UK bestseller designed for urban-style motoring

WHEN movie star Robert De Niro hit the silver screen in the memorable role of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver back in 1976, he could never have imagined that one day he would lend his famous name to a make of car.

Not that this week’s drive, the Kia Niro, was named after the actor — its name actually derives from the carmaker’s mission to make it environmentally clean and an efficient performer — but De Niro has appeared in a TV ad for the car.

Which is all good for the Kia Niro, which is a very pleasant car to drive and be with and therefore has a star quality all of its own, if without the razzamatazz of being a Hollywood icon.

It’s difficult these days for cars to stand out and you could be forgiven for thinking that most new cars of a certain ilk — hatchback, crossover SUV and the like — look worryingly similar in design.

But then this is 2025, and to someone brought up on cars where their individual design qualities mattered, it might well appear that today’s cars lack character.

However, the Kia Niro has the appeal of being very much of its age — with a little bit of style and individuality thrown in for good measure.

I liked its simplicity, its determination to get the job done and, actually, its lightness of being. It was a very easy drive and easy, too, to get along with.

This meant that on a trip across country roads and then on to a stretch of busy motorway the Niro more than held its own.

It whipped along country lanes and then slotted nicely into a long steady motorway cruise, its hybrid engine doing the work to present an economical and comfortable journey.

The car I was at the wheel of was the Kia Niro HEV ‘2’ 1.6 GDi. Kia says the Niro “family” has emerged as a consistent best-seller in the UK.

It is available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicle. The Niro, along with the Sportage and XCeed, is a crucial part of Kia’s three-pronged strategy in the highly competitive C-SUV market (that features compact crossover SUVs).

These cars are specifically designed for urban-style motoring which is why the Niro seems equally at home in town or on the open road.

As well as engine choices, Kia offers a trio of specification levels across the Niro family. Comprehensively equipped, all models of Niro are available as a ‘2’, ‘3’ or ‘4’ grade — with ‘4’ being the range-topper, equipped with the most premium tech and features.

Along with the larger, seven-seat Kia EV9, the EV6 and the Soul EV, the Niro forms part of Kia’s plans to launch 15 EVs globally by 2027.

The Niro HEV and PHEV models are equally important for the brand, which aims to achieve global electrified sales of 55 per cent by 2030.

The PHEV and HEV models benefit from Kia’s Smartstream 1.6 GDi petrol engine paired with Kia’s own second generation six-speed dual-clutch transmission (6DCT).

The four-cylinder 1.6-litre GDi petrol unit produces a combined maximum power output of 127bhp when paired with the HEV’s 42kW 1.32kWh li-ion polymer battery packs.

The Niro comes with seven years’ free Kia Connect, a telematics service which connects drivers to the world around by providing them with invaluable information via the in-car touchscreen, and on their smartphone.

The entire Niro family also benefits from over-the-air (OTA) functionality. All Kia models (MY22 onwards) equipped with Kia Connect now have the ability to download and install the latest software updates automatically.

There is no need to manually download updates from the official Kia Navigation Updates portal, nor visit a Kia dealership.

Kia Connect features the Kia Live system, housed within the 10.25in infotainment screen in the centre of the car’s dashboard.

The system uses its own eSIM to retrieve and update live data during a drive, such as live traffic information, weather forecasts, points of interest, and details of potential on- and off-street parking — including price, location, and parking availability.

The Kia Connect system also shows drivers EV charging station locations, charger availability, and connection compatibility.

The second element of the Kia Connect system is the Kia Connect app, compatible on Android and Apple smartphones.

Like all Kia models, the Niro is sold as standard in Europe with Kia’s quality promise: an unrivalled seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

The Kia Niro HEV ‘2’ 1.6 GDi, on the road price was £30,270.