Kia NIRO Australia enters the electrified market

Kia Niro Road Test Review

After a long and determined effort Kia has brought an alternate fuel vehicle to Australia. Their Niro is a small SUV and comes in three variants.

Kia Niro EV Sport_13

A Mild Hybrid and A plug-in Hybrid which can do 58 km on battery alone then switch to petrol power for long range touring.

Both hybrid models drive the front wheels with a 1.6 litre petrol and an electric motor using a 6-speed dual clutch transmission.

The third option is an all-electric model with a maximum range of 455 kms.

TO LISTEN TO THE RADIO REVIEW CLICK BELOW

There are two equipment levels: the S and or the Sport.

Prices, excluding on road costs, start at just under $40,000

Add $6,600 for the plug-in hybrid and the all-electric has a further additional cost of up to $16,000.

Australia did not get the Niro sooner as there was limited supply and Kia headquarters gave priority to countries with CO2 regulations.

Motoring Minutes are heard around Australia every day on over 50 radio channels through the Torque Radio networkMotoring Minute has an average daily audience of over 150,000 listeners. Motoring Minute is also broadcast as part of Overdrive Radio Program, which is broadcast through the Community Radio Network across Australia and has a weekly audience of over 450,000.

About David Brown 607 Articles
David’s boyhood passion for motor cars did not immediately lead to a professional role in the motor industry. A qualified Civil Engineer he specialised in traffic engineering and transport planning. What followed were various positions including being seconded to a government think-tank for the planning of transport firstly in Sydney and then for the whole of NSW. After working with the NRMA and as a consultant he moved to being an independent writer and commentator on the broader areas of transport and the more specific areas of the cars we drive. His half hour motoring program “Overdrive” has been described as an “informed, humorous and irreverent look at motoring and transport from Australia and overseas”. It is heard on 22 stations across Australia. He does weekly interviews with several ABC radio stations and is also heard on commercial radio in Sydney. David has written for metropolitan and regional newspapers and has presented regular segments on metropolitan and regional television stations. David is also a contributor for AnyAuto