While hybrid drives find their way into everything from minivans to supercars, their main mission remains the same: the stopovers at the gas station – and the related openings in your wallet – are getting smaller and smaller. The Kia Niro is a hybrid that was built for this purpose.

After a year with the 2017 model in our long-standing test fleet, we know Niro very well. Refresh aims to make it a viable alternative to hybrid heavy-hitters like Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, and its own platform partner Hyundai Ioniq. How does Niro’s technical data compare to these vehicles? Let us go through a 2020 Kia Niro review below:

How Quick Is The Kia Niro?

The 2020 Kia Niro LX electric motor and 1.6-liter gasoline I-4 measures a combined output of 139 hp & 195 lb-ft of torque. These six wheels are sent to the front wheels by a dual-clutch automatic (later). On the Motor Trend test track, Niro posted a time of 9.2 seconds 0-60 mph. It is faster than the 121-hp, 105-lb-ft price, which travels at 60 mph in 9.8 seconds. Although Ioniq is equal to Niro’s power and torque, it exploded in 8.4 seconds. All are insightfully slow, running for 7.3 seconds, packing 152 hp and 200 lb-ft.

What Transmission Is In The Kia Niro?

Niro’s electric motor responds well in town, but it doesn’t sit well with a husky, hesitant gasoline engine. Eventually, the two power sources come together to get you going, but Niro doesn’t feel fast when they do.

If the Niro has anything to do with sports cars, it is the dual-clutch automatic transmission. In the right vehicle, these high-speed transmissions work wonders. Niro is one of them? Not really. As with our durable stainless steel, the drive train still feels uncomfortable at low speeds, which minimizes the electric motor’s smoothness. Prius and Insight transmissions don’t use traditional gears, so you will never notice a shift. The six-speed gear shift feel of the Niro underlines the lack of connection between gas and electricity. This is not a sports car – the Niro would do better with a similar CVT setup.

How Are The Niro’s Brakes?

In hybrid and electric vehicles, mixing the brakes is how the friction and regenerative braking systems work together – it can be challenging. When executed well, your halts will be easy and transparent. When it’s poorly executed, well, look at the Niro. From the shift, pressing your soft-pedal produces a slight deceleration on feedback only. Then when the speedometer drops to zero, your friction brakes suddenly lock up. After a few days of driving, the Niro’s brake mixture does not cause an issue for a smooth or precise stop.

Which Kia Gets The Best Gas Mileage?

Niro is the most fuel-efficient Kia, with the EPA in its FE-based version at 52/49/50 mpg. The previous version we tested had rates of 51/46/49 mpg. We handled our 2017 Niro long-term better, with a combined 51.7 in real MPG tests. That’s fine but not as good as its rivals. Similar Lace Prius models get a combined rating of 52 MPG (in which Eco models reach 56 miles per gallon).

Entry-level models also get 52 mpg, but in the high-end Touring trim, the Insight gets a combined 48 mpg. Meanwhile, the Ioniq hits an impressive 55 one-gallon miles. That said, our 2020 test car’s fuel gauge points fell incredibly slowly in mixed city traffic, and the range of about 580 miles gives it a serious cruiser potential. But is the Niro a car that you really want to use for the long term?

Is The Kia Niro A Good Car?

The quality of the build is stable, despite the abundance of hard plastic surfaces inside. The optional 10.3-inch infotainment touch screen features Kia’s user-friendly interface. Apple CarPlay integrates nicely and occupies the width of the screen. The hatchback cargo space is small at 22.4 cubic feet, but the spacious first and second rows have ample headroom. Both Ioniq and Prius offer about 26 cubes behind the backseat.

To get the 2020 Kia Niro now, Visit Westside Kia in Houston and take your car on a test drive today!