[FlNiro]

Welcome! Only you can answer what options are worth it to you. I've had a hybrid since 2004 with my first of 5 Prius. I switched to the Niro in 2018 because I didn't like the restyle of the Gen.3 Prius and liked the Niro small suvish styling. I recommend the Niro but an important thing is to do your homework on the dealer that you'll be bringing it to for service. Kia is not bullet proof like the Prius was. I found Kia dealers can be both very good and very bad. All the different Toyota dealers I've dealt with were pretty good but again I never had to have anything fixed on my Prius. The last one a 2012 went 166k. trouble free miles with just routine maint. I'm surprised you didn't have any Toyotas on your list. I just pulled up next to a Corolla Cross hybrid at a traffic light and I thought it looked pretty good.

 

[FlNiro]

I've compared trims many times. If I choose the Niro it will be primarily for the HK & acoustic glass.
Ventilated seats in summer would be nice. I've never had heated seats, never felt the need thru the 50 Chicago winters I've been driving. The Taos is still on my list because I like VW and cargo capacity is a plus, but I want better MPG.

And I gotta say, the EV6 calls to me as well. She is a real beauty, but I'd have to park her outside (too long). Maybe I'll get an EV when/if solid state batteries with twice the range become available. I'm retiring at the end of this year, and would like to travel a lot more. I don't mind driving all day long.

If your considering the Niro for long trips I think you'll be very happy with it. When I was still traveling we did many trips up and down the east coast from Fl. to Pa. and back to visit our kids. 2 years ago we went from Fl. to Pa. then upstate Ny. to Sc. then back to Fl. The Niro is very comfortable for long trips. Even on the highway we were getting 48 mpgs. Last trip from Fl. to Pa. was $65 in gas.

 

[FlNiro]

I'll be interested to hear your reactions to test drives.

In January 2023, we were planning to give our 2018 Buick Encore to our daughter, and our short list for a replacement came down to Mazda CX-30, Honda Hr-V, KIA Sportage HEV. The CX-30 didn't have enough cargo space, and felt cramped. We replaced a 2009 Fit with the HR-V in 2015, but from my perspective, Honda completely ruined the design with the latest iteration. KIA dealership didn't have a Sportage HEV; the ICE version felt underpowered, with a clunky transmission, and it felt too big. A Niro HEV EX was parked right next to the Sportage, and we liked it much better after a test drive.

Be warned that if your present car is a 2016 model, there have been enormous tech changes in cars in the past 8 years. The Niro comes with ~1000 pages of documentation. Setting up any new car is going to be a bit like setting up a new computer or cellphone. There are lots of configuration settings to explore. After 24,000 miles, I think I have finally finished....

Well.....That's why you have kids lol. My son helped set up my Niro after we got it. He liked it so much he bought one for himself lol.

 

[FlNiro]

Yesterday I became the proud owner of a 2025 HEV Mineral Blue EX!

I decided not to get the SX partly because the features aren't worth an extra $3200 to me, and the subwoofer is in the wheel well. My spare tire plan is to get a full size rim & tire identical to the other four, and go with a five tire rotation. On long road trips to remote areas I won't have to worry about traveling on a lesser spare, and I won't need to replace the entire set due to tread wear mismatch if a flat can't be fixed.

My wife was incredulous that so many new cars these days don't come with a spare tire and often don't have a place to put one. That pressurized goop won't work on sidewall damage, and destroys the tire. She's old school, still driving a stick (2023 Subaru Crosstrek) and thinks paying $30k+ for a car is crazy, but understands that's less than the average price of a new vehicle now. She thinks this Niro suits me perfectly, except the part about giving up driving a stick myself. I'll miss my 2016 Golf TSI S, but it was on the verge of becoming a money pit and I really want to improve my fuel economy.

Meanwhile, I've got a lot to learn in utilizing the controls & modes and infotainment system on this car. I started using the regen paddles, but most of the steering wheel functions are still a mystery. Fortunately I have time, not going back to work until Jan 2. I'll be officially retired on Dec 31 but they still need me, so I'll be working under contract part time thru March.

Then it's open road, baby! Really looking forward to travel adventures in my new wheels.

Congrats on your purchase. I would recommend that you sign your car up on the Kia Owners Portal. It has lots of info. for your car and you can read all the manuals ect. there without having to go dig through your car for all your manuals ect.

 

[FlNiro]

Owners manual for my 2025 HEV states:
By following a few simple precautions for the first 600 miles you may add to the performance, economy, and life of your vehicle.

• Do not race the engine.
• While driving, avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not maintain a single engine speed for long periods of time, either fast or slow. Varying engine speeds is needed to properly break-in the engine.
• Avoid hard stops, except in emergencies, to allow the brakes to seat properly.
• Don't tow a trailer during the first 1,200 miles of operation.
• Fuel economy and engine performance may vary depending on vehicle break-in process and be stabilized after 4,000 miles. New engines may consume more oil during the vehicle break-in process.

This seems to be just good general advise for most cars. No rocket science just good general advise.