2024 Kia Niro PHEV: 6 reasons to love it, 3 reasons to think twice

The 2024 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) is an enticing choice for those seeking to dip their toes into electrification. Positioned between the Niro Hybrid and Niro EV, this PHEV offers a balanced blend of gasoline reliability and electric perks. Let’s dive into six standout features and three potential drawbacks to help you decide if it’s the right ride for you.

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6 reasons to love the 2024 Kia Niro PHEV

Electric city driving with ICE range

With its 11.1 kWh battery, the Niro PHEV can travel up to 33 miles on electric power alone. For most daily commutes in the U.S., that’s enough to skip the gas station entirely. Plus, the 1.6-liter gas engine erases any range anxiety for longer trips with a combined 510-mile range.

A parallel parker’s dream

The Niro isn’t the smallest car you could buy for city street parking, but a host of thoughtful technological touches make parallel parking a joy, including a reverse camera, front and rear proximity sensors and automatically adjusting side mirrors that angle down when the car is in reverse so you can see your rear tire to avoid curb rash. Plus, on the SX touring trim, you get power side mirrors that automatically fold in once you get out to keep its footprint small.

Torquey performance around the city

With a combined 180 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque from its gas and electric motors, the Niro isn’t exactly throwing you into your seat—even in sport mode. But, instant torque from the electric motors helps it feel relatively quick off the line when driving around city streets.

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Packed with tech and safety features

Even the base EX trim comes well-equipped, with a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. The SX Touring trim adds premium touches like a Harman Kardon sound system, ventilated front seats, and programmable profiles to save two different seat positions.

Impressively premium feeling interior

One of the first things you’ll notice when you get into the Niro is how nice the interior feels. The cabin is spacious for a subcompact and designed with satisfying materials throughout. The use of vegan leather in high-touch areas helps elevate the interior's feel, but even parts of the door panels and center console that use plastic still feel very sleek.

Excellent fuel economy

With an EPA-estimated 108 MPGe when charged regularly, the Niro PHEV offers impressive city driving efficiency. Even running solely on gas, it achieves a respectable 48 mpg combined.

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3 reasons to think twice

Infotainment quirks

Easily the number one issue with the Niro is the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s somewhat shocking that a 2024 model year car only offers wired options for these popular infotainment software packages. It doesn’t help that the built-in GPS is noticeably worse than its Android and Apple alternatives. In our testing, the GPS lost our exact location pretty easily once we were around tall buildings.

Finicky wireless phone charging

Another surprising hiccup we encountered in our testing was the Niro’s wireless phone charging pad intermittently cutting power. This caused the phone to fluctuate between charging and not charging. At best, we’d end most rides with the phone battery at the same level we started with.

No all-wheel drive (AWD) option

Despite its crossover-like styling, the Niro PHEV is strictly front-wheel drive. Of course, front wheel drive vehicles can still perform very well in poor road conditions with the right set of tires, but for drivers for whom AWD is a necessity, the Niro probably isn’t a good option.

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Final thoughts

The 2024 Kia Niro PHEV is an excellent stepping stone toward electrification. It’s practical, stylish, and packed with value, making it an attractive choice for eco-conscious drivers not ready to commit to a full EV. However, quirks like the lack of wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as the absence of AWD, may give some buyers pause.

For those seeking a stylish and efficient hybrid that doesn’t skimp on tech, the Niro PHEV makes a strong case—just be sure to weigh its compromises against your priorities.