[hdtvjeff]

I have fallen in love with the Niro without ever sitting in one or test driving one..yet that is.


I have been in Subaru Forrester and liked the elevated look as you stepped into it and was on the highway.


Does the Niro give the SUV feel in height when you are sitting in it or is a regular car feel?


Thanks

 

[yticolev]

Compact SUV height and seat. Upright seating position. You don't have to climb into it like a large SUV, nor drop into it like a car. The seat is also height adjustable even on the base model. Visibility won't be as good as a Forrester with the large windows. But better than some similar models.

 

[KK6PD]

It ain't a 95 4Runner, which I still own & drive, I find it's slightly higher than a good sedan. Manufactures dropped the ride height to improve sales. While fun to watch, women were not enjoying the climb, especially if your model did not include running boards! While I enjoy the height in the 4Runner, the Niro is just fine in height for me! Currently at 5k miles, I love the AC, and the AC Leather drivers seat! Yes, it blows AC into the seat to chill it down, it works great! Comfort, necessary!!

 

[NorCalNiro]

Smooth and easy to drive. doesn't feel like a small SUV or cross over, kinda like a wider 5 door hatch/wagon. I really like it. Very happy I made the purchase.

 

[hdtvjeff]

Is the niro comparable in size to the Toyota Rav 4?

 

[Dave]

Agreed that the ride height on the Niro is more than on a sedan for sure, but not quite as high as most SUVs. I replaced a Volvo XC60, and it's only a bit shorter. You can adjust the height as noted, which is particularly easy if you have the power driver's seat. My two finalists for this purchase were the Niro and hybrid RAV4, and the Niro is smaller all round, and has less power. The RAV4 is really quite responsive-- but you pay for it with 20mpg poorer fuel efficiency, which was what I wanted most. RAV4 is also anywhere from $6K to $10K more expensive depending on features. Was a no brainer for me to go Niro.

 

[yticolev]

I drove an XC60 rental once for a thousand miles and as I recall, it was a step up to get in. That wasn't fun as I had half a dozen broken ribs from a roll over at 75 mph. But way better than the Camaro they initially gave me, now that was painful to get in!

 

[spankym]

The Niro is a small hatchback, no doubt. A nice one (the EX Premium at least), but still a compact vehicle. It looks kind of like a small SUV and feels roomy enough inside. I had a Tucson before this and it feels quite different. You don't have the feeling of being up higher and being in a large car.

 

[hdtvjeff]

Is the Niro a comfortable enough ride going cross country with a family of 4?


Also, how is its safety rating?

 

[spankym]

Is the Niro a comfortable enough ride going cross country with a family of 4?


Also, how is its safety rating?

That depends on your family . Two kids in the back seems reasonable. The seats are comfortable. Personally, I would not enjoy driving cross country in any car, but that is just me. I don't like driving.

You should be able to look up the safety rating somewhere. The EX premium has lane change assist and blindspot detection that are nice safety features.

 

[cookrd1]

Niro uses lightweight, high strength steel and has earned top safety recommendations in US and Europe.
Definitely not a SUV, but I think it is perfect.
Road trip, also fine with me. Not a Merc S Class, but good enough at $100k less. And, the Niro is almost as quiet, at least up to 70 mph.
Blind spot and rear cross traffic work really well, LKAS is just ok, definitely not up to Tesla standards as rain and some lighting conditions render it useless in the Niro.
Also, wiper do a poor, actually unsafe, job in a downpour or anything approaching a heavy rain.
Some have complained about poor back up lights. Safety people complain about the headlights on models that don’t use LED.

 

[CoffeeNiro]

Having come from a Honda CR-V previously, the Niro is definitely lower. I am used to it now, but you do get down into it rather than up into it. As for comfort, I have two young adults and we drove cross country, two in front and one behind. The legroom in the back is pretty generous, maybe even better than my old car. We drove in shifts, one sleeping in the back seat while the driver collected speeding tickets along the way - fantastic entertainment for the passengers. Which brings to mind that I usually hate cruise control, but am totally into the Niro's, just don't set it for 90 MPH. The Niro's back seat position is totally fixed whereas my old CR-V had some adjustment for recline that was nice.

 

[yticolev]

My experience as a front passenger in a CRV is that you have to climb up. As a BTW, you do know you can raise the front seats in the Niro?

 

[fredct]

Having seen them side by side, the Niro is comparable to a HRV (maybe a smidge smaller), not a CRV (/RAV4).

 

[egsprance]

I bought my '17 Niro EX last year, after VW bought back my '10 Diesel Sportwagen. Having gotten used to a high mpg wagon, I wasn't happy with what was available, that is, until the Niro showed up. I compared the specs. Both the Niro and VW Sportwagen (now called the Golf Sportwagen) have similar width and height (though the Niro is an inch higher off the road). The wheel base on the Niro is longer, but the overall length is 8 inches shorter - impacting the cargo space behind the second seat above all else. If not for this shortness, the Niro would be a wagon. But its shorter length makes it LOOK more SUV-ish. All things considered, I'm thrilled with the consistent 50+ combined MPG of the Niro. The only time I topped 50 mpg in the VW was on extended highway trips. I've clocked extended highway trips with the Niro at 63+ mpg. I currently have 24K miles on the odometer, and couldn't be happier.