• Neither model at all quick
• So-so handling
• PHEV drives better than hybrid

Electric and hybrid engines

The cheapest Niro is the regular hybrid. This pairs a non-turbo 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and small battery pack. All working together, they produce a maximum of 141hp to give a 0-62mph time approaching 11 seconds. As you’d expect, the engine needs to be worked hard and it feels at best adequate.

Niro plug-in hybrids gain a much larger battery and an electric motor with nearly twice as much power. This pushes the total output up to 182hp to trim the 0-62mph time to just under 10 seconds, a long way off the majority of rivals but appreciably quicker than the standard hybrid.

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What’s it like to drive?

The hybrid’s 42hp power deficit really makes itself felt on the road – the engine has to work a lot harder, and rev quite high. When doing so it sounds coarse and unpleasant. The plug-in is a lot more relaxed, especially when running on pure electricity – something it can to for up to 40 miles according to the WLTP cycle.

Even so, the vast majority of rival plug-in hybrids have punchy turbocharged engines that produce a lot more power. The Renault Captur E-Tech is similarly weedy, but the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid and VW Tiguan e-Hybrid are far swifter.

The Niro isn’t much fun to drive, lacking grip in corners and with lots of body roll if you’re carrying a little speed. It’s better around town, where the light controls make things easy, but the regenerative braking – operated through the steering wheel paddles – is irritating to use, as it doesn’t let off progressively like rival systems. This means you either end up ignoring it, or bunny-hopping down the road.

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Ride quality was one of our biggest complaints with the old Niro and while the new car is still quite firm compared to other compact SUVs, including the Skoda Karoq, it’s much improved over its predecessor. Stick with the smallest wheels and a plug-in hybrid for the best comfort here although even then it can feel a little unsettled at times. The larger battery pack means more float and wallow over high speed crests although its smoother than the hybrid over urban potholes.