Come see the atypical new Niro HUV at Barnett Kia!

A key component to Kia Motors’ Green Car Roadmap, the intriguing all-new 2017 Kia Niro Hybrid Utility Vehicle (HUV) was first unveiled earlier this year at the Chicago Auto Show. Now we’re unveiling it on the showroom floor at Barnett Kia! 

A no-compromise vehicle combining driving enjoyment with eye-catching design, functional utility, and hybrid efficiency, Niro stakes claim to a unique position between the hybrid-electric vehicle and CUV segments. 

Niro is yet another innovation under the Kia Motors EcoDynamics environmentally friendly sub-brand and represents a number of firsts. Niro is, for example, the first Kia to make use of an all-new, dedicated eco-car platform, an important next step on the path to nearly tripling the brand’s global green car line-up by 2020. 

The HUV’s design language is atypical—“un-hybrid”—appearing strong and confident with subtly sculpted surfaces offset by robust styling cues. Niro’s profile is athletic, a cohesive crossover theme designed with aerodynamics in mind, yielding a relatively slippery coefficient of drag of .29. 

The interior is inviting, modern, and high-tech. Glossy white or black accents underline the HUV’s straightforward theme. The instrument panel is uncluttered and clean, with colorful and informative gauges at the forefront. Interior roominess comes by way of Niro’s 106.3-inch wheelbase, body height, and wide stance. With its crossover-like proportions, Niro boasts an elevated seating position much like the Kia Soul, providing drivers with a more commanding view of the road.

The platform underpinning Niro has been specifically engineered to accommodate the unique gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain, with 53% of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) making it both light and durable. Engineers are expecting Niro to earn top honors from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). 

Motivating Niro is a highly efficient and engaging powertrain starting with an all-new, state-of-the-art Kappa 1.6L GDI four-cylinder engine, engineered specifically for hybrid applications. Making 103hp, the new engine marks the first combination of the Atkinson Cycle, cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), GDI and a long-stroke-narrow-bore specification to maximize efficiency. A 43hp tractive motor, known as the transmission-mounted electric device (TMED), works in tandem with the gasoline engine to produce a robust 146hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. All this while targeting a combined fuel efficiency rating of 50 mpg. 

Niro’s parallel and simplified hybrid system creates seamless transitions of power delivered to the front wheels, resulting in a very un-hybrid-like driving experience. The Niro accelerates quickly off the line and continues its smooth power delivery. 

Like the rest of Kia’s lineup, Niro will be offered with a suite of advanced driver assistance and convenience technologies. Familiar features that will be available on the HUV include Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist; Smart Cruise Control; Lane Departure Warning; and Autonomous Emergency Braking. 

All-new Eco-DAS (Driver Assistance System) features Kia’s first application of Coasting Guide and Predictive Energy Control. The Coasting Guide aims at maximizing fuel economy by essentially coaching the driver on when to coast and brake. Predictive Energy Control, meanwhile, uses the navigation system and cruise control to anticipate topographical changes on the road, seamlessly determining when best to recharge the battery. 

Kia’s award-winning infotainment and telematics system aims to keep Niro drivers connected at all times, with the newest version, UVO3, trickling down from the all-new 2017 Sportage. Complete with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and UVO eServices featuring 14 telematics services, the enhanced system features up to 8 GB of music storage, access to onscreen apps such as Pandora and Soundhound and Wi-Fi tethering capability. All this is displayed on a 7-inch capacitive touch screen. 

The Niro is expected to be available for purchase in early 2017. Meanwhile, right now at Barnett, you can lease a 2016 Kia Sportage for as low as $227 a month with NO DOWN PAYMENT if you qualify for all rebates. Only first payment, tax, title, and license are due at signing. Or lease a new 2016 Optima for $199 a month WITH NO DOWN PAYMENT or a new Forte LX for just $159 a month, with only the first payment, tax, title, and license upfront. 

And, of course, every new vehicle purchased comes with Barnett’s exclusive—and FREE—MILLION MILE Warranty. Ask your sales associate for all the details on that, too. Come see us soon at Barnett Kia on Highway 61 in White Bear Lake!