Hybrid vehicles occupy a fascinating position in the automotive world. They can operate using gasoline or electricity, placing them squarely in between combustion engine vehicles and solely electric vehicles. These can serve as a method to ease interested drivers into the idea of an electric car without forcing them to completely adjust to something that is all-electric. Kia hybrids may be some of the best-known vehicles in today’s hybrid market. They are also some of the easiest and most accessible entry points into the idea of alternative fuel vehicles. Kia hybrids are innovative, well designed, and reliable, guaranteed to turn heads wherever you go.
Kia has two hybrids on the market currently: the Kia Niro Hybrid and the Kia Sorento Hybrid. Both these vehicles offer a push-button switch between fuel power to electric power. This switch can be made even when the vehicle is on the go. Kia is a regular in the electric vehicle market, having introduced its first-ever electric vehicle in 1988, though alternative fuel energy wasn’t commercially available in the US until the release of the Soul in 2008. With this long history, Kia definitely knows what they are doing when it comes to making hybrid vehicles. The Niro and Sorento promise never to disappoint with powerful and efficient engines and batteries that provide a lot of range. These efficient options are merely part of the future of the automotive industry and the move to clean energy, and they are worth checking out at our dealership.
Kia Niro
The 2021 Kia Niro has a starting MSRP of $24,690. It comes with a six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission with a sport mode that shifts gears smoothly. The Niro’s parallel hybrid system pairs an electric motor with a 1.6-liter gasoline engine for a total estimated fuel efficiency of 53 miles per gallon in the city and 48 miles per gallon on the highway. The vehicle also uses regenerative braking, designed to capture the energy when the vehicle slows down and use that energy to help recharge the battery while the car is on the go, to increase efficiency.
The Niro’s front grille has a diamond pattern that gives it a textured 3D look. Alloy wheels measuring sixteen or eighteen inches feature further geometric designs to keep the Niro looking fresh and modern. Seven exterior colors are available for buyers to choose from. These include fun options like solar orange, deep cerulean, and runaway red. Multipurpose steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters can be used for easily shifting between gears or between four different levels of regenerative braking to keep the battery charged while the vehicle is in motion, all while keeping the driver’s hands on the wheel.
The Niro’s interior has several interior options, including light gray leather, real or artificial, with electric blue accents, gray or charcoal cloth, charcoal cloth with leather, charcoal leather (real or artificial), and light gray cloth and leather with electric blue accents. The electric blue definitely pops, making the color stand out more. The Niro also has access to the UVO app. This app has features such as remote control of climate, door locks, remote start, and horn. It also contains a car finder feature and shows points of interest that can be added to the navigation when necessary.
There are five trims available for the Kia Niro Hybrid. The base trim is the LX, which offers features such as wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 120 cubic feet of interior room, and an eight-inch touch screen display with a rearview camera. The LXS, priced at less than $2,000 over the base model, features a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shift knob, and a smart key with push-button start. For another roughly $2,000, the Niro Touring offers a power sunroof, ten-way adjustable driver’s seat, and a seven-inch supervision meter cluster. The EX Premium is top of the line, featuring heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and wireless phone charging.
Kia Sorento
The Kia Sorento Hybrid has a starting MSRP of $33,590 with maximum seating for six. This mid-sized crossover has a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with a six-speed automatic transmission. A 1.5 kWh lithium battery helps to power the electric motor. Reported fuel economy ratings are 39 miles per gallon in the city and 35 miles per gallon on the highway. The 1.6-liter I-4 combined with the electric motor generates an excellent 227 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. These similar torque figures prove that the Sorento Hybrid is powerful, with every part of the engine helping every other part, and the gasoline and electric battery both switching off smoothly to share the load.
The Sorento Hybrid comes in seven exterior colors, including silky silver, gravity blue, runway red, and snow white pearl. The hybrid drivetrain is estimated to have up to 655 miles of combined range. This vehicle shifts by wire through a full gearbox with instant acceleration. The Sorento Hybrid comes with front-wheel drive and has a 2,000-pound towing capacity. As a hybrid and not a plug-in hybrid, the Sorento Hybrid offers no electric-only mode but seems to rely on electric power often, especially at high speeds.
With seating for six, the Kia Sorento Hybrid offers second-row captain’s chairs with a 50-50 split-bench seat in the third row. The smart power liftgate can be set to open automatically when the key is detected. The second and third rows of seats can both fold down completely for additional cargo space. An efficiency display on the center touch screen shows real-time info of the energy’s flow between the drivetrain, battery, and regenerative braking. The Kia Sorento Hybrid can have up to eight available USB outlets, leaving plenty of space for everyone’s devices to charge.
The Kia Sorento Hybrid comes in two trim levels, the S and the EX. There is a $3,000 price difference between the pair. The base-level S trim offers a power adjustable driver’s seat with heated front seats, Safe Exit Assist, and an eight-inch touch screen display with Sirius XM, among other features. The EX offers a panoramic sunroof with power sunshade, Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go, and Parking Distance Warnings for forward and rear. Also available is a wireless phone charging pad and LED fog lamps. Whichever trim you choose, the Kia Sorento Hybrid is just as much a contender for hopeful hybrid owners as the Kia Niro hybrid.
Parkway Family Kia: Come and See Us
The Kia Sorento Hybrid and the Kia Niro hybrid are just a taste of what we have to offer at Parkway Family Kia. Come and see our well-trained staff for all your hybrid vehicle needs. Our mechanics know how to charge or change batteries, how to check charger ports, and how to ensure that your Kia hybrid is getting the most power possible out of its engine as well as its electric battery. Hybrid vehicles offer a glimpse of the future for today, and anyone even remotely interested in driving such a vehicle would do well to come get their questions answered and enjoy a test drive. Come see us at Parkway Family Kia today!
Connect with us
Recent Blog Entries
Categories
Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.
*Based on Sales from January 2022 to January 2023.