Kia?s Niro ?Hybrid Utility Vehicle? goes on UK sale on 8th August, at prices starting from £21,295.
Sitting between the current Soul and Sportage models, the Niro is a crossover developed on an all-new compact SUV platform specifically to accommodate a hybrid powertrain.
The brand?s current 1.6-litre Kappa direct-injection petrol engine of 104bhp is combined with a 32kW electric motor fed by a 1.56kWh lithium-polymer battery pack. It produces another 43.5bhp, joined to a six-speed double-clutch transmission.
As a result the car claims CO2 emissions down to 88g/km and combined cycle fuel economy of up to 74.3mpg. Kia says the model will make a significant contribution to the brand?s pledge of cutting the average emissions of its range by 25 per cent before 2020. Kia claims a class-leading low drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.29 for the Niro, while extensive use of high-strength steel and aluminium in the body construction helps to keep down weight.
Niro models will offer the latest connectivity and active safety technologies, including Kia?s Connected Services with TomTom navigation, wireless smartphone charging, autonomous emergency braking, smart cruise control and lane-keeping, and blind spot and rear cross traffic warning systems.
The Niro is also the first Kia with Android Auto, linking Android smartphones to Google Maps navigation, Google Play music, hands-free calls and texts and voice recognition using pre-downloaded apps.
UK variants of the Niro will be offered in the b...