Telegraph e-paper

Kia Niro

With hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full battery-electric drivetrains, the Niro has been a go-to, no-nonsense family crossover for some years, although styling changes for this Mk2 move it more into the SUV arena.

Inside it’s immediately clear that this is built to a budget due to the choice of materials rather than the way they fit together. While there’s some of last year’s winner, the EV6, in the dashboard control logic, there’s too much “this’ll do” in its make-up. Typical is the load area cover, which feels as substantial as a pair of discarded tights.

Add soggy handling, an unsettled ride quality (and a noisy engine in the hybrids) plus high prices – which start at £27,700 but then rise steeply – and you start to appreciate that the Niro simply isn’t at the top of its class any longer.

CARS

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2023-01-21T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-01-21T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://dailytelegraph.pressreader.com/article/281998971579048

Daily Telegraph