My new "New Niro" has arrived !

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HaxbyPete
Posts: 55
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:18 am

Post by HaxbyPete »

It took just two months to arrive from ordering in early July to delivery on the 6th Sept. but my new 'upgraded New Niro4 HEV" arrived with me a week ago !

First impressions ? Bloody marvellous ! But maybe I'm biased as I had the First Edition (4) HEV from three years ago so this is my second. Boring I know but I couldn't find anything better for my needs, spec, economy or value for money (compared to other Niros and other self-charging brands.

I'm still getting used to it but here are my early impressions:

LIKES.

I was unsure about ordering Runway Red but, after my first Niro was Ocean Blue, I couldn't find another colour I liked from the otherwise quite boring palette KIA offers Niros in. Problem was that my dealer didn't have any samples of Runway Red and the website could nit be relied upon to give an accurate colour. There are SO many reds on the market ! However, the car arrived in a rich Crimson red metallic which looks great in the sunshine and very nice on a dull day even !

The bigger 10.25" central informational display. It's in three sections which you can edit according to what information you wish to be displayed at any one time. I settled on Hybrid Economy (mpg and battery use), Map in the centre and Media (radio/music) on the right. But I may decide to change them around when i got into the options available.

The electronic handbrake. The 'kick down' handbrake on the First Edition was a pain, but one you got used to. Now I have the small switch on the centre console I seem to have nothing to do with my left foot any more ! There is also a switch for auto hold when you are on an incline. The 'handbrake' releases automatically when you engage drive or reverse on the auto gear box.

The paddle-shifters on the steering column which are useful when in sport mode on the gearbox.

The new arrow-head daylight running lights on the front styling. Also the smaller headlight, parking and fog lights.

DISLIKES.

The redesigned dash board has no speedometer ! Even the digital speed read-out which used to be dead centre, with a dial speedo to the right of it, has now been shunted to the right of the dash board, right where my driving hand at 2 o'clock on the wheel hides it from view ! What a stupid re-design fault ! I am going to look in the book, or have a word with KIA to see if there is some way to reposition that digital speed readout as it is SO important but I may have to live with it ?

On the First Edition there was a Hybrid economy window on the central display which showed how 'green' you were driving a little green tree which got bigger and fuller the more economically you were driving. It was fun to see it fully lit up ! That tree has now, sadly, gone and there is just a simple
animation of electric or petrol engine use in it's place. How boring !

The "Lane Follow Assist" system is 'on' by default every time you start the car up. If you are not driving on motorways and on winding country roads the system taking over your steering is a bit unnerving, you have to go down to the switches below the steering wheel and switch it off. Maybe I will find an option somewhere in the menus to 'untick' this feature as a default position.

In fact there are some other things I still need to look into the manual to resolve but I always feel a sense of failure if I have to do that !

But overall I am delighted with the choice I made to have another Niro Self Charging HEV !

Meanwhile I presently have two Niros on my driveway. The blue older one will be collected on Tuesday by the leasing company. Then I will just have the glorious red one for the next three years.

Happy days !

2Niros.jpg

HaxbyPete
Posts: 55
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:18 am

Post by HaxbyPete »

Sorry duplicated post.
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