Kia's Niro PHEV puts driving future in perspective

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- I have come to the conclusion that everyone should be required -- even for a brief period -- to drive a plug-in electric vehicle every year.

Why? Because it gives you perspective.

And arguably the best vehicle offering up this kind of perspective is the recently tested Kia Niro PHEV EX Premium, a hybrid subcompact crossover.

It's perfect because you can get the full electric-powered experience right off the bat.  And you skip the anxiety square because the gasoline-fueled engine seamlessly takes over for hundreds of miles to come once the electric battery power is used up.

Since we're heading toward a future with fewer and fewer internal-combustion engines, there's no better halfway house for making this adjustment than the Niro.

As halfway houses go, the tested Niro was a luxurious transporter.

My ride had leather seat trim, a heated steering wheel, heated/ventilated front seats, a top-flight Harman Kardon audio system, a power tilt/sliding sunroof, LED exterior lighting and much more.

Safety features were likewise generous, including a Forward Collision Avoidance system and smart cruise control.

All this and a sophisticated hybrid driving system for a bottom line of only $37,790 on the tester's sticker.  Pretty fair deal, I'd say.

But let's face it, the priority is the propulsion systems, anchored by a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder gas engine; a 60 horsepower electric motor; and a workhorse lithium ion polymer battery.

You start the Niro, and you get a top-center dashboard reading of 24 to 26 miles of driving range on a full electric charge. Not surprisingly, the eyes stay glued to this readout as the e-miles count down to zero.

It takes longer than you might think.  I used my e-power bonus for a good hour or so at low and high speeds on surface streets and freeways.  Once used up, the gas engine kicked in with a readout indicating I could drive from Sacramento to Los Angeles before refilling the tank.

Let's put all that in perspective: The gas-electric combination equates to an equivalent rating of 105 miles per gallon.  If you count only the gasoline engine, the fuel mileage rating is a still-impressive 46 miles per gallon.

Have your attention now?  I'm sure.

For those who have never recharged a plug-in and might be nervous about it, fear not.  It's as simple as snap-snap on a power cord, which locks into place on the vehicle exterior and can only be removed by taps on your key fob.

Overall, I felt like I was driving a vehicle that millions of unborn children will consider commonplace in their lifetimes. From that perspective, I think the continually evolving electric vehicle technology will serve them well.