People have questions when it comes to shopping around for a car. They think about safety, comfort, and style. They all try to get all of these within their budget. Two cars can help answer some of those questions, the Kia Niro and the VW Golf. From the names, these cars sound like the same. But, both of them are so different in their own way. Which car is the better choice for you?
About The Kia Niro
Kia Niro looks like the ideal car for the family. Instead of mostly gas, this car runs on electricity. The Kia Niro is a hybrid. More people are turning to hybrids for to save money on gas and save the environment.
The Kia Niro has dual chargers to help keep the car powered up. There are now also some places to plug into in public. Fueling and powering up are not the only features that make the Kia Niro look so appealing.
It comes with Apple CarPlay for your iPhones. You do not have to worry about driving and texting anymore. Plus, you can talk to Siri in your car. Not an Apple fan?
Kia Niro is also friendly to Android users. Just plug up your Android phone and you will be much safer. Are you lost? Google Maps can be used in the car.
The Kia Niro has rear child-safety door locks. Anything to keep the kids inside the car. Kia has also improved their dual front airbags. There are now airbags on the sides from the front. There are also full-length side curtain airbags. With this many airbags, you will be much safer if you get into a crash.
About The VW Golf
VW Golf looks like a sporty version of a family car from Volkswagen. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave this car a five-star rating. It is easy to see why.
The rear view camera system can help you see behind you. The front and back are equipped with crumble zones to help absorb crash energy during a wreck. The rigid cage safety will keep your family safe.
In the event of a crash, the Intelligent Crash Response System will turn off the fuel pump, unlock doors, and activate your hazard lights when the air bags deploy. Worried about not being able to stop after a crash? You do not need to worry.
The VW Golf has an automatic post-collision braking system will slow down the car, stopping additional damage. Safety is not the only thing that makes this car look great. The trunk comes with 52.7 cu. ft. cargo space for your luggage.
The rear seats had a 60/40 split to help add more space for your cargo. The panoramic sunroof adds sunlight from the roof to brighten up the inside of the car. The LED daytime running lights and taillights will help people see on the road. On top of that, the iconic design is the same.
Previous 2016 Model Comparisons
Kia has its eyes set on the compact market, and with the all-new 2017 Kia Niro, they will be looking to make a dent in the compact rankings soon. But how will this new, possibly game-changing, vehicle fare when squared off against one of the industry’s long-standing household names? Today we compare the 2017 Kia Niro to the 2016 Volkswagen Golf.
With compact consumers as targets, the Niro has everything to become one of the best sellers in the category, not to mention become a model that will stand through the ages as the Golf has.
Nevertheless, that will only happen if the promises Kia is making in describing its new release turn out to be real.
According to Kia.com, the 2017 Kia Niro has a targeted 50 mpg fuel economy rating, which would tower over even the 2016 Volkswagen Golf HB DSG TDI S that consumes an estimated 31 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway.
To go along with that amazing fuel economy target, Kia advertised its new hybrid being powered by a 1.6-liter Atkinson Cycle four-cylinder engine and a 32-kilowatt electric motor. Together, those two can make 146 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque.
The 2016 Volkswagen Golf HB DSG TDI S, on the other hand, has a more powerful engine hiding under its hood. A 2.0 Liter Intercooled Turbo Diesel I-4 engine can provide the Golf’s driver with 150 horsepower and 236 net torque.
Golf customers can even go for more horsepower if they choose to go with the HB Automatic TSI SEL trim. It has a 1.8 Liter Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4 engine that makes 170 horsepower and 199 net torque. The con column of this model, however, is its inferior fuel economy in comparison to the other two.
The TSI SEL has an estimated fuel economy rating of 25 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.
Another perk of this new vehicle announced by Kia is how the transitioning between the regular and hybrid driving systems of the Niro will work.
“The Niro’s parallel and simplified hybrid system creates seamless transitions of power delivered to the front wheels, resulting in a very un-hybrid-like driving experience,” Kia’s website claims. With this smooth transition, the system is supposedly neither intrusive nor obvious due to the new Kia hybrid’s accelerating quickly and continuing its suave power delivery.
Regarding features for the new Golf, Volkswagen did not lean so heavily in the direction of smoothing the hybrid transitioning process like Kia did. The German brand did, however, put out a vehicle with several safety features available. At least enough for it to be selected as a Top Safety Pick Plus by the Insurance Institute for Highway Security when equipped with optional Front Assist. Some other safety features available for the Golf are Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Monitor, and Rear Traffic Alert.
Prices for the Golf range from the base 2016 Volkswagen Golf 2-Door HB Manual TSI starting at $18,495 to the 4-Door HB Automatic TSI SEL starting at $27,425.
Pricing information for the 2017 Kia Niro won’t be available until closer to its release date.