[nsteblay]

Just got back from a test drive of the Niro at my local KIA Dealership. My wife and I were very impressed. The car is attractive and the interior is solid, very roomy and comfortable. The tech is what I'm looking for and I thought it handled well. The price point looks good also.

I currently drive a Ford C-Max. I'm looking for a new car and want a hybrid again. The Niro is definitely on my short list. The posted EPA mileage is impressive.

My one big concern is acceleration. Based on the test drive the Niro appears to have much slower acceleration than my C-Max - I guess that's the tradeoff tot get the great EPA rating. The Niro is only 139 hp combined gas/electric where the C-Max is 188 hp. It is hard to accurately judge on a short test drive so I'll probably test drive again. I do like the Niro's 6-speed transmission over the C-Max CVT.

I think I'll wait for a few months to see actual owner's experiences with acceleration, MPG and quality.

 

[KiaKrazy]

Definitely is a good sized gap in the power section but that is the price to pay for good EPA. Typically though, once you find it has good over-taking power, that's what matters to a lot of people. Taking multiple test drives, going back and forth from the C-Max to the Niro will help a lot in giving you an idea of what you'll like better

 

[Nirotic]

.... once you find it has good over-taking power, that's what matters to a lot of people. ....

I agree. I'm on the Interstate for 9 hours at a time. I have to overtake the unrelenting slowpokes without getting mowed down by the unrelenting suicide drivers.

 

[Steve34491]

We traded in our C-Max about two weeks ago on the Niro Touring. Both cars are enjoyable to drive. While the C-Max does have better acceleration, the Touring is more than adequate, whether moving away from a stop light or merging onto an interstate. And that's in ECO mode. I haven't tried Sport mode yet. Living in Florida (warm and flat) I was able to get better than EPA rating with both cars, 45.2 combined from the C-Max in almost 4 years and about 47 combined from the Niro in about 300 miles. Hopefully that will move up some as the engine breaks in.

 

[jerp777]

Just took a test drive with a FE here in michigan. Off the line, first gear and perhaps 2nd gear had some torque but was weak after that with 2 people in the car. I assume it was running only on the electric motor. I put it in sport mode and it was much better, I think because the gas engine was on and it stayed in lower gears longer. On the freeway in eco mode it seemed a bit weaker than my vibe but I can live with it(I think). If your a younger high strung person, it may not be enough power for you but i'm getting older an slowing down, no rush. I did not try sport mode on the freeway. everything else was ok in my short drive.