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New 2019 Niro Plug In

Discussion in 'Hyundai/Kia/Genesis Hybrids and EVs' started by John321, May 7, 2019.

  1. John321

    John321 Senior Member

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    I am continually surprised by this little Niro. I get and I still have a hard time understanding how about 60 mpg in Hybrid mode only.

    The Niro runs on electric until it is exhausted then it switches to gas. There is a push button switch that allows the driver to choose HEV (Hybrid mode) or EV (electric mode) if you want to take control of this. If you want a more exciting ride you can put the gear shift lever in Sport mode and then hold on to your seat. This vehicle uses a 6 speed Dual Clutch Transmissions- this is not your typical Hybrid ride.

    The Niro takes 2.5 hours to charge up on a Level 2 charger and ours has been averaging about 32 electric only miles on a full charge. This is in city driving with some stretches of highway going 55 mph. It is an exciting and fun car to drive with many outstanding comfort and safety features.

    Since getting this car on May 6, 2019 we have put 7,857 miles on it. Our other vehicle has been driven 521 miles in this same period. Everyone wants to drive the Niro ( wife,teenage kids and dad). The van gets driven only if it is the only remaining vehicle. This is fine with me as the Niro is certainly the most efficient way to get from on place to another.
     
    #41 John321, Oct 3, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2019
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sounds very similar to prime, congrats!
     
  3. John321

    John321 Senior Member

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    Video of an all electric vehicle - Niro- towing 3,200 pounds around California with commentary

     
  4. John321

    John321 Senior Member

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    Colder weather has hit our area and with it bought a substantial decrease in our EV range. I am now averaging about 26 EV miles per charge.

    Before colder weather hit we were in the mid 30's for EV range.

    I expect when temperatures drop near single digits our range will take even more of a hit.

    I knew EV vehicles took a hit to their EV range didn't know it was about 1/3 of their capacity. I am glad it is a hybrid with the 12 gallon gas tank and 50 mpg efficiency , you still have a 600 mile range after the EV is exhausted.

    The Niro runs the engine to develop heat for the cabin I thought this might charge the battery also but it does not have to run long enough to develop heat to have any noticeable effect on the battery charge. It does heat up quick and keep the cabin comfortable. The only way to keep the ICE off if it is cold is to only use the seat heaters but that doesn't keep the windows from fogging.

    So far have 10,000 trouble free mile with no recalls. Changed oil at the recommended 7,500 miles.

    If the car isn't being driven it is plugged in and remains plugged in until we need it again. So far no battery, range problems or battery management faults despite charging it every day when it was well over 100 degrees in August. We will also be changing it up in this way no matter how cold it is outside.
     
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    thats exactly like the pip, with twice the range

    does kia warn against keeping it fully charged for long periods of time like toyota?
     
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  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Same with me on the Prime. Temps are in the low single Celsius digits and I’ve lost 20% range. (57km peak in the summer to about 45km now). Pre-heating helps a bit but you pretty much have to leave near the end of the 10 min pre-heat cycle to maximise the effect. Climate control is set to 21.5°C however.
     
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  7. John321

    John321 Senior Member

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  8. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    wrong thread posted in
     
  9. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

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    I think this may be the best vehicle for people that don't want to go fully electric yet (ie Model Y). My parents will likely be in this camp.
     
  10. John321

    John321 Senior Member

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    One of the features of this vehicle is that it is very easy to get in and out of. It is elevated and you don't feel like you are falling down when you get in it. Perfect height to slide in and out of. Older people (I include myself here) appreciate that.

    It comes with a lot of safety features your parents may appreciate, in the PHEV's these were standard. If they have phones their apple phones or android phones will automatically sync with the car when they enter it and sit down. They PHEV's come standard with KIA UVO- your parents can start the vehicles and adjust the climate for the vehicle before they enter from the comfort of their home or the shopping center with their phones. If they forget where they parked they can hit locate the car from the phone app and it will navigate them to where they parked. If they have problems on the road they can hit the KIA UVO help button to be immediately connected to KIA roadside assistance emergency help.

    The car is a NHSTA 5 star top safety pick.

    Also the doors open only when you physically push the button on the door handle. There is no proximity switch dance where the doors lock or unlock on you for no reason. Of course they can use the smart fob to open the doors also.

    Best of all they can get all this for less than $30,000. These cars pack a lot of punch for the dollar. The PHEV will easily achieve more than 30 miles EV in the summer and the car will average up to about 50 mpg on gas. In the winter our EV has taken a big hit but still usually mages to meet the EPA estimate for 26 miles. The gas mpg also takes a hit in the winter and 46 mpg in cold weather is something to write home about.

    I thought these might be some of the highlights for a fellow who was assisting parents with a car selection.
     
    #50 John321, Dec 27, 2019
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2019
  11. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    I read that it's actually a special order/option - not standard.
    .
     
  12. John321

    John321 Senior Member

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    The Heat pump is only available on the EV NIRO and is standard equipment.

    The Plug in Niro uses the engine for heat. Example if it is 20 degrees outside the Niro plug in will start up the engine briefly to warm the coolant to heat the cabin. It will cycle the engine as needed to keep the coolant warm enough to supply heat.
    This is fine with me, I like it, it supplies warm heat and doesn't use EV battery in any way to generate the heat for the vehicle.

    To some other Niro owners it is a source of unlimited consternation and agony that the gas engine runs to generate the heat when you are in EV mode!
     
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  13. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The PHEV Ioniq/Niro have a lower poower motor than other available models. Which means lower top EV speed, and a more likely chance of the engine getting fired up for some reason while in EV mode. Not having a supplemental cabin heat system for EV mode meant a lower price for those owners.
     
  14. NR427

    NR427 Member

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    Running the ICE for heat is my biggest gripe.
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    same on my pip
     
  16. soldierguy

    soldierguy Active Member

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    I'm not on Prius Chat much anymore, but I'll come by and check out threads that interest me. This one definitely interests me, because a Niro PHEV is on my short list.

    Background: I used to have a job with a ridiculous commute. 225 miles round-trip, all highway, 5 days per week. I did that for three years, with about two of those in a '16 Prius Eco. I swapped that for a used '15 VW Jetta TDI (a Dieselgate buyback car) and continued in with the commute for just over another year. Then about 9 months ago I got a different job...more money, better job, with a 15 mile round-trip commute, 4 days per week (we telework one day each week).

    While the Jetta TDI was great for the previous commute, it's not ideal for my current situation. It does just fine, but I do keep an eye on when the Diesel particulate filter is about to do a regen cycle, so I can avoid interrupting it. Multiple interruptions of a DPF regen can lead to problems. The car has been absolutely reliable...no issues whatsoever in almost 79,000 miles.

    I could easily do all electric for the daily drive, but we need a comfortable vehicle for weekend trips & road-trip vacations for 2 not-tiny people (I'm 6', the husband is 6'6"). Because of the road-trip requirement, a pure electric is out. A PHEV makes a lot of sense...daily commute on electricity, with gas for longer trips.

    Requirements: The car needs to sit higher than my old Prius and my current Jetta. I'm 52 with a bad back, and getting down into a vehicle gets old really fast. If I choose to go PHEV, It has to have enough range to do electric for daily trips to work, with gas to handle everything else, and it needs to be efficient when running on gas. I want a hatchback/wagon/SUV, because the trips to Home Depot with a sedan sometimes mean borrowing my brother's truck or my parent's minivan.

    With those requirements, the Niro PHEV seems to be about the only game in town. A Prius Prime would do everything I want except get my butt up off the ground. The upcoming Ford Escape PHEV seems appealing, but the price point will likely be a little more than what I would want to pay. We tried sitting in a Honda Clarity (sacrificing the hatchback), but the husband's knees were about 1/4 inch from the dashboard...too close. We sat in a Niro, and it seemed to have enough room.

    I am concerned though about some of the reviews and complaints on other forums about jerky transmissions, carbon buildup in the engine (direct injection contributes a LOT to this), and at least a couple people needing to get their engine replaced due to some faulty manufacturing of the cylinder heads. I'm familiar with dual-clutch transmissions (my Jetta has one) so I know they're not the best in stop & go. But without having taken one for a spin yet, I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts on yours over time.

    Other options: considering a Kia Soul (ticks all the boxes except it uses gas), a Subaru Forester (ticks the same boxes as the Soul but with more room), or maybe an Outback. Or if I'm willing to keep my butt on the ground, I'd consider a Prius Prime...trading seat height for a virtual guarantee of rock-solid reliability and spectacular fuel economy.

    So yeah...PLEASE keep sharing your experiences! I'm very interested!
     
  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Welcome back!

    What about the RAV4 Prime?

    39 mile range, 302hp. It’ll probably be a bit more than the Escape PHEV since it has standard AWD (Escape PHEV is FWD only). Or maybe Toyota will surprise us. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet.
     
  18. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The Rav4 Prime was recently announced for the 2021 model year if you can wait on the purchase. The Escape PHEV isn't going to have an AWD option, but that doesn't sound like a concern for you.

    Never driven a DCT, but from reports, the ones in hybrids are less jerky at lower speeds, so the Niro could be smoother shifting than the Jetta.
     
  19. soldierguy

    soldierguy Active Member

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    We sat in a RAV4, and the husband doesn't fit...his knees are hard up against the dash when he's in the passenger seat, and his head brushes the ceiling. He's got more headroom in a Camry, but his legs don't fit.

    Car shopping for tall people is terrible! And I've learned that neither overall vehicle size nor published legroom figures really matter much. With him, it all comes down to the distance between the hip point and the dash (mostly on the passenger side). Vehicles with high center consoles generally don't work at all for him when he's in the driver's seat, and vehicles with wide center screens (think Tesla Model 3) are torturous for him.

    Examples: He fit ok in my 2016 Prius, but fits better in the Jetta (more clearance between his knees and the dash), despite the Jetta having over an inch less of published legroom. He can't drive a previous-gen Prius, because his knee gets jammed between the steering wheel and the high center console. He can't sit in a Honda Accord or Clarity, because his knees are hard up against the dash, yet he has a bit more space in a Fit or HRV. A Toyota Sequoia puts his knees against the dash, yet he had about 1.5 inches of clearance in a Tacoma I used to have. He's got a ton of room in a Hyundai Veloster, a Kia Soul works pretty well, and although his legs fit fine in a Kia Stinger, his head is against the ceiling even with the seat all the way down. In general, Toyotas don't fit him (except for the Prius), nor do most Hondas. He's had better luck with Hyundai/Kia products (Korean cars in general), as well as most German cars. American cars are hit and miss. He currently drives a 2010 Chevy Aveo hatchback which is...you guessed it...a Korean car rebadged as a Chevy.

    So the RAV4 Prime wouldn't work, which is too bad! I'd be interested in that.
     
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  20. soldierguy

    soldierguy Active Member

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    AWD doesn't really matter for us, and I already mentioned the issue with the RAV4 and actually fitting in it.

    With DCTs, it all comes down to programming. Ford got the programming almost perfect for their DCT in the Focus...responsive, downshifted readily for passing, and pretty smooth overall...but there have been recalls/problems with them, and they won't automatically downshift to provide engine braking when going downhill. The DSG (VW's name for their DCT) in the Jetta TDI is mostly good...it's very smooth when pulling away from a stop (a weak point in most DCTs), but left in Drive the transmission wants to head straight for 6th gear and never leave. Sport mode is better because it raises the shift points and feels more normal to me whether in town or on a winding back road (it's brilliant in that situation), but in Sport mode it downshifts too early and aggressively when slowing down normally for a stoplight. In both drive and sport mode I like that it knows when I'm going downhill...if I tap the brakes when going downhill, it'll drop down a gear or two so I don't have to ride the brakes. Normally I end up letting it shift on its own to 3rd gear when accelerating, then I'll shift it manually from there, or I'll put it in sport mode when accelerating then back into drive when slowing down. Regardless of mode, the shifts are fast and smooth, especially when under moderate to heavy acceleration, but the 1-2 shift is the most noticeable, because 1st gear is so short, with the shift to 2nd happening very quickly after leaving the line from a dead stop.

    Regardless of how I drive it, the TDI-DSG combo is frugal though...in city driving I never get below 34 mpg, and on the highway I'm usually in the mid to high 40's, and that is making no effort whatsoever to save fuel.
     
    #60 soldierguy, Jan 3, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2020
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