The first hybrid from the Korean carmaker should give the toyota Prius a lot to think about as it cuts a very convincing figure.
IT’S FAIR TO SAY THAT i’ve let the proverbial out of the bag with the glowing stand first above. of course i’m biased. that’s because i really like this car. the real story however, is really how it managed to win me over.
For starters, Kia has bucked the trend of aping the styling of the Toyota Prius, which is basically the benchmark of the hybrid segment. the other Korean hybrid car that has been recently launched is the Hyundai Ioniq, which runs on a similar powertrain to the Niro.
At first glance, the Kia Niro visually registers as a sports Utility Vehicle or Crossover but look closer and you’ll see that it sits closer to the ground like a conventional hatchback.
Seeing that the overwhelming majority of SUV/Crossover owners never take their cars off-road, drivers of the Kia Niro will benefit from the lower centre of gravity, which in this case is mostly made up of the bank of 1.56kWh Lithium-ion batteries that reside next to the 45-litre fuel tank under the rear seats.
Denne historien er fra Vol 76 - May-Jun 2017-utgaven av evo Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra Vol 76 - May-Jun 2017-utgaven av evo Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The Next Small Thing?
The diminutive Citroën C1 looks set to replace the ageing 2CV as the budget racer of choice. But first it has to prove itself, as does evo’s racing debutant Will Beaumont, in a 24-hour endurance event
P1 GTR
The fastest car we’ve timed at Anglesey Circuit is the Radical RXC Turbo 500 with a lap of 1:10.5. Can the P1 GTR go faster?
BMW M5 (F90)
The covers don’t come off BMW’s latest supersaloon until September, but we’ve already sampled its power – and its new drivetrain.
Barely Legal
The new Porsche 911 GT3 is the closest thing to a racing car that can be driven on public roads. Be careful what you wish for.
Red Alert
Scottish mountain roads, alive with the sound of an F355’s flat-plane-crank V8… If you like your red cars compact, lithe and gorgeous, it doesn’t get much better than this.
24 Heaven
No ferries, said Ferrari, or racetracks, and no more than 480 kilometres. And 24 hours maximum. So, what to do with a 780hp F12tdf for the day?
Honda Civic Type R
Honda dragged its feet with the previous-generation Civic Type R. This time we’re getting one almost from the get-go, but how much has changed?
Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
The topless 911 may not be as focused as the more hard-core fixed roof variants but it offers an altogether different driving experience that can be just as enjoyable.
Driving the future of safety
Rear-view mirrors and safety helmets have been the staples of driving and riding safety respectively. BMW reckons it can improve on this technology which has been in place for the past 100 years or so.
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS
The new 911 GTs is the best 991-series carrera that you can currently buy – provided you choose the correct variant and the right options.
