Used 2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid Consumer Reviews
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Great car for San Diego; Flawed Heating System;
Lazyj, 10/25/2018
updated 04/29/2024
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid LX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid 6AM)
35 of 35 people found this review helpful
We live in Olympia, Washington. This is a great car for our needs. It's a small city, so 26 miles electric is plenty for our in-town driving. We just passed 3,000 miles, and have used 24 gallons of gasoline. We really like the ease of entry and exit. Upright seats, high enough off the ground so you don't crawl out of it like a Prius, and doors that open super wide. There is one clear bit of lazy engineering: the heating system only works when the engine is running. The Prius Prime (the heads up competitor) has a heat pump system, that runs using electricity. The Niro does not, even though an air conditioner is essentially the same device as a heat pump running in reverse. In Olympia, where we have cool weather and dampness, we do need to run the heat all winter. That forces on the engine (but the car still is propelled as an electric; this big four-cylinder 1600cc engine running just to provide heat and defrost. This is why I say it's a great car for Phoenix or San Diego, where you don't need heat much of the time. Around here, the Prius Prime is probably a better value if it meets your needs. It does not meet our needs. I am a big 300# fella. This car fits me reasonably well. The Prius does not. Update at two years and 23,800 miles: We've had the Kia Niro Plug-in for two years now. We still like it. The E-Niro has become available, with 240 miles of range. If were were buying today, we would probably buy the full-electric. We've carefully tracked how many times we would have needed to charge "on the road." Three trips, for a total of about 10% of our total miles. Each time, we had overnight charging available to us close to where we stayed. Even if we had to pay a premium price for a fast charge, it would still be a great value to be all-electric -- charging at home is the equivalent of $1.20/gallon. No squeaks or rattles at the 2 year mark. Just entering winter, the frustrating season when we cannot run all-electric because of the heating system engineering flaw mentioned in the original review. Update at the 3-year mark: Still happy with the car. Have taken some longer road trips, and learned to use the "sport" mode for steep highway climbs. It drops you a gear lower, and the car zips up the steepest grades (and keeps the engine in the power range, so the "economy" gauge shows green. If buying a new car today, we would buy the E-Niro. Update at the 6 year mark. We still like the car a lot. Very spacious inside, small outside, comfortable, easy to get in and out. We have just had our very first repair, an item on which Kia has a specific service bulletin. The 12V battery was going dead. Very dead. I could charge it with a conventional battery charger, and it ran fine. Turns out the problem was a failed rear door latch, creating a power drain. A $447 repair. Other than that, it's been one oil change a year, and nothing else. We're seriously considering leasing a new E-Niro (lease is a way around the tax credit limitation we would face as a buyer). But we definitely urge Niro PHEV owners to learn where their 12V battery is in the rear cargo area, and also where the "jumper points" are under the hood.
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Excellent Car! Plug-in Hybrid
JM, 09/06/2018
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
Excellent car, and value. Most importantly for us is that it seats 5 "real size" people: Even with front seats moved all the way back, there is sufficient leg room and headroom for adults in back. We are able to fit two adults and a car seat across the back seat. "CarPlay" will present phone navigation on the car's screen, even without buying the navigation option.
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2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid for sale near you
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30K+ nice car, well adapted for efficiency...but k
Robert MacLaughlin, 12/06/2018
updated 06/15/2021
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX Premium 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
23 of 24 people found this review helpful
Pretending this is an SUV is laughable; it is not; not even close... This is a very comfortable, tech-ladened, economical, environmentally friendly, tall wagon or large hatch-back. Almost the perfect car for California. 25 miles of gas-free electric range every time you unplug and get in. And, a good 55 mpg in hybrid mode. And...you can select ‘sport’ mode where you will have exclusive internal combustion-only propulsion and spirited performance which charges the battery as you drive giving you extra EV range. And...a real auto transmission! 6 speeds! Not a moaning Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). However...you may NOT have a sun-roof (in 2018). And, you may NOT have an electro chromatic (self dimming) rear view mirror...ever. And...you may NOT have a garage door opener (home link) incorporated into your car like EVERY. OTHER. CAR! But, you may have ventilated seats, navigation, car-play, and wireless charging. (I understand all these features are available on newer units) Handling is clumsy at best. Road noise is substantial. But for freedom from gas stations, the trade-offs are acceptable. It’s quite utilitarian, you can stuff a lot of stuff or a few people into it easily AND comfortable, cues up my music seamlessly, voice commands are easy. We had two returns to the dealer upon buying the car for a mysterious check engine light. That was 3000 miles ago. The headlights are adjusted too high and oncoming traffic gets irritated by that. Everything else seems OK. At 37,000 miles, happy to report that this car has not aged...everything in good working order. We added a roof-rack for skiing and kayaking and have made 6 day trips to Lake Tahoe for skiing, including one where we had to install cables-not chains-because of snow on the road. No problems whatsoever:) In all-electric mode, the performance of the PHEV is not thrilling. The benefits of EV torque don’t seem to be present like other PHEV we have/had (ie: Leaf, CMax Energi, ELR and I3.) I recently moved a friends somewhat large chest-of-drawers to her new home. I was pleasantly surprised at how large the cargo space is inside with rear seats down. Kudos! The vehicle has moved ‘down stream’ to our high school senior daughter. We are comforted by the array of safety features that are defining her driving experience.
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Plugged In To Avoid Gas Stations
John, 08/19/2018
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
The 2018 Kia Niro Plug In is a great car. Ever since the Niro Hybrid arrived in 2017 I waited patiently for the 2018 Niro Plug In to arrive at local dealerships. The Niro Plug In is a perfect match for us. We live in a small rural city so the 26 mile electric range enables us to ride gas free locally 100 percent of the time. But when we take a longer drive like we did recently, we have the peace of mind knowing the Niro Plug In will switch to the gas engine and still get close to 50 mpg. Plugging in the car is really simple using a normal electric outlet in our garage most times taking on average between 6 to 7 hours which I do overnight. The Niro looks sharp like most SUVs these days and comes with all the comfort, safety and tech features that car owners expect with their new car purchase. The Niro PHEV also comes with Kia's industry leading 10 year/100,000 mile warranty including the plug in battery. The 2018 Niro Plug In is not as abundantly available as the Niro Hybrid on dealer lots so don't expect the discounts to be as deep, but many Plug In buyers like myself will benefit from the $4,543 tax credit when filing our federal income taxes for 2018. We have only driven a little more than 300 miles but so far the Niro has been flawless. We took it to Costco recently and filled three coolers and still had plenty of room for other purchases with the rear seats folded down. I'm really enjoying this new car and it's especially satisfying these days driving past the gas station in town.
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Kia Niro Plug-in Gas/Electric Hybrid
Dan McGill, 02/11/2019
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
16 of 18 people found this review helpful
I love that most of my driving is now powered by solar energy that I buy from PG&E, that the vehicle is a lot of fun to drive, it has great cargo space compared to Volt, Clarity, and Prius Prime (it's main competitors), and it lets me rest easier knowing I did something about global climate change (which is very real in the area I live). This car replaced a 2005 Toyota RAV4 which was averaging around 22 mpg as opposed to between 53 mpg and 92 mpg so far. The performance is similar, except the safety features are much better on the Niro and I now only go to the gas station to fill a smaller tank once a month.
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Love this little hatch... er... SUV
Jim_NJ, 11/16/2018
updated 11/24/2021
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid LX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
This is a great little hatchback... or if you prefer, small SUV. I love the practicality small hatches/wagons so I don't see a problem with calling it a hatchback or wagon, which is what it truly is (the cars in my life have included an Opel wagon, Civic wagon, Corolla wagon, Mercury Tracer wagon, Pontiac Vibe, Chevy Volt, Kia Soul). I have an absolutely base LX (except for the floor mats - LOL), and am super-impressed with the standard features, which include Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Keeping Assist. I think the LX is a real bargain, considering the $4500 tax credit. And buying at the end of the 2018 model year, I was able to get $2500 off the sticker. I am averaging 110 mpg because a lot of my driving is local. I also regularly drive 90 miles, and get over 70 mpg on that trip (combined gas/electric). I also tested a non-plug-in version and can tell that the plug-in definitely is quicker, especially accelerating in the 10-50 mph range. However, Niro plug-ins may be hard to find, since not all dealers carry them. I purchased my Kia Niro PHEV while on vacation on Cape Cod, even though there's a high-volume Kia dealer not far from me in New Jersey. My local New Jersey dealer is not going to carry the Plug-In version of the Niro. 35,000 mile update: My Plug-in Niro continues to plug away. Other than standard maintenance this car has had zero problems. The tires still even have a decent amount of tread on them, so I don't need to replace them yet. During the first few months of the pandemic lockdown I only drove about 300 miles a month, but I didn't need any gas for four months from March-April because most of my driving was local. Of course that meant that I missed out on $1.79/gallon gasoline at that time. Oh darn. :) 45,000 Mile update: My Kia Niro PHEV has been totally reliable. I have only done standard maintenance since I bought it, and just recently replaced the original tires. I did have at least 10,000 miles worth of tread on the the OEM Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires, but the Michelins are terrible in the snow and also have pretty bad grip on wet roads, so I didn't want to go through another winter with them. I replaced the Michelins with a set of Continental PureContact LS, which so far are much better in the rain, and I haven't noticed a reduction in my electric range nor MPG when running on gas.
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Great electric suv
Jays wife, 01/19/2019
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX Premium 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
The headlights are very bright. To bright. A/c seats are awesome. Great small family car with Federal tax credits and HOV access
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Great plug in
Dave w, 04/25/2019
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX Premium 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I’ve had this car two months and have fueled up with gas twice. Aside from the 26 miles in EV mode, I’m getting 55 mpg in hybrid mode on the highway. Sport mode is a quick shift away when extra punch is needed. I’m loving this PHEV.
Affordable, Attractive, Economical in one package
Alan Silow, 08/31/2018
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
Kia has hit the sweet spot for buyers like us with the Kia Nora EX hybrid plug-in. After our 10 year old Prius died, we began looking for the next step up from a hybrid - all electric or plug-in that would allow my wife to drive 150 miles round trip dailyto work without having to worry about recharging. The Kia Niro does that easily combining both electric only of about 27-30 miles before the hybrid has to kick in. But there's more. The Kia Niro has a crossover/small SUV look that is more appealing than a sedan/hatchback look. And more -The EX interior is stylish, roomy, with more than enough safety and electronic amenities. And more - great warranties including 5 year/60K comprehensive and 10 year on the battery. And - what made it all pencil out are the numerous rebates and/or credits from state of CA, the feds, PG&E and even the local Sonoma Clean Power - all in all reducing the car price by $10,000 and throwing in a free superfast home charging station and a free carpool sticker.
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Updated review
John V, 10/24/2019
updated 10/26/2020
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX Premium 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
2018 EX Premium; love the addons; great sound system; comfortable seats; enough room for a road bike in the back with the seats folded down; unbelieveable MPG - at 15K, I am getting an average of 117mpg, and that includes trips from Sacramento, CA to San Diego and to Seattle + a bunch of trips to San Francisco, all on the gas engine. I go over the 26 mile (true) distance on the battery only slightly, if at all, for regular driving. CONS - When I first test drove the Niro, I did not like the road noise from under the car. That hasn't changed, but I can live with it for all of the PROS that the car has. I'm on a lease, and if nothing comparatively better comes out by the time I'm ready, I will buy the car. I'd buy another one again. PHEV is the "sweet spot" in auto technology IMHO. October 2020 - I turned in the leased Niro and bought a new 2019 after being satisfied that the technology was sound. My opinion of the plug-in hybrid Niro has only gotten more positive. When I bought the new one, I also bought a maintenance and extended warranty contract. Together with the original warranty, and the stellar performance of the car, I am very surprised that Kia does not advertise this model more aggressively, or at all. If everyone knew what I know about this particular car, I'm sure a lot more of them would be on the road. We still hardly use any gas. Current mileage is about 330mpg. Because of the CCP pestilence, the car has only 4,000 miles on it to date. We have hardly used any gas at all this year. Excellent car unless you need something with more muscle and cool factor.
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Actually mines a plug in Niro
Big Spike, 08/27/2018
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX Premium 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have 8,000 miles on a 2018 plug in Niro EX Premium and absolutely love it. We have averaged 98 mpg's because many days we run solely on battery power. Given the $4,500 tax credit, the plug in is no more expensive than the straight hybrid version. If you do a lot of shorter trips then a plug in Niro is worth a look.
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Cool Fun car Unbelievable Gas mileage..
Jeff Courtney, 10/16/2018
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid LX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
If you want a Plug-in, it a good choice
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Compact cuteness delivers economy
Paul DesRoches, 10/12/2022
updated 04/15/2024
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX Premium 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Purchased 4 years ago now, we've put 39,000 miles on the clock, and most days are one-hundred fueled by electricity. On occasion we travel far beyond the 28 miles we typically get on a charge, and the fuel mileage is around 42 mpg. One feature we like is the ability to charge itself in the sport mode, which burns a little more fuel, but it's fun to make a 44 mile trip and get 34 miles on electric mode only, having charged up enough on the 8 miles run on Sport mode to complete the trip on EV for the remaining 8 miles. This works on back roads typically driven at 45-50 mph with undulating terrain, where it's a ratio of one mile on gas yielding one mile charged for electric. Kinda cool really. We would like it even better if we could wring out another 15-20 miles or so in the EV mode, then we would run well over 95% on electric only mode. Still, we enjoy what we have, especially when we don't use any petrol on any given day. >> What we really like about the car: Very nice ride, comfortable seats, heated steering wheel, cooled and heated front seats, quality of sound system (Harmon/Karden) integration of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, safety package including blind side monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane departure mitigation, emergency braking, parking assist front and rear, backup camera, responsive handling, multiple USB-A and one C port for charging electronics, dual-clutch tranny, >> What we don't love so much: A little anemic generally-but will go ok when floored, brake feel could be improved, no selective regenerative level paddle (no one-pedal option), no auto-lift tailgate & no tailgate release on dash, >> So, our general experience has been very good.....very positive. There have been zero trips back to the dealer for anything.......an update that actually changed the digital dash somewhat was done via download from home computer and entered into the car via the SD card that lives in the dash. There have been a few times when the charging door wouldn't open, but is easily rectified by opening the hood, and pulling a orange handle that releases it manually. Had to look that up in the manual, as we were unprepared for that. The charging cable that came with the car stopped charging, so I purchased an aftermarket one that was longer, which made it more convenient for us, and all went well with that change. I do my own oil changes, and that was easy as the doors for access to the filter and drain are labelled clearly so as not to short circuit anything. After owning for 4 years, the one thing we would like improved is the EV range. One often dreams of owning an all-electric car in the future, and how nice that would be, so that's definitely in the cards for our future. UPDATE 4.14.24 It's going on 5.5 years now and my review holds well. Reliability is excellent. Only sign of wear is the button for changing preset seat positions for #2 has worn through black finish, from my wife's fingernails. The #1 switch is like new. Can't find anything else to complain about really. Holding up very nicely.
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Amazing fuel economy
Brett, 05/06/2024
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid LX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Driving style and distance matters for a plug in hybrid so your experience could be more or less impressive. We typically averaged about 75 mpg but on multi day road trips without charging fuel economy would drop to 45 to 50 mpg. In 5.5 years I had no maintenance issues over the 51k miles. Tires are finally ready for replacement. Oil change every 7500 miles or 12 months, better than most gas cars. Warranty also top tier, 10 year/100k. Reason for selling is all about the incentives on electric cars and wanting to make an even bigger difference in protecting the environment. I will miss the Niro, especially on long trips but also not needing gas for 700+ miles on most tanks and the occasional 1200 mile tank.
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Great little car
DonnaD, 08/07/2024
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid 6AM)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Not really suv When I charged I could get 70 -150 mpg On long trip in summer 50’s In winter 40’s