2025 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid Review: Excelling in a Single Aspect

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      Nowadays, if you seek an affordable and fuel-efficient vehicle, you have various options, including different powertrains. The Kia Niro, for instance, offers three propulsion choices in a single model: conventional hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or fully electric.

      However, the challenge of electrifying an economical car is that the further you move away from internal combustion, the more you risk exceeding the affordable price point. This is a notable issue with the Kia Niro PHEV. While it’s not a bad vehicle and its fuel-efficient powertrain is indeed impressive, its starting price of $36,000 is already at the higher end of what many consider affordable, and adding options doesn’t help its perceived value.

      Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid Overview and Design

      The most affordable Niro from Kia is the standard hybrid, priced at $28,435. The plug-in hybrid is next in line at $35,995, with the Niro EV coming in at $41,045. The model I tested was the PHEV SX Touring, which included around $6,500 in upgrades for a total cost of $42,565.

      Adam Ismail

      Frankly, this surprised me. The Niro PHEV does not feel like a $42,000 vehicle. It hardly feels like a $36,000 car, despite the current absurd average price of new cars. The plastics are not appealing, from the matte surfaces on the armrest to the easily scratched piano black finish around the shifter. The seats—a mix of cloth and perforated faux-leather—feel similar to the material used for track jackets. Additionally, the premium sound system, despite featuring the Harman/Kardon brand, sounds muffled and compressed regardless of the audio played.

      The infotainment user interface appears outdated, reminiscent of a feature phone from 15 years ago. The attempt by Kia to connect the old-school alarm clock-like instrument cluster to the distant central display isn’t appealing. On the topic of aesthetics, I generally find the Niro unattractive. While it has its supporters, the design elements—be it headlights, taillights, unnecessary cladding, or body lines—seem to clash with one another. The disjointed front end, in particular, seems designed to offend or repel, as if a small car cannot possibly look cute or stylish.

      A Frustrating Interior

      Let’s address an interior quirk of the Niro and some other new Kias that initially frustrated me until I figured out how to solve it. The infotainment and climate controls consist of software buttons that share a strip of screen below the vents. This is inherently frustrating, and what exacerbates the issue is the design of the interface. There’s a toggle for media or HVAC options, and in my case, the car defaulted to media. Thus, after pressing the climate button and making my adjustments, the entire row would revert to infotainment after about three seconds of inactivity.

      Adam Ismail

      This was irritating because I find the infotainment mostly unnecessary; I can access everything through the main screen and the steering wheel buttons. I later learned, however, that you can set the HVAC controls as the default by long-pressing the little two-way arrow between them. I spent considerable time trying to figure this out, only for another journalist to share the crucial information with me after I’d returned the car to Kia. Hopefully, my frustration will save someone else from a similar experience.

      One more thing before I offer a positive note about this vehicle: I previously criticized some older Hyundai Group models for using outmoded USB-A ports for phone connectivity while relegating the nearby USB-C port to charging only. The Niro shares this drawback. However, the good news is that if there's a next-generation Niro, it will feature Kia’s updated infotainment hardware and software. I tested it in the K4 months ago, and it significantly surpasses what’s available here.

      Driving the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid

      Ultimately, this is the primary reason to buy the Niro Plug-In Hybrid. With a combined output of 180 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque from the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and electric motor, you won’t be speeding in this car, which goes against its intended purpose. When fully charged, the Niro can travel 33 miles on electric power alone, sufficient for most Americans’ daily commutes. It’s a very efficient daily driver, and the transition between power sources is seamless and refined, as is the connection between regenerative and mechanical braking.

      I commend Kia for placing the drive mode selector on the steering wheel, where it belongs in every vehicle. Adam Ismail

      Unfortunately, that smoothness highlights how other aspects of the Niro’s driving dynamics are less impressive. The steering is very light