Kia Niro PHEV

Second-generation plug-in hybrid family SUV brings a more spacious interior and refreshed tech On sale Now Price from £33,525

- Lawrence Cheung

IF THE PHRASE 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' applied to any of the cars in this issue, it would be this second-generation Kia Niro. Its predecessor is still an excellent car, so this new version simply takes the same practical, efficient and relatively affordable package and brings it up to date.

And this plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version fills the gap between the regular Niro hybrid (HEV) and the Niro EV, providing a solution for those who aren't ready (or able) to move to fully electric motoring just yet.

The PHEV certainly serves up a convincing taste of the latter; its 11.1kWh battery is much larger than the 1.32kWh one you get in the Niro HEV, resulting in an official electric range of 38 miles. Charging up using a typical home wall box takes a little under three hours. That means many drivers will be able to dispatch the daily commute or other mundane trips on electric power alone.

However, they have the convenience of a 1.6-litre petrol engine for journeys that venture a little farther from home. As well as the bigger battery, the PHEV's electric motor is more powerful than the one fitted to the HEV; you get 180bhp in total when petrol and electric power join forces, compared with 139bhp. To feel that difference, you'll have to switch to the Niro's Sport driving mode, in which the electric motor bolsters the petrol engine's performance to get you up to speed with a little more vigour.