Kia Niro Hybrid Sport 2022 Review

The Kia Niro range touched down in Australia last year, bringing a trio of powertrains – hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and pure-electric (EV) – and ushering in another small SUV to the Korean brand’s stable.

At the time, these were Kia’s first hybrid and electric cars, but other models are beginning to fill out the car-maker’s electrified vehicle range such as the larger Kia Sorento PHEV and the compelling Kia EV6.

Long-awaited hybrid versions of the Kia Sportage are also due this year, and it would be remiss of us not to mention that a new-generation Kia Niro is also in the pipeline.

So, yes, the Kia Niro you see here is less than a year into its Australian tenure but arrived near the end of its first generation.

It occupies a relatively premium position in its class, the 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid S opening at $39,990 plus on-road costs while the Hybrid Sport on test here is priced at $43,890 plus ORCs.

In comparison, the Toyota C-HR Hybrid is priced from $37,665 plus ORCs while the larger top-selling RAV4 Hybrid kicks off at $36,900.

Headline standard equipment on the Niro HEV Sport includes 18-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres, LED headlights, leather-appointed upholstery, a 10.25-inch infotainment unit with navigation (including 10 years of free map updates) and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Premium exterior colours, including the Orange Delight paintwork on our test car, adds $520.

Kia covers the Niro line-up with its seven-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty. The Niro Hybrid is due for workshop visits every 12 months or 15,000km, costing $1128 and $2321 across the first three and five years respectively.

Although the equipment list on the 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid Sport is relatively thorough, several omissions make it feel a little underdone.

Considering it’s a top-spec Sport model, we’d expect standard features to extend to smart entry and push-button start (as with the Niro PHEV and EV), wireless phone charging and heated/ventilated front seats.

Sure, those things aren’t entirely necessary, but they’d be really nice at this price point.

There’s still plenty of gear the Sport does get, including eight-way electric adjustment for the driver’s seat (and six-way for the front passenger), while an electric handbrake features an auto-hold function and rain-sensing wipers are standard, even if they’re a bit fidgety.

Safety and driver assistance gear for the Niro HEV range includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane assist, adaptive cruise control and driver attention alert, while the top-spec Sport adds blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.

In terms of other tech, the Sport uses a larger 10.25-inch touch-screen (S grades only get an 8.0-inch unit), which in classic Kia style is responsive, with an easy-to-read display and good graphics.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come with wired functionality, while Bluetooth, digital radio, ‘Sounds of Nature’ and three USB outlets are offered up front.

The 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid Sport has a conventional series/parallel petrol-electric powertrain, with no need for external charging to keep it running.

Power comes from the combination of a 77kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, paired to a 32kW electric motor and small 1.6kWh lithium-ion battery that’s mounted under the rear seats.

The maximum combined output is 104kW and 265Nm of torque, with the front wheels driven through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

There’s not a lot to distinguish the Niro HEV as anything other than a regular combustion-engined vehicle, save for the quirky hybrid instrument cluster that doesn’t include a tacho.

It isn’t overtly quick off the mark, and is relatively noisy under hard acceleration.

But once chugging along at speed, the Niro Hybrid seamlessly transitions between its petrol engine and electric motor with ease.

It also offers steering wheel shift paddles that cycle through three levels of regenerative braking assistance.

Those shift paddles are rather useful, as the Niro HEV’s brake pedal tends to lack feel, so slowing it down via the re-gen braking feels natural.

We also felt a distinct shove when coming to a complete stop, at a red light, for example, although that could be simply a case of getting used to the idiosyncrasies of the hybrid system operating at low speeds.

After a week of suburban and some highway driving, our test car’s average fuel consumption rating read 4.2L/100km, bettering Kia’s own official combined-cycle claim of 4.4L/100km.

That’s an outstanding result.

From the driver’s seat, the 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid Sport is a mostly pleasant experience.

Tyre and road noise are subdued within the cabin and there’s plenty of outward vision – even despite the chunky C-pillars – from the Niro’s slightly jacked-up stance.

It’s not the most nimble or sporty small SUV, with softer suspension settings and slightly more body roll compared to the Kia Stonic or Seltos, for example, but it’ll still get around a fast corner with relative composure and grip.

That’s thanks in part to its 18-inch alloy wheels and sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber, and although Kia did not undertake its usual local suspension tuning with the Niro (due to it arriving late in its current lifecycle), the ride quality is good.

Potholes and bumps are soaked up well, and the hybrid model offers a comfortable experience overall.

In the second row, there’s a 60/40-split folding seat with child seat ISOFIX points on the outboard positions, a centre arm rest with two cup holders, rear door pocket storage and air vents.

It’s a space best suited to kids or smaller humans, owing to its confined dimensions, although short trips with large adults is doable, with deep seats that offer good under-thigh support, even if headroom suffers.

As for cargo-carrying ability, the Niro Hybrid sits in the middle of the range, offering an acceptable 410 litres of boot space, which isn’t as good as the Niro EV’s 451L, but better than the Niro PHEV’s 324L.

The hybrid is also the only Niro to come equipped with a spare tyre – albeit a space-saver – with the PHEV and EV only getting a tyre repair kit.

With a variety of higher-tech new metal now available – or coming soon – from the Korean car-maker, the 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid Sport seems a little out of place.

Here’s a fast-growing brand that’s breaking new ground in terms of style, technology, safety and, more recently, electrified vehicles, yet the Niro HEV doesn’t really sit comfortably alongside the likes of the cutting-edge EV6.

It’s a fuel-efficient, comfortable and relatively well-equipped small SUV, but doesn’t come cheap compared to Toyota’s C-HR Hybrid – or even the larger Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

And there’s the inescapable fact that a new-generation version of the Niro is due for release later this year.

That’s not to say the Kia Niro Hybrid Sport isn’t a good choice. We’d simply urge buyers to carefully consider whether it’s the right one, right now.

How much does the 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid Sport cost?
Price: $43,890 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 77kW/147Nm (electric motor: 32kW/170Nm)
Combined output: 104kW/265Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 4.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 101g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2016)