Kia's Award-Winning 2021 Niro Hybrid and PHEV Coast Into New Year with Charming Customer Convenience

The Niro Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid crossovers are going to coast triumphantly into the new year here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis with an enhanced and confident sense of customer convenience! The Niro Hybrid LX arrives into the new model year with its 50-mph EPA rating as well as a gigantic amount of savings in fuel costs for five years compared to an average vehicle. The 2021 PHEV is eligible for a substantial federal tax credit, offering assistance during a year when many drivers need it most.

Standard Rear Occupant Alert is a new addition, and 8-inch display-equipped vehicles now come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard equipment. Smart Key-equipped vehicles now feature the very useful Remote Engine Start, a fitting way to assure you get out on time when the telltale too-busy morning strikes! The Niro also expanded its DriveWise Advanced Driver Assistance System to now feature Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control and Curve on all vehicles that currently have Smart Cruise Control and Navigation. DriveWise features Forward Collision-Avoidance at the Pedestrian level, with a camera to aid in detection.

Any buyer searching for something a little different than a Toyota Prius should consider the Kia Niro hatchback, with its fuel-efficient sense of practicality and cheerful demeanor. Even with a slightly-smaller size, there is a good amount of space for rear passengers and helping of cargo room when the rear seats are folded. It does not possess an incredibly sporty personality and may not boast the same capabilities as an off-road-ready contender such as the Telluride, but it is one of the best models out there for anyone looking to get to their daily destinations with economic and environmental sensibility.

Making the ride much more enjoyable on the audio end of things is the option for an upgrade to a Harmon Kardon 8-speaker sound system, and many reviewers such as those on duty at The Car Connection claim that the Niro is the superior choice when pitted against the competitor in the form of the Nissan Leaf Plus. Every single benefit of going electric is flaunted directly from the driver's seat, and the electric motor cranks out 201 horsepower and 291 lb-ft of torque. Getting up to 60 mph in 7 seconds is adequate for any hasty city sprint or impromptu errands, and the perky and quiet performance fares as excellent all the way on up to highway speed.

Reasonable and well-proportioned, the Niro's front-wheel-drive is adequate for all-weather capability and remains quick as well as impressive. One of the technologies that have proven to be the most useful and game-changing is the Niro's regenerative braking: the vehicle's momentum is used to “recover” energy that would otherwise be lost to the brake discs in the form of wasteful heat.