Overview
Kia’s new compact SUV, the Niro Hybrid gave a fresh lease of life to what seemed to be an old baller’s segment. The funky design, loaded cabin, decent practicality, and poised dynamics make it quite a likable polar bear-friendly vehicle. Even though the 2018 Kia Niro Hybrid is relatively new, Kia sticking to its roots has not kept things stagnant with the new model year as the top trim now gets standard HID lead alights, wireless charging, and a whole suite of driver assistance equipment. The line-up also gets a Graphite Edition with an exclusive paint job and blacked-out exterior element for 2018 to keep everything afresh.
The trims for the 2018 Kia Niro Hybrid remain unchanged for this year, offering four standard trim levels with base prices starting at $23,340. All trims get powered by a 1.6L engine in a hybrid setup that is good for about 139hp. The power gets sent to the front wheels via a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission but we are disappointed at the fact that Kia still does not offer an AWD configuration for the Niro Hybrid. The 2018 Kia Niro Hybrid would be competing against the likes of the RAV4 Hybrid, the Nissan Rogue Hybrid, and even the Hyundai Ionic on which it is loosely based.
