UK-bound 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid gets 17,600 orders in 4 days in S.Korea

On the day pre-orders were opened for the second-generation 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid, the brand amassed an incredible 16,300 bookings for the SUV in South Korea, reported ETNews on January 19, 2022. This is no ordinary feat because the only other Kia SUV to garner more bookings is the fourth-generation Sorento (18,941 orders).

The new Kia Niro Hybrid is now the most popular electrified Kia. It will be available with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and pure electric (BEV) in its home turf in the near future. However, as of this moment, only the HEV has been introduced. The UK will get the strong hybrid model (HEV) and the EV in due course.

ETNews reported on January 24 that in the first four business days, the new Kia Niro Hybrid recorded a total of 17,600 pre-orders. This is equivalent to 70% of the 25,000 units set as the annual sales target in Korea.

2022 Kia Niro Hybrid design

While the first generation Niro looked modern with its crossover-SUV design, its successor packs proper SUV proportions and looks ahead of time with its futuristic detailing. The design is a significant departure from the first generation Niro with intricately housed LED headlamps and a full-width chrome bar positioned above the brand’s trademark tiger nose grille. Prominent side profile design elements are the 16-inch machine-cut alloys, black side body cladding, a chrome strip on the upper border of the window line and roof rails. 

Kia is allowing buyers to customise the C-pillar with black and grey shades. The rear is an interesting design, but it might not cater to everyone’s taste. The boomerang-shaped tail lamps appear as though they’re part of the side profile rather than the rear as they’re positioned on the edges of the rear windshield. That said, the 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid has a shark fin antenna, a sharply raked rear screen, a spoiler neatly integrated into the roof, a heartbeat shaped rear reflector and a skid plate to withstand beatings of the urban terrain.

Interior & Features

With a 2.7-metre wheelbase and a 4.4-metre length, Kia appears to have optimised cabin space, with the interiors appearing roomy. The asymmetrical dashboard is slanted towards the driver and packs 74 ambient lighting colours. There’s, of course, ample digital real estate on offer with the central 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system sharing its panel with the digital driver’s display. That said, there’s a rotary drive selector, wireless charging pad and ample cubby holes and storage spaces in the cabin. 

There are multiple driver aids on offer on the 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid, starting with a massive 10-inch head-up display that showcases key information like speed and ADAS data. It also comes equipped with connected car tech that allows occupants to control various functions of the car through a smartphone application. Driver’s can access online navigation, plan journeys, secure the vehicle using geo-fencing, get traffic alerts and locate nearby fuel and electric charging stations simply with a few clicks on their smartphone.

2022 Kia Niro Hybrid specifications

In South Korea, there are three FWD powertrain options — hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid and pure electric. The HEV is powered by a 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder engine that produces 105 hp and 144 Nm on its own and is mated to a 32kW (43 hp) PMSM electric motor that allows a combined hybrid output of 141 hp and 170 Nm. The Niro HEV puts down this power with the help of a 7-speed DCT that has been optimised to improve efficiency. Speaking of efficiency, Kia is claiming 20.8 kmpl from the Niro HEV on the Korean cycle.

Price & Release date

The 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid is offered in three variants in South Korea: Trendy, Prestige and Signature. The ex-showroom price for the Trendy is 26.6 million Won (EUR 19,196/GBP 16,077). The Prestige starts at 28.95 million Won (EUR 21,374/GBP 17,914) while the range-topping Signature Niro HEV is priced at 33.06 million Won (EUR 24,401/GBP 20,457). 

Kia explained that the proportion of S.Korean customers in their 20s and 30s in Niro pre-orders increased by 16 percentage points to 46%. Customers in their 30s accounted for the most at 26.7%, followed by those in their 50s (20.9%), 40s (20.7%), 20s (19.0%), and those in their 60s (12.7%). As for the trim popularity, the top-end Signature had the highest at 45.1%, followed by Prestige (40.6%) and Trendy (14.3%), reports ETNews.

As for the exterior colour, Snow White Pearl (51.3%) received the most pre-orders from the S.Korean car buyers, followed by Interstellar Gray (13.9%). Cityscape Green (12.6%), newly introduced to reflect the eco-friendly trend, also garnered a favourable response.

The new generation 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid is due for a global launch in the second half of this year. The model will also go on sale in the UK with the hybrid and pure-electric powertrain.