2017 Kia Niro

2017 Kia Niro

Episode 3638 , Episode 3652
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Say hybrid, and the first name that comes to most minds is “Prius”. In truth, Toyota’s original 5-door Prius hatchback has not had a competitor, likewise built on a chassis built specifically to be a hybrid, until now. Enter, the Kia Niro. A small, dedicated hybrid that also plays to the current popularity of crossover utilities. So, let’s see if Niro hits the high notes on both.

This is the 2017 Kia Niro. And, According to Kia, it’s the first of its kind; an Urban Crossover Hybrid Vehicle. 

They obviously hope that adding the word crossover will spur some additional sales. But to us, the Niro is more of a squarer rival to the Pruis hatchback, as well as the Prius V, while also being reminiscent of the short-lived Kia Rondo wagon. It had such “cabinosity”, and was quite possibly a vehicle ahead of its time. 

Whatever you call it, the Niro is actually a great looking vehicle that has plenty of substance as well. An important note since many subcompact crossovers are more about show than practicality.

The hybrid powertrain is a 32kW electric motor sandwiched between a 1.6-liter I4 gasoline engine and a real 6-speed dual-clutch transmission. Energy is stored in a small 1.6kWh battery beneath the rear seat. Total output is 139-horsepower and 195 lb-ft. of torque. 

A plug-in version should arrive this fall. 

While a dedicated hybrid, the Niro does share its platform with the Hyundai Ioniq, and the fact that it is front-wheel-drive cast more doubt on the crossover title. But then, so does the very successful Kia Soul.

So hatchback, wagon or whatever, Niro delivers good pickup with no harsh regen braking feel. The DCT operates smoothly, but engine noise can be pronounced at times. 

Powertrain transitions are also fairly smooth. The only fault we found was in highway driving with cruise control engaged. Here, the Niro seems to stumble a bit as it manages both power sources as well as selects proper gearing. So, the overall experience is not quite as refined as a Prius. 

The interior however, looks fantastic. Not in a flashy way, but with an understated, almost classy quality. Materials look upscale, and feel good to the touch. The seats are also more comfortable than Prius.

A power gauge replaces the tach, and our staff loved the clear TFT info display. 

As for luggage space, the Niro has 19.4 cu-ft. Quite easily the rear seats fold almost flat for 54.5 cu-ft.; just short of the Sportage’s 60.1 cu-ft. 

Outside, the Niro looks most like a cute yet sporty station wagon; with virtually no indications of it being a hybrid. Compared to the Soul, it is classier, and less aimed at the youngest buyers.

It also has more style than the Prius V and gets better Government Fuel Economy Ratings as well. Our Niro Touring rates 46-City, 40-Highway, and 43-Combined; we found those numbers a tad pessimistic as we averaged 47.2 miles-per-gallon of Regular without trying too hard. Kia also offers a stripped down Niro FE rated at 50-Combined, just shy of the least expensive Prius hatch. 

Our Touring’s Energy Impact Score is a very good one, burning just 7.7-barrels of oil yearly with 3.4-tons of CO2 emissions. 

We became very aware that fuel economy is the priority at our test track. It took us 10.1-seconds to lumber to 60, with plenty lag time before you feel any rush of power. 

It was nice however, to experience real shifts, even if they were a tad slow; we much prefer that over constant CVT droning. We finished the ¼ mile in 17.7-seconds at 80 miles-per-hour.  

Niro handled itself quite well through our cone course too. There was just the slightest bit of understeer when things got spirited; but for the most part, it goes where you aim it quickly. 

Steering response is brisk, with a light but not over-boosted feel. 

Braking from 60 averaged just 112-feet, which is quite good; as was overall stability while stopping. Pedal feel was a bit disconcerting though, as it goes right towards the floor with little resistance. 

Four trim levels are available, starting at $23,785 for an FE. Top level Touring stickers for $30,545.  

The 2017 Kia Niro is truly a product of its time. Part utility, part hatchback, part marketing strategy; all with a strong emphasis on high fuel economy. It’s another all-around excellent product from Kia, and if we were paying over $4.00 a gallon for gas like we were a few years ago, it would be an instant hit.  As it is now, it will probably still get there; it just might take a while longer.     

 

Specifications

  • Engine: 1.6 liter I4
  • Horsepower: 139
  • Torque: 195 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 10.1 seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 17.7 seconds @ 80 mph
  • EPA: 46 mpg city /40 mpg highway
  • Energy Impact: 7.7 barrels of oil/yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 3.4 tons/yr
2025 Subaru WRX tS 11

2025 Subaru WRX tS

Subaru’s “World Rally eXperimental” Gets Tecnica-Tuned Tech

Episode 4427
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Building on its global rally heritage, WRX has been a standalone Subaru nameplate, marketed separately from garden variety Impreza, for two generations now. And while the current WRX still lacks the full STI treatment, this WRX tS serves up some of that high-performance spice we’ve been longing for.

Before we go flat out into our Track Test of this 2025 Subaru WRX tS, lets open the Subaru dictionary so we’re all on the same page. “tS” stands for “tuned by STI;” and “STI” is an acronym for “Subaru Tecnica International,” the brand’s high-performance sub-group best known for upgrading the WRX— oh, that stands for “World Rally eXperimental,” in case you didn’t know.

All that said, STI has been largely dormant for this WRX generation, but this tS sprinkles more of their engineering magic into the mix. No, that doesn’t mean extra power, but does mean significant chassis-related improvements.

First, electronically controlled dampers, adjustable through the 11.6-inch tablet-style infotainment screen. That meant a softer “comfort” mode on the 10+ hour commute to and from Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway. But once we were there, it was the firmer “Sport+” setting all the way, heightening response from the WRX’s throttle and already quick dual-pinion power steering system. There’s still some body roll for rally-esque weight transfer, but it’s well sorted and provides the “toss-ability” you want in a WRX.

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Though if you do autocross your tS, which we implore you to do, you might feel the six-piston front, two-piston rear Brembo brakes first. The bite is strong, giving good rotation in the corners and plenty of “halt” for this 3,400 lb. compact with minimal fade, keeping us on track all week…until some unfortunate winter weather passed overhead. No worries here, as Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system got us to the track for some powdered deserts: Frosted donuts served up Michelin style, a set of winter tires different from the grippy Bridgestone Potenza S007 rubber the tS typically rides on. Some prior hot laps of California’s Sonoma Raceway gave credence to those Bridgestones, and showed us what this hot-compact can do in ideal conditions.

It’s well sorted and provides the “toss-ability” you want in a WRX.

Other tS enhancements are cabin-based, namely these beautiful blue Recaros. Most of our staff appreciated their moderately-aggressive bolstering on both street and track. And they’re even heated, too. Another tS-only appointment is this 12.3-inch digital gauge display. It mimics the standard analog gauges with some additional info, but can switch to a navigation mode for more convenient route guidance.

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We do wish our tS came in the new Galaxy Purple or the trademark World Rally Blue, but this Crystal White paint wasn’t too shabby, contrasting its Cherry Blossom Red badging and blacked-out lip spoiler. Otherwise, the tS is like any other WRX, down to the hood scoop funneling air to the top-mounted intercooler.

Underneath is the same turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four in all other trims, boxing at 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The freak winter weather stopped straight-line testing, but a 0-60 time estimate of 5.5 seconds is about as spry as you realistically need, pulling strong through most of the tach; though the 6,000 RPM redline required attentive shifting of the six-speed box, which the tS comes exclusively with. The throws are precise, if a little long, and the clutch is wonderfully weighted.

With discontinuation of the Base trim, pricing for the WRX now starts with Premium at $36,920. The tS is at the top of the lineup with the automatic-only GT, both starting at $46,875. All WRXs continue to be made in Gunma, Japan.

If you’re an enthusiast itching to do the tuning yourself, perhaps the 2025 Subaru WRX tS is not for you. But if you want a plug-and-play experience, this is it. While it won’t exactly bestow the loose-cannon, top-level driving skills exhibited by famous WRC drivers upon you, the tS moves this WRX’s game in a direction we’ve so desperately wanted Subaru to take.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Engine: 2.4-liter flat-four
  • Tranmission: 6-speed manual
  • Horsepower: 271
  • Torque: 258 lb-ft
2025 Porsche 911 Carrera 23

2025 Porsche 911 Carrera

Ever Evolving 911 Reaches New Heights

Episode 4426
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

The Porsche 911 has existed for 60 years now! Amazing! And, you could argue that major changes over all those years have been relatively few, as constant incremental improvement is more the way that Porsche does business. With that in mind, let’s hit the track in the latest 911 and see what constant improvement means for 2025.

We’ve driven so many 911s here at MotorWeek, each seemingly more special than the last, so it’s a bit refreshing to be ripping around Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway in a 2025 Porsche 911 that’s about as close as you can get to base these days. And the fact that it’s just as fun as all those exclusive pieces says a lot about how far the 911 has come. Perhaps it also speaks to how much a base 911 will set you back today as well; more on that later.

For now, we’re just thinking about the next apex, holding steady throttle as we approach, and getting on it way sooner than you’d expect without upsetting anything, as the 911 rockets off the corner thanks to tremendous grip and a PDK trans that finds the perfect gear before we even gave it a thought. Even with very cold track temps, we never struggled for grip or battled any wheelspin coming off of corners. And trying to land it in that perfect spot in braking zones is easy with strong brake performance that was predictable and consistent lap after lap; no wandering, and great feedback too.

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Yes, even the standard 911 is near pure perfection on a racetrack. It gives you all the right feedback, stays incredibly flat through corners, makes you always feel totally in control, and again is just plain fun. Unless you’re chasing lap times, there’s really no need to head further up the 911 tree. Though it is worth noting the few upgrades that were on our Carrera did help the situation a little. The 20- and 21-inch Carrera S wheels enabled plenty of grip from the 305 Pirelli P Zero tires, the Sport Chrono Package allows 0-60 sprints of 3.7 seconds, an extended range fuel tank meant we could lap all day without having to fill up, and the fantastic Sport Seats provided great support and better comfort than we remember experiencing in a 911. The Sport Exhaust system didn’t add anything to performance, but made things sound a whole lot better, and the oval silver tips look great too.

We never struggled for grip or battled any wheel spin coming off of corners.

Our track time got cut short thanks to a rare snowstorm in Coastal Georgia, but the white stuff and blue sky made the perfect backdrop for our Guards Red Carrera. Exterior tweaks for what is officially the 992.2 include a reshaped front fascia with improved aerodynamics. All front lighting is now contained within the Matrix Design LED headlight housing. The rear fascia has also been smoothed out, the license plate moved higher, and Porsche 3D block lettering spelled out across the back beneath the active rear spoiler and new decklid grille.

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Even without Turbo in the name, the standard 911 engine is indeed a turbo these days, a 3.0-liter flat-six twin-turbo delivering 388 horsepower and 331 lb-ft strictly to the rear wheels in the Carrera Coupe.

Inside the cabin, the 911 continues its slow crawl towards the modern, now including a 12.6-inch fully digital gauge display and a start button located on the left side of the steering wheel, with drive modes easily accessible on the wheel itself. In another no brainer move, Porsche now makes the rear seat a no cost option, so you can choose if you want it or not.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 18 City, 25 Highway, and 21 Combined. That’s only slightly worse than average for the Energy Impact Score; 14.2 barrels of annual oil consumption with 7.0 tons of CO2 emissions.

The good news is this 911 had the fewest number of options of any Porsche that we’ve tested in some time, and it was still plenty awesome; the bad news is, a base Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe now starts at $122,095.

But can you really put value on “the force,” this mythical power that Porsche seems to have, that somehow turns average drivers into great ones? It’s useless to resist as far as we’re concerned, as it only gets better with the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-6
  • Transmission: 8-speed PDK
  • Horsepower: 388
  • Torque: 331 lb-ft