Should you buy one?

If efficiency, passenger space and plenty of equipment are your compact SUV priorities, then the Kia Niro is well worth a look. Even the entry-level 2 trim comes with plenty of useful kit and four tall adults will fit inside. The boot is fine on hybrid models but reduced to family hatchback-sized on the plug-in version.

That’s a shame, as the plug-in is noticeably better to drive than the regular hybrid, although neither will get a petrolhead’s pulse racing. More of an annoyance is the sometimes unsettled ride and jerky regenerative braking, though.

However, the Skoda Karoq is a more spacious, comfortable and affordable family SUV, while a Volkswagen Tiguan e-Hybrid is more spacious and quicker, albeit pricier.

What we like

Even in the real world, you’ll get good fuel economy out of both the hybrid and PHEV, while the latter has a decent electric only range. The interior is a nice place to be and is spacious for passengers, while the larger infotainment system is very good.

What we don’t like

A bigger boot would be nice, especially on the PHEV, and so would a bit more performance. Some more polish to the drivetrain along with the ride and handling wouldn’t go amiss, either.

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