2024 Kia Niro PHEV: Our expectations from the new model year

Fall 2023 marked the arrival of the second-generation Kia Niro PHEV at U.S. dealerships. A larger and more spacious upgrade from the first-generation SUV, it’s a sensible option for customers who are not yet convinced about the fully-electric Niro EV.

Later this year, the Niro PHEV should receive its first update to become 2024 model in America. In this story, we detail everything we expect from the 2024 Kia Niro PHEV. Please be aware that the information and visuals presented in this article pertain to the current model year, and we will diligently update this page as fresh details are revealed.

Design

We expect that the exterior of the 2024 model year will be the same as the MY2023. The second-generation Niro PHEV has a modern appearance and was introduced just last year.

Kia designed the new Niro PHEV from the ground up, taking inspiration from the 2019 HabaNiro concept car. The all-new plug-in hybrid SUV flaunts vertical headlights with angular ‘Heartbeat’ DRLs, a new tiger nose grille, 18-inch wheels, an aero C-pillar, black door cladding and wheel arches, boomerang-shaped LED tail lights, and heartbeat-shaped rear reflectors which give it a totally different personality compared to the original.

Interior

As it’s fresh, the 2024 Kia Niro PHEV should look no different from today’s SUV. Compared to the first-gen, the interior is noticeably more upscale, packing a more sophisticated design and advanced technologies. Plus, there is a visual connection with the bigger and futuristic Kia EV6.

The new Niro Plug-in Hybrid has an off-center dashboard that curves around the driver and front passenger. It houses two 10.25-inch displays seamlessly merged on a single panel. The first is for the instrument cluster and the other display is for the infotainment system. Kia has equipped the all-new model with a 10-inch head-up display as well, and a base-heavy Harman Kardon premium audio system.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are part of the standard equipment in the Niro Plug-in Hybrid currently, and we don’t expect that to change with the MY2024 update. With Digital Key 2.0, customers can open and start their vehicle using Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy smartphones as well as Apple Watch. They can even share the new digital key with whoever they want.

Kia will likely equip the 2024 Niro PHEV with the following advanced driver assistance systems as standard:

• Parking Distance Warning – Reverse (PDW-R)
• Backup camera
• Blindspot Collision Warning (BCW) with Parallel Exit
• Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist (RCCA)
• Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Lane Following Assist (LFA)
• Driver Attention Warning (DAW)
• Safe Exit Warning (SEW)
• High Beam Assist (HBA)
• Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA)
• Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control – Curve with Stop and Go (NSCC-C)

As an option, customers will likely be able to specify their 2024 Niro Plug-in Hybrid with Parking Distance Warning – Forward (PDW-F), Highway Driving Assist (HDA), and Forward Collision Avoidance Assist – Pedestrian (FCA-Ped) with camera (car and pedestrian) with Junction Assist or Forward Collision Avoidance Assist – Cyclist (FCA-Cyc) with camera and radar (car, pedestrian and cyclist) with Junction Assist.

Specifications

A PHEV can be a great option for someone who wants the best of both worlds – the ability to commute on electric power like an EV without the question of range anxiety, but also the option to fill up at a gas station during a long road trip. The 2024 Kia Niro PHEV will be a sensible option for customers who want an urban eco-friendly vehicle that can also allow the occasional long-distance journeys without the EV range anxiety.

Based on the third-gen ‘K’ platform, the second-gen Kia Niro PHEV is 174.0 in. long, 71.8 in. wide, and 60.8 in. tall and has a 107.1 in. wheelbase. It offers 6.3 in. of ground clearance and 19.4 cu. ft. of luggage space, expandable to 54.6 cu. ft. by folding the rear seats, and a passenger volume of 105.1 cu. ft. Kia says that it developed the K platform to support various electrified powertrains and provide high levels of torsional rigidity. These specifications would apply to the incoming model year.

The second-gen Niro Plug-in Hybrid combines a Smartstream 1.6-liter GDI engine with a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor that results in 180 hp of combined power and 195 lb.-ft. of combined torque. A 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is standard, and it sends drive to the front wheels.

There’s an 11.1 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack to power the electric motor, located under the floor below the rear seats. Topping up the traction battery pack using a Level 2 charger takes 2 hours and 45 minutes. A Green Zone drive mode automates the selection of the EV drive mode by using location information from the navigation system and also by learning from driving patterns.

Aspect	2024 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid Specification (Expected)
Length	174.0 in.
Width	71.8 in.
Height	60.8 in.
Wheelbase	107.1 in.
Headroom	40.5 in. (front)/39.5 in. (rear)
Legroom	41.5 in. (front)/39.8 in. (rear)
Shoulder Room	56.2 in. (front)/55.4 in. (rear)
Hip Room	53.3 in. (front)/53.0 in. (rear)
Luggage Capacity (SAE)	19.4 cu. ft. (2nd row seats upright)/54.6 cu. ft. (2nd row seats folded)
Passenger Volume (SAE)	105.1 cu. ft.
Layout	Front engine, Front drive
Engine Type	1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) 4-cylinder engine
Engine Power	77.2 kW (103 hp) at 5,700 rpm
Engine Torque	106.3 lb.-ft. at 4,000 rpm
Motor Type	Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM)
Motor Power	62 kW (83 hp)
Motor Torque	149.7 lb.-ft.
System Power	180 hp
System Torque	195 lb.-ft.
Battery Pack Type	Lithium-ion polymer
Battery Pack Capacity	11.1 kWh
Charging Time	2 hours and 45 minutes (Level 2 charger)
Transmission	6-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel Tank Capacity	9.77 gallons
Fuel Economy	108 MPGe
Electric Range	33 miles (EX)/31 miles (SX Touring)
Combined Range	510 miles
Towing Capacity	No Towing Capability
Roof Load Capacity	220 lbs.

The 2024 Kia Niro PHEV should deliver an EPA-est. pure electric range of up to 33 miles and a combined fuel economy (EPA-est.) 108 MPGe. A heat pump will likely be available optionally as part of a Cold Weather Package to reuse waste heat energy and preserve range in cold temperatures.

Price & Release Date

Prices of the 2024 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid will likely start at around USD 34,000. We expect the first units at dealerships in late 2023. We’ll update this story as we find new information.

TopElectricSUV says

The second-gen Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid offers incremental upgrades over the previous model in terms of style, space, performance, comfort, digitalization, and efficiency. The only downside of the redesigned plug-in hybrid SUV is that, unlike the old model, it is not eligible for federal tax credits, which makes it more expensive. The MY2024 update may bring a few equipment revisions, but no major changes are expected.

2024 Kia Niro PHEV FAQs

Featured Image Source: Kia