A Kia Niro EX* was driven by Wayne Gerdes of Carlsbad, California, and co-driver Robert Winger of Williamsburg, Virginia, 3,715.4 miles from Los Angeles City Hall to New York City Hall using only 48.5 gallons or 4.1 tanks of gas thereby getting 76.6 mpg. The sub-compact or B-class SUV was not altered – says Kia – for the attempt. The Niro arrived in Manhattan today.
Niro is a small five- passenger crossover that is the first dedicated Kia hybrid. The 2017 will arrive in Kia U.S. dealers in the first quarter of next year and will be available in five trim levels: FE, LX, EX, Touring and in a limited-quantity Launch Edition. The FE is EPA rated to achieve 52 mpg highway/49 mpg city/50 mpg combined, while the LX is rated at 51/46/49 mpg and the Touring at 46/40/43 mpg. Your mileage may vary.
A new Kappa 1.6-liter GDI four-cylinder engine marks the first combination of the Atkinson Cycle, cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), GDI and a long-stroke-narrow-bore specification. It’s dedicated to hybrid applications. A 43-horsepower electric motor is transmission-mounted and works in tandem with the gasoline engine to produce 146 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque.
A 240-volt lithium ion battery is stored underneath the rear seats to increase cabin and cargo space and allow a flat load floor. Noise suppression comes from body sealing, and the use of expanding foam inside the A- and B-pillars. An acoustic windshield glass and shaped side mirrors mitigate wind noise.
“Predictive energy control” uses the onboard navigation system and cruise control to anticipate topographical changes on the road ahead, determining when it is optimum to recharge the battery and when to expend stored energy.
*AutoInformed on Kia Niro
