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Discover the Niro Family's impressive fleet credentials

The New Niro family's efficient hybrid and electric packages gets some fleet-friendly upgrades including a fresh upmarket interior, advanced driving aids and a clever new UVO telematics system.

Driving on the UK's increasingly busy roads can make driving feel like hard work. It doesn't have to, though. Take a seat in one of the cars from the New Niro family and you quickly see that its swathe of upgrades help make driving the simple pleasure it should be.

Quality Interior

Sat in the driver's seat, the first thing you notice is a new upmarket interior that makes the Niro's cabin a more relaxing, comfortable place to be - that's important for business drivers whose car can sometimes be their office. High-quality, soft-touch materials have been added to the top of the dashboard, while details such as gloss black trim and chrome highlights on the instrument panel add to the premium feel.

Front and centre is an impressive-looking new high-resolution 10.25-inch TFT-LCD widescreen display (available on selected grades). The top grade Niro Self-charging hybrid and the e-Niro also get a clever 7.0-inch TFT Supervision instrument cluster. Even the standard Niro Self-charging hybrid '2' grade gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a 4.2-inch TFT instrument binnacle.

New Helpful Technology

This isn't technology for the sake of it, though. Take the new UVO CONNECT telematics system for example. This clever new feature makes drivers' lives infinitely easier - saving time, increasing productivity and saving business money.

It can do this because UVO CONNECT establishes an internet connection through its own sim card, which means it can provide drivers with invaluable real-time information, such as fuel prices at the nearest filling stations, live traffic updates, as well as parking prices and availability.

What's more, there's UVO mobile app (for Android and iOS) that allows you to send routes to your car, check its location, and perhaps most usefully for business users, you can access trip reports and diagnostic information for the vehicle.

Stay Connected

Also useful, particularly if you have both a work and personal phone, is the 10.25-inch system's ability to connect to two mobile devices at once. Naturally, Apple CarPlay^TM and Android Auto^TM come as standard.

You can take advantage of that large display by using the advanced split-screen function to control different features at the same time. For example, you may have navigation on one side of the screen, while keeping the radio or media controls on the other.

Safe and Stress-free

There's plenty of new safety tech, too. And much of it actually makes driving more relaxing, not just safer. For example, Adaptive Smart Cruise Control now comes with Stop and Go, so your Niro will follow the vehicle in front and will slow to a complete stop if traffic slows to a halt. Then when things get moving again, it will bring the car back up to speed as the car in front moves off. It's a real luxury in stop-start traffic and incredibly helpful for business users who spend a lot of time on the road.

The Lane Following Assist tracks vehicles in front of the car and detects road markings to help keep the Niro in its lane on the motorway. It works alongside the Smart Cruise Control using external sensors to maintain a safe distance, and it operates between zero and 81mph.

Depending on grade, the suite of impressive safety features includes Forward Collision-avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Driver Attention Warning, High Beam Assist, Blind-spot Collision Warning, Rear Cross-traffic Collision Warning, and Intelligent Speed Limit Warning. That's great news for fleet managers who need to consider driver safety.

A Joy to Drive

Of course, it's once you actually press the start button that you see some of Niro's biggest benefits. On the self-charging and plug-in hybrid models, that superbly refined hybrid drivetrain still accelerates the car with purpose, but also glides effortlessly through slow city traffic while saving fuel.

Opt for the all-electric e-Niro, and you won't use any fuel at all. And, much like the plug-in hybrid - you can enjoy the superior refinement of all-electric driving. Great for when you need to take that hands free call on the road.

Wheel-mounted paddle-shifters have been added to the self-charging and plug-in hybrid models to give drivers more control over the smooth-shifting six-speed dual-clutch transmission - moving even further away from the uninvolving CVT systems found on many traditional hybrids. And, a new electronic parking brake has also been added along with larger rear brakes to improve stopping power.

Remarkably Low Running Costs

Keeping fuel and running costs low is always a big concern for fleet managers and company car drivers. Happily, this is one of Niro's biggest strengths. The hybrid system means Niro is particularly efficient in city driving and stop-start situations, where traditional combustion engines can struggle with fuel economy.

Opt for the plug-in hybrid or the e-Niro and that advantage increases dramatically. The plug-in hybrid has around 30-miles of all-electric range. That's more than enough for the average commute in the UK - so you can save your fuel for longer journeys, while also reducing engine brake wear.

Go for the fully electric e-Niro, and you'll enjoy up to 282 miles on a single charge. Ample torque, whisper-quiet powertrain, and huge running cost savings - there's a reason it's WhatCar?'s Car of the Year 2019!

It's not just about fuel and SMR savings, though, there are tax benefits too, particularly on the plug-in hybrid and e-Niro. Changes to BIK tax mean you could save thousands of pounds by choosing a plug-in or electric model compared to a similar-sized diesel vehicle - more than £10,000 per year depending on your tax bracket.

Of course, peace of mind comes as standard thanks to Kia's seven-year 100,000-mile warranty.

Why not speak to your local Business Specialist Dealer or our dedicated Kia Business Centre to arrange a test drive?

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