the ventral space change anything? Not that you will feel it. The weight increase is modest in this version, it is 25 kg. only, so there are really no differences in the comfort level and suspension calibration.
What there is is a slight stiffness on small disruptions at a relatively low speed and an improvement with the increase in speed.
Despite the raised silhouette, wind noise is kept out, but sitting in the back seat while driving reveals that the boot is not insulated enough and occupants have constant noise.
behavior?
We didn't come to enjoy, we came to save.
Therefore, the business is fair, predictable, safe and very, very soothing to any ideas you may have had about frolicking.
If you do try, you will find the limitations mainly at the points where it has difficulty with quick changes of direction at high speed, where the weight transfers destabilize it.
It passed the slalom and braking test reasonably well, which corresponds to its purpose.
The main difference is in the back and the back seat is therefore rented (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
Summary
Kia Niro Plug-in is not a motor line in any field.
There is no extraordinary news or transport brilliance here.
what is here
A product that continues to do what its predecessor did as a substitute until the new generation arrives.
It does add to the model's usability envelope in the back seat and trunk.
So it is an interesting solution not only for the taxi audience it was originally intended for, but also for those who want a practical and compact crossover.
Nero Plus Plug In costs NIS 173,000.
This is a wild increase in price compared to the super attractive deal that was the Nero Plug In in the past with a price tag of NIS 153,000.
At the level of the product, it is hard to say that it is NIS 20,000 better than its cut-off brother.
And it should be said, not all of the price increase is due to the general price increases in the car market due to its problems, part of it is also due to the reduction of the tax benefit for plug-in cars, due to the state's determination to return to its pocket the money it lost due to the decrease in the fuel consumption of these cars.
And yet, in spite of everything, for those for whom a flagship car does not match their mix of uses, there are not too many alternatives in the Israeli market today.
Plug-in versions of larger crossovers such as the Peugeot 3008, Sportage, Rab 4 range in price from 235 to 265 thousand shekels.
The only one that comes close to the price is MG's EHS which costs NIS 188,000, less energy efficient than it, but more spacious and equipped.
The value proposition for the private customer is already less good, so even if he continues to star, it will mainly be in the fleet.
Where is the plus?
Except for the price (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
On the technical side: Kia Niro Plus Plug-in
Engine, drive:
gasoline, plug-in, front
Volume:
1,580
Combined power:
141 HP
Combined torque:
27 kgm
Gearbox:
double clutch, 6 gears
Dimensions:
Length (cm):
439
Width (cm) ):
181
Height (cm):
163
Wheelbase (cm):
270
Trunk (liters):
367
Performance:
Acceleration 0-100 (seconds):
10.8
Maximum speed (km/h):
154
Fuel consumption ( Test):
21.2 km per liter
Competitors:
MG EHS
Price:
NIS 173,000
vehicle
Vehicle tests
Tags
Kia
Kia Niro
Nero
Plug in
Telekar